August Burns Red Archives

With their ninth studio album, August Burns Red proves that true strength comes from community and belief in yourself.

There are very few bands in metalcore — or any genre for that matter — that can sustain their creativity for the better part of two decades. Even less can claim to continuously improve during that period. Most artists have three records in them, if that, and many that attempt to go further end up repeating themselves to the point of self-parody. Others try to reinvent themselves by exploring new sounds that may or may not click with longtime followers. August Burns Red has stuck to one thing through it all, and their ninth (!) record speaks to the power of persistence.

August Burns Red are craftsmen in the world of metal. The talent displayed on Guardians, their latest release, is the kind of thing you cannot fake. The sound and delivery of August Burns Red is the result of constant refinement spread across seventeen years and nine studio records, as well as countless performances. The members — JB Brubaker, Brent Rambler, Matt Greiner, Jake Luhrs, and Dustin Davidson — have grown into their skills as they’ve aged, which is a blessing many musicians never receive, and they prove with Guardians that they do not take their gifts for granted.

Guardians speaks to lives lead with fierce determination and open-mindedness. Throughout the record’s element tracks the band shares the knowledge gained from their exploration of the modern world, including the secret to keeping your head above water even in the direst of situations. The group recognizes the unmatched power of community, and how anything is possible for those who choose to believe in themselves, but unlike others who have covered similar thematic grounds the band grounds their beliefs with the notion that belief alone is rarely enough. If you want something in this life, be it achieving dreams or making friends, then you have to put everything you have in the pursuit of the things that will make you happy. You cannot expect anything. Every single thing that matters, big or small, requires focused effort.

If that notion scares you or makes you feel insecure, fear not. August Burns Red also wants fans to know they are not alone. As the group says on “Paramount,” one of Guardians’ most notable tracks:

Are you walking through fire?

You have a friend

Are you stuck in a nightmare?

My friend, you have a light to make it end

Listening to Guardians is not unlike watching the pivotal locker room speech from any major sports movie in that it pumps you up without overlooking the hard facts of life. You may not be the smartest or funniest or most creative person on the planet, but you possess an endless amount of potential that only you have the power to unlock. That kind of decision making is how the men of August Burns Red became who they are today, and they’ve turned their focus to lifting others up in hopes you, the listener, will do the same.

Haulix Recommends is a recurring feature where the Haulix staff chooses one or more recent releases from their clients. Click here to discover more great music being promoted through Haulix.

We know it would take far too long to highlight every client’s new release each week, so we’re going to choose a few select titles each week that we feel everyone should support. These are albums we will be buying ourselves, and we hope at the very least you give them a proper spin before deciding to purchase something else. James may write the column, but everyone at Haulix will have a say in who gets chosen.

**August Burns Red – Found In Far Away Places (LP/Digital/Stream)**

Like most people who grow up in the midwest with a love for all things heavy in rock and roll, I spent many days listening to my mother telling me how all the bands I loved were just making noise. Looking back, she wasn’t always wrong. There are so many artists working in rock and metal today with absolutely nothing to say, but due to technical talent and the right producer they find a way to cling to relevancy in the ever-changing music landscape. August Burns Red are not one of those bands however, and over the course of their career they have continually raised the bar for storytelling and purposeful songwriting for everyone in their scene. Their latest, Found In Far Away Places, is the greatest expression of these qualities recorded to date. From universal messages of hope, strength, and progression, to tracks built from the stories of people facing real struggle in our modern society, there is something powerful to be found in every single song on this record.

**Anthony Raneri – Sorry State of Mind (LP/Digital/Stream)**

Having long proven himself to be a songwriter capable of making you feel as if you could burst with hope one moment, only to make you want to cry the next, Anthony Raneri no longer needs to impress anyone with his music. His sound is a signature craft beer with a reputation for greatness that speaks for itself, and his dedicated ‘cult’ following will no doubt embrace his new solo EP the way they have every single Bayside release since their Victory Records debut in 2004. Ranger and his bandmates may now call Hopeless Records home, but the heartbreaking honesty and whimsical sincerity of his writing is just as ever before. Sorry State Of Mind finds Raneri reflecting on all he has done and experienced through his time in music, and the stories he has to share will keep you entertained all summer long.

**Meek Mill – Dreams Worth More Than Money (LP/Digital/Stream)**

If hard rock and acoustic solo albums are not your cup of tea, Maybach Music Group member Meek Mill has an alternative offering that may win you over. Dreams Worth More Than Money is the long-awaited sophomore effort from the Philadelphia based emcee, and though it is arriving almost a full year after its original release date Mill has made every effort to ensure the final product was more than worth the wait. From club-ready hits like “R.I.C.O” and “Bad For You,” to lyrical monsters such as “Lord Knows” or “The Trillest,” Dreams Worth More Than Money solidifies Meek Mill as one of the top artists in hip-hop today. He’s able to deliver radio hits just as easily as he can drop a verse that would incite riots in the streets, and on this release he gives us a little bit of everything in one fun, impressively cohesive listening experience.

James Shotwell is the Marketing Coordinator for Haulix. He is also a professional entertainment critic, covering both film and music, as well as the co-founder of Antique Records. Feel free to tell him you love or hate the article above by connecting with him on Twitter. Bonus points if you introduce yourself by sharing your favorite Simpsons character.