Project Description
AUGUST BURNS RED
‘Guardians’
(Album Review)
Reviewer: Laura Hughes
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August Burns Red have been heavyweights in the metal scene for years, especially with their well-known slogan ‘Angry Music For Happy People’. I discovered them when I was sixteen and instantly fell in love with their sound. It wasn’t just any ordinary angst and low growls that make your heart pulsate, they had a very technical style that just blew me away. With thoughtful lyricism of hope and divinity and intricate melodies embedded in each song, I knew that this was no ordinary metal band.
If you don’t already know these guys, let me give you a little introduction about who they are, and of course why they are such a staple in the metal scene. August Burns Red is a Metalcore band from Lancaster, Pennsylvania formed in 2003. This guys have been around for seventeen years and are two-time GRAMMY® Award-nominated, which means they have a lot to show for.
‘Guardians’ is their eighth full-length album, and is there most collaborative effort to date. It’s an album that is an experience like no other and will be an album that stand’s out against most of their discography, and let me tell you they have one of the most amazing discographies I have ever heard.
The first track off of ‘Guardians’ is titled ‘The Narrative’ which kick starts the album with a burst of noise, from clashing drums, chugging rhythmic guitar, and the wailing melodic guitar being the cherry on top. It shows no mercy, not holding back even for a second, these guys are putting all their effort, and it shows. One thing that keeps on hitting me in the chest is the double kick of the drums, the precision and neurotic build-up of the song, leaving you hanging on the edge, waiting for what they are about to throw in next. It a song that seems like is filled with chaos until you listen a little bit closer, and that’s when you hear how every single layer and dynamic of the song is purposely placed to tug on your emotions, and to get you thinking, which is a perfect way to set the mood for this album.
‘Bones’ continues the hard-hitting clash on noise. It feels as if a wall of sound has come crashing down on you, with low vocal growls and crashing drums, and with low melodies mixed into the background, creating a darker sound before the chorus hits, where there are clean backing vocals and lighter undertones in play, having an uplifting peak moment in the song before it comes crashing back down. If you listen to the lyrics you can hear how the song moves in waves, the dark contrasting with the light. Even in the depths of lyrics, with the darkness seemingly endless, they found a way to circle it back to hope, having a glimmer of light peaking through the cracks, almost breaking their way out in a sense. It’s about finding your resolution and fighting your way through the tides that tried to drown you. It’s in our bones to survive, no matter what life throws at us.
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‘Paramount’, the word itself means ‘having supreme power’ or ‘more important than anything else; supreme’, and I’m not surprised by them choosing this word to be a title of their track. This track has a softer beginning, with a thrumming melody that has a good connotation connected to it, like a wave of desire is being projected onto us. You can hear Jake’s growls, muffled behind the melody before the track bursts into action. It speaks of having a light at the end, that no matter what you are going through, you just have to keep on walking until you get through to the other side. The song was perfectly named because it is all about proving to yourself that you hold power over yourself, and you can direct or forge your own path, that you can shake the shackles that weigh you down. You are more important than those things that weigh you down. The standout moment for me in this track is the lyrics “Our tragedy is not tragic” which is very powerful and is such beautifully phrased, it ignites a fire inside your chest.
The next song is ‘Defender’, which is a song that is all about having a person in your corner in hard times, and that person who is willing to take some punches for you. It is shedding light that there are people around you to help you through and that you don’t have to do this alone. It starts with a slow atmospheric sound that is building up in pace, which then explodes as the entire band kicks in. If you need a fight song, then this is it. It’s a song that will become your anthem for hard times, a song that has elements of explosion, which projects strength and belief. It’s an emotion that you can feel pumping through your veins, leaving you with this slightly different outlook on things. It also has powerful lyrics such as “A voice that shakes to calm the quake”, which ignites a flame that feels like it is ripping right through you. If you need a song to lift you right up, then ‘Defender’ is here to be your strength.
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‘Lighthouse’ has a lighter undertone, and definitely switches up the mood. Starting with clean vocals and upbeat instrumentation, like there is this scope of light shining through every element of this track. If you take the title and compare it to the song itself, the title is very fitting, as it is a song of light and hope, searching for those lost in the darkness to bring them safely to shore. This song is very hard-hitting, it holds so much emotion inside of it that just comes bursting from the seams. It is a very significant song to me and holds so much life to it, and I think it is one of the most standout tracks in this album. The metaphor used is just brilliant, and the song itself is so eloquently put, and it holds this power of strength and hope that will help so many people get through rough patches. It is a symbol of light and is a beacon for all of those who feel lost. It is a song that I know that I will cling to on my bad days.
‘Dismembered Memory’ doesn’t hold back, starting off with an intricate melodic guitar that sounds amazing, and stays embedded in the song throughout its entirety, sometimes having moments where the band drops out, allowing it shine. This track is heavy, and not just instrumentally, if you looked deeper into the lyrics, they carry a lot of weight. This topic feels so heavy as if they have placed a weight on your chest, making you take a step back to look at the world around you, the vicious cycle of how everything seems never-ending. The meek being taken advantage of, and how power and authority seem to think that it is alright to stand above everyone else. It’s a hard pill to swallow, especially be we unconsciously follow societies standards, having different levels of class for people, not letting them break the mould unless they make a huge change. It doesn’t just stand for one select group of people, or one situation, the message in this song can be interpreted in many ways, but that weight is still there no matter what.
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‘Ties That Bind’ is a phrase that means ‘is the shared belief or other factor that links people together’, which is compelling when you think about it, and it is amazing demonstrated in this track. This track is about hardship, feeling hopeless and lost. It’s a feeling that everyone at some level can connect with. It states that we are not alone, and to surround yourself with those who won’t let you fall. It is these times when we can really get to know someone when they are suffering and can be a bond that tethers us together. The instrumentation at the start of this song takes a step back, starting with intricate layers of instrumentation with melodic and rhythmic guitars and slower drum beat driving the song. The drums pick up the pace the moment the vocals join in, adding a double kick that really adds a slight emphasis’ embedded into the song. The chorus really sticks out to me, with the pause and crash of the instruments, holding back breakdown and then crashing down altogether, giving the song another level of texture.
The next song is ‘Bloodletter’, and it takes no prisoners. It’s harsh and heavy, with the lowest lows and the grittiest of growls. Also let’s not forget the angst, the unforgiving and hard-hitting anger that is just relentless. It is also demonstrated amazingly, with each element holding a distinct irate sound, whether that be high pitched wailings, crashing symbols, or low growling fuzz. The song itself isn’t fuelled or driven with hate, but rather more directed at that moment of finally lashing out on something you truly stand for, allowing yourself to be truly heard when you felt that you have not. It is taking the reins in a situation that usually seems to be out of your control, and standing your ground. Take this song and listen to it, feel the rage pumping through your veins, feel the bass and the drums punching in you the stomach, feel the hurt and the angst, but don’t forget the feeling of standing your ground, that feeling that you have the right to be heard. Take that anger and put it into powerful words, and show that you are not weak, and you’re here for something bigger than this.
‘Extinct By Instinct’ starts off sounding a bit muffled, but as the intro progresses the sound gets clearer and sharper. It definitely takes a step back compared to the previous song, with less grittiness and heavy aspects to it, but allowing a change in perspective and energy into the album. This song has many layers, one of my favourites is when they take a step back with minimal drums, fuzzy bass and the guitar playing a very Hispanic and intricate melody which they are known to do in their songs. It really takes the song to another level, and shows off their creativity, and also explores elements that aren’t always heard in metal, which is quite refreshing to hear. There are separate sections in the song where the texture or instrumentation changes, where you can feel this shift in perspective and is very narrative like. The music itself tells it’s own story and is one of my favourite songs off of this album because of its unique structure.
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‘Empty Heaven’ begins with an ambient sound before quickly kicking into gear with drums and melodic guitar. This song opens up a conversation about divinity, and if you’re not familiar with these guys, then you probably don’t know that they are known to be a Christian metal band for a majority of their career. However, in interviews that don’t like to believe that they are a Christian band since it holds no relevance to their music anymore. However, they still have some songs in their newer discography that does touch on topics of divinity and religion, which is up for interpretation, depending on the views you hold. Religion aside, I believe that this song can be separated from faith and viewed on the topic of death, especially from the point of view of rocking chair regret, at the end of the day will you be happy with the life you have led? It’s a song that changes your perspective on the unknown of the abyss and leaves you deep in thought with a whole lot of inner self questions.
The last song on this album is ‘Three Fountains’, which holds a more sombre tone, with every instrument holding an ambient sound, and this heavy feeling of something that is coming to an end. It pricked tears in the corner of my eyes, and I felt this crushing weight inside of me. It holds so much raw emotion, and you can just hear how this sadness is conveyed with so much emphasis and pure passion of each member of the band. It may almost feel like a damper, almost like an impossible emotion to leave the album on, however, through the fight of gloom, it picks upbringing a new life into the song. It’s a song dedicated to the rebels and rejects, and a song that resonates with me a lot. It does hold a lot of weight and is an unexpected ending to a beautifully written album. You can feel that pinch of hope at the end of the song, with the high pitched guitar pinging in your ears, and the song leaving you with the words “In the air”. I feel sad hearing this album come to a close, and maybe that was their plan all along, to provoke an emotion in the listener so strong that they are left grasping for more.
‘Guardians’ is an album that is filled with so much emotion, so much blood, sweat, and tears being poured into it. It shows so much dedication being put in their art, leaving no stone unturned. It dives into the unknown and comes out the other side with this beacon of hope, which has always been something I found to be their message as a band. It is purely written from the heart and soul and shows that despite being a band for seventeen years, they still truly love and treasure what they do. For me, August Burns Red has always been a light at the end of the tunnel, a band that truly brings me so much joy, and I hope that by listening to this album it does the exact same for you.
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