Fearless Records – 2020
August Burns Red is a band who know their identity, and on their 9th studio album Guardians, they have proven that sticking to your guns is a successful formula for music artists. Following up to their 2017 hit “The Phantom Anthem”, this new chapter is a great example of musical growth. The Pennsylvania quintet stay true to their roots of metalcore with traditional heavy hitting songs such as “The Narrative”, “Paramount”, and “Bloodletter”, while adding new drone-like sound elements to songs like “Three Fountains”.
Their two crushing singles “Bones” and “Defender” is a reminder for their fanbase that they are only getting better at perfecting their sound, and those were wise choices to pick. Guitarists JB Brubaker and Brent Rambler continue to show their level of consistency with complimenting their roles in the band, with insane and memorable solos found on “Bones” and “Empty Heaven”, and headbanging riffs found on “Dismembered Memory” and “Extinct By Instinct”.
ABR spent the most time on this album than the rest of their discography, recording 2 different sessions and having everyone chip in when it came to the lyrics. The song “Lighthouse” falls right before the midway point, which includes gang and preach-like vocals, showcasing Jake Luhrs talents in his voice. It is one of the more emotional songs on this album which the opening lyrics say “Take another look around, there’s so much lost to be found.”
A more memorable moment came before the third act of the song “Extinct by Instinct”, around the 2 min mark. Things slow down, but that is a good example of how diverse this band can be before things get heavy again at the end. Guardians from top to bottom is one of the most polished works of art from ABR, and they show no signs of letting up. Album is out now via Fearless Records.
Our Score – 9/10
– Reach Sonny, the author of this review at rezablade@interviewunderfire.com
One Response
Nice review! I plan on getting this soon.