“We built our truth on top of all these lies. I still see the good in life.“
Rounding out the first quarter of 2023, August Burns Red has returned with a brand new full-length. The metalcore titans have been an influential mainstay of the genre for two decades now, with their style of technical, melodic metalcore. Over the years, the quintet from Lancaster, Pennsylvania have released many classic albums such as Thrill Seekers, Messengers, Phantom Anthem, and many more. Now signed to the revered SharpTone Records, the band presents Death Below.
The album kicks off with a bold statement, starting with intro “Premonition”, which follows into “The Cleansing”. The former begins gently, easing into a gradually desperate build-up, with a spoken word piece by frontman Jake Luhrs turning into screams by the end. The latter, meanwhile, is an ambitious start to the album at almost eight minutes long. It wastes no time getting into the action with a barrage of pummelling blast beats, a showcase of the melodeath influence that the band has experimented with across their lengthy discography. The track is full of signature melodic leads, rhythmic switches, and also features sing-screams from Luhrs. Though lengthy, it is able to hold the momentum throughout.
Following this is first single “Ancestry”. It features Jesse Leach of another legendary melodic metalcore band, Killswitch Engage. Delivering his iconic anthemic vocals on the chorus provides a nice vocal contrast to Luhrs’ usual screaming. It is otherwise standard ABR fare from here. “Tightrope” comes next, featuring an impressive solo from legendary metalcore guitarist Jason Richardson and yet again showcasing the unique song structures that are integral to the band’s sound. “Fool’s Gold in the Bear Trap” offers a welcome change of pace, starting with a quiet intro facilitated by clean guitars and a punchy bassline. This explodes into a symphony of tremolos and blast beats, bordering on black metal territory. It is quite different from the other tracks on the album and a welcome surprise.
This transitions seamlessly into “Backfire”, one of the stronger tracks on the album. Luhrs showcases some much-needed vocal variety here, pushing his range. Instrumentally, the track has a catchy groove, courtesy of drummer Matthew Greiner, and the lead lines following the track are tasteful. It also features a great solo that ties everything together. The blast beats return in the later half of the song, connecting it to the previous track. This trilogy of connecting songs ends with “Revival”, which kicks off with a proggy, almost ERRA-esque riff. The parallels continue with a delectable harmonic riff that comes after. The song soon transitions back to the ABR sound, but not before dropping one of the hardest hitting breakdowns of the album at the end. These three tracks are a big highlight, and definitely the strongest stretch of the album.
“Sevink”, an interlude, provides a needed breather before going into “Dark Divide”, which makes a fiery entrance with a bouncy, harmonic riff. The song laments on the damage done by war. The track also features yet another impressive solo, courtesy of lead guitarist JB Brubaker. “Deadbolt” comes after, sporting an unusually melodic chorus for the band which makes it stand out from the rest of the tracklist. However, it is also at this point where the album starts to wane, relying too much on the band’s usual formula. “The Abyss” brings more of the progressive elements from before, and it shines with its interesting structure. It is a triumphant song, with the line “we are so resilient” in the midst of a punchy breakdown and bouncy uncleans from ERRA’s JT Cavey.
Closing track “Reckoning” pushes the eight-minute mark yet again, paralleling the start of the album. Here, the percussion is the real instrumental highlight, as the hefty track is filled with intriguing drum patterns and fills. The track also features numerous melodic passages and breakdowns which help to break up the potential monotony. The presence of distinctive vocals from Underoath‘s Spencer Chamberlain, both cleans and screams, also keep the lengthy closer interesting. Trading screams with Luhrs at the end, the track ends on an impressive crescendo. Ultimately, the song doesn’t feel overly long due to its unique structure, which is an admirable feat.
The best summary of this album is that it is August Burns Red. The band has its signature sound and they hardly deviate from it; nor do they necessarily need to. It is familiar and consistent, and their level of technical skill has always been stellar. This album is no exception, as it displays their usual relentless riffs and drumming. However, compared to some of their more recent efforts, it is missing some of the more melodic elements that those albums brought to the table, particularly in the vocal department. Death Below excels in bringing the members’ talents to the forefront, but it can feel oversaturated in points due to the sheer length of the album. Some new elements would have been appreciated to break up the barrage of sounds that the almost hour-long runtime presents. This is an album that will no doubt please longtime fans, but will likely take a while to digest for most.
7.5/10
Death Below will be released on March 24th via SharpTone Records, and you can pre-order it here.