August Burns Red
August Burns Red is a band from Manheim, Pennsylvania. Formed in 2003, the … Read Full Bio ↴August Burns Red is a band from Manheim, Pennsylvania. Formed in 2003, the group began their first performances while a majority of the members were attending their senior year of high school, and soon began playing shows around Lancaster, before being signed to CI Records, and afterward, Solid State Records (SST). The group is primarily known for their heavy breakdowns, highly melodic guitar riffs and odd-meter riffs. They state Between the Buried and Me, Misery Signals and Hopesfall as their main influences.
August Burns Red is generally credited as a melodic metalcore band, and have also been said to share traits of other genres such as progressive metal, and thrash metal but blending it with hardcore, extreme metal and post hardcore August Burns Red songs have technical or odd time signatures and heavy breakdowns, growled vocals, melodic guitar riffs, and complex instrumentation with a variety of influences including Meshuggah, Between the Buried and Me, Poison the Well, Symphony in Peril and Misery Signals.
While the group has stated that they don't mind being classified as melodic metalcore, Brubaker has grown to a distaste in the genre's usual bands: "I feel like anyone who can pick up and play a guitar and learn to play a metalcore riff and any drummer who can learn to play a thrash beat over a breakdown is doing it. It's almost become very formulaic, and metal to me was never a formulaic genre."
August Burns Red was founded in March 2003 when all the members were attending high school. The original practice sessions of the band began in drummer, Matt Greiner's old egg house and basement on the Greiner family's farmland. After playing many local shows within Lancaster, they recorded their first EP, titled Looks Fragile After All with label CI Records in 2004.
Vocalist Jon Hershey eventually quit the band during the same year, which led to Josh McManness to take on the position as lead singer, and after several months of playing with McManness, August Burns Red signed to Solid State Records in 2005. Hershey would later go on to form instrumental post-rock band Bells. August Burns Red released Thrill Seeker, their first full-length album, on November 8, 2005. In 2006, drummer Matt Greiner was endorsed by Truth Custom Drums following the release of the album.
McManness departed from the band in 2006, exhausted by the band's constant touring. He was replaced with Columbia, SC resident, Jake Luhrs during the same year. Bassist Jordan Tuscan also left the band in 2006 for similar reasons as McManness. He was replaced by bassist Dustin Davidson, a friend of the band. The band's second album, Messengers, was released on June 19, 2007. Marking the debut for Luhrs fronting the group, it managed to become the band's breakthrough album, reaching number 81 on the Billboard 200. The album has sold a total of 108,000 copies as of May 2011.
Throughout 2008, August Burns Red toured with several acts across North America and Europe to promote Messengers. From April to May they toured with As I Lay Dying and Misery Signals across the United States and Canada. In September and October of that same year, they headlined a tour with A Skylit Drive, Sky Eats Airplane, Greeley Estates, and This or the Apocalypse in the United States. The band also visited Europe for a month-long headlining tour in November, playing in Germany, Finland, Norway, Sweden, The United Kingdom, Republic Of Ireland, Northern Ireland, Italy, Belgium, The Netherlands, Czech Republic, Slovakia, and France.
After this series of tours, the band recorded two covers of popular songs. They recorded an instrumental version of the classic song, “Carol of the Bells” for the X Christmas compilation album, which was featured in trailers for the film, The Spirit, released Christmas Day 2008. They also recorded a cover of “…Baby One More Time” by pop singer Britney Spears for the Punk Goes Pop, Vol. 2 compilation album, released in March 2009.
On February 24, 2009, the band released an EP, entitled Lost Messengers: The Outtakes. It contains material that is related or was decided not to be included in the final, mastered version of Messengers. August Burns Reds' first trip to the Middle East took place on March 6, 2009 with the band playing at the Dubai Desert Rock Festival. The band's last tour before their next album release took place in the United States, where they toured with metalcore band All That Remains throughout April and May.
To promote their upcoming album, August Burns Red released several new tracks and a music video during June 2009. The tracks Thirty and Seven, Existence, and Ocean of Apathy were all released on the 15th, 21st, and 29th, respectively. A music video for the song Meddler was also released during this month. On July 7, a week before the album's release, August Burns Red began streaming the full album on their Myspace profile for a limited time.
August Burns Red released their third full-length album, Constellations, on July 14, 2009. During the week of August 1, 2009, the album charted at spot 24 on the Billboard 200. Another United States tour was organized with August Burns Red headlining and support from Blessthefall, Enter Shikari, All Shall Perish, and iwrestledabearonce. After this tour, the band joined a short tour in Australia with Architects in support of Australian band Parkway Drive. August Burns Red toured alongside Underoath and Emery in November and December 2009 as well.
The band released their first live CD/DVD, Home, on September 28, 2010. The group co-headlined an Alternative Press tour throughout November. On February 23, 2010, Constellations was nominated for the Dove Award for "Best Rock Album".
August Burns Red toured Australia and New Zealand in December 2010 on the No Sleep Til Festival. The band played alongside Parkway Drive, A Day to Remember, NOFX, Dropkick Murphys, Suicide Silence, Megadeth, Descendents, Gwar and many others.
On July 27, 2010, lead guitarist, Brubaker stated that the band would be taking time off tour to write their next record, On February 12, 2011, the band announced via their official Facebook page that they had completely finished writing their new record and that they would be entering the studio on Valentine's Day which, following into March of the next year, the band announced that the record was finished, and that it was (at that point) time for mixing. On the April 5, August Burns Red revealed the name of this upcoming record as Leveler. On May 16, 2011, the band released the song “Empire” as a preview before its release. They also later premiered three other songs: "Internal Cannon", "Divisions", and "Poor Millionaire", on May 31, June 6, and June 14, respectively.
Leveler was released on June 21, 2011 in two forms; standard and deluxe. The deluxe version of Leveler contains four extra songs, including an acoustic version of the song "Internal Cannon". The album sold particularly well compared to their other releases, with 29,000 of its opening first week-copies being sold in the United States alone. These sales had the record land at position 11 on The Billboard 200 chart. After the release, August Burns Red took part on the main stage of the 2011 Vans Warped Tour.
August Burns Red headlined their own "Leveler" tour on the first quarter of 2012 with Silverstein, Texas In July, I The Breather and Letlive. Later in 2012, August Burns Red embarked on a European tour with The Devil Wears Prada and Veil of Maya, and an American tour with Of Mice & Men and The Color Morale. August Burns Red released their first Holiday album, entitled August Burns Red Presents: Sleddin' Hill on October 9, 2012. On February 8, 2013 the band was officially announced as part of Warped Tour 2013 alongside Bring Me the Horizon, NeverShoutNever, Black Veil Brides, 3OH!3, Crizzly and Bowling for Soup.
On May 5, they announced that the album, Rescue & Restore was set to release June 25, 2013. The album debuted at No. 9 on the Billboard 200. On August 30, they announced that they would release a documentary DVD titled Foreign & Familiar before the end of the year.
On August 5, 2014, it was announced the band had signed to Fearless Records and Found in Far Away Places would be available for pre-order on April 13, 2015 along with their new single "The Wake".
The band embarked on the Frozen Flame Tour from January 22 to March 8, 2015 along with Miss May I, Northlane, Fit for a King and ERRA, for 39 shows in Canada and the United States, sponsored by Rockstar Energy.
On December 7, 2015 August Burns Red was nominated for a Grammy Award in the Best Metal Performance Category for their song "Identity".
The Messengers 10th Anniversary Tour in Europe and the United States started on January 4, 2017 with supporting artists, Protest the Hero, In Hearts Wake and '68. On July 26, 2017, August Burns Red announced their new album, Phantom Anthem, released on October 6, 2017. The first single from the album, "Invisible Enemy," premiered on the SiriusXM Liquid Metal show the same day as the album announcement.
August Burns Red is generally credited as a melodic metalcore band, and have also been said to share traits of other genres such as progressive metal, and thrash metal but blending it with hardcore, extreme metal and post hardcore August Burns Red songs have technical or odd time signatures and heavy breakdowns, growled vocals, melodic guitar riffs, and complex instrumentation with a variety of influences including Meshuggah, Between the Buried and Me, Poison the Well, Symphony in Peril and Misery Signals.
While the group has stated that they don't mind being classified as melodic metalcore, Brubaker has grown to a distaste in the genre's usual bands: "I feel like anyone who can pick up and play a guitar and learn to play a metalcore riff and any drummer who can learn to play a thrash beat over a breakdown is doing it. It's almost become very formulaic, and metal to me was never a formulaic genre."
August Burns Red was founded in March 2003 when all the members were attending high school. The original practice sessions of the band began in drummer, Matt Greiner's old egg house and basement on the Greiner family's farmland. After playing many local shows within Lancaster, they recorded their first EP, titled Looks Fragile After All with label CI Records in 2004.
Vocalist Jon Hershey eventually quit the band during the same year, which led to Josh McManness to take on the position as lead singer, and after several months of playing with McManness, August Burns Red signed to Solid State Records in 2005. Hershey would later go on to form instrumental post-rock band Bells. August Burns Red released Thrill Seeker, their first full-length album, on November 8, 2005. In 2006, drummer Matt Greiner was endorsed by Truth Custom Drums following the release of the album.
McManness departed from the band in 2006, exhausted by the band's constant touring. He was replaced with Columbia, SC resident, Jake Luhrs during the same year. Bassist Jordan Tuscan also left the band in 2006 for similar reasons as McManness. He was replaced by bassist Dustin Davidson, a friend of the band. The band's second album, Messengers, was released on June 19, 2007. Marking the debut for Luhrs fronting the group, it managed to become the band's breakthrough album, reaching number 81 on the Billboard 200. The album has sold a total of 108,000 copies as of May 2011.
Throughout 2008, August Burns Red toured with several acts across North America and Europe to promote Messengers. From April to May they toured with As I Lay Dying and Misery Signals across the United States and Canada. In September and October of that same year, they headlined a tour with A Skylit Drive, Sky Eats Airplane, Greeley Estates, and This or the Apocalypse in the United States. The band also visited Europe for a month-long headlining tour in November, playing in Germany, Finland, Norway, Sweden, The United Kingdom, Republic Of Ireland, Northern Ireland, Italy, Belgium, The Netherlands, Czech Republic, Slovakia, and France.
After this series of tours, the band recorded two covers of popular songs. They recorded an instrumental version of the classic song, “Carol of the Bells” for the X Christmas compilation album, which was featured in trailers for the film, The Spirit, released Christmas Day 2008. They also recorded a cover of “…Baby One More Time” by pop singer Britney Spears for the Punk Goes Pop, Vol. 2 compilation album, released in March 2009.
On February 24, 2009, the band released an EP, entitled Lost Messengers: The Outtakes. It contains material that is related or was decided not to be included in the final, mastered version of Messengers. August Burns Reds' first trip to the Middle East took place on March 6, 2009 with the band playing at the Dubai Desert Rock Festival. The band's last tour before their next album release took place in the United States, where they toured with metalcore band All That Remains throughout April and May.
To promote their upcoming album, August Burns Red released several new tracks and a music video during June 2009. The tracks Thirty and Seven, Existence, and Ocean of Apathy were all released on the 15th, 21st, and 29th, respectively. A music video for the song Meddler was also released during this month. On July 7, a week before the album's release, August Burns Red began streaming the full album on their Myspace profile for a limited time.
August Burns Red released their third full-length album, Constellations, on July 14, 2009. During the week of August 1, 2009, the album charted at spot 24 on the Billboard 200. Another United States tour was organized with August Burns Red headlining and support from Blessthefall, Enter Shikari, All Shall Perish, and iwrestledabearonce. After this tour, the band joined a short tour in Australia with Architects in support of Australian band Parkway Drive. August Burns Red toured alongside Underoath and Emery in November and December 2009 as well.
The band released their first live CD/DVD, Home, on September 28, 2010. The group co-headlined an Alternative Press tour throughout November. On February 23, 2010, Constellations was nominated for the Dove Award for "Best Rock Album".
August Burns Red toured Australia and New Zealand in December 2010 on the No Sleep Til Festival. The band played alongside Parkway Drive, A Day to Remember, NOFX, Dropkick Murphys, Suicide Silence, Megadeth, Descendents, Gwar and many others.
On July 27, 2010, lead guitarist, Brubaker stated that the band would be taking time off tour to write their next record, On February 12, 2011, the band announced via their official Facebook page that they had completely finished writing their new record and that they would be entering the studio on Valentine's Day which, following into March of the next year, the band announced that the record was finished, and that it was (at that point) time for mixing. On the April 5, August Burns Red revealed the name of this upcoming record as Leveler. On May 16, 2011, the band released the song “Empire” as a preview before its release. They also later premiered three other songs: "Internal Cannon", "Divisions", and "Poor Millionaire", on May 31, June 6, and June 14, respectively.
Leveler was released on June 21, 2011 in two forms; standard and deluxe. The deluxe version of Leveler contains four extra songs, including an acoustic version of the song "Internal Cannon". The album sold particularly well compared to their other releases, with 29,000 of its opening first week-copies being sold in the United States alone. These sales had the record land at position 11 on The Billboard 200 chart. After the release, August Burns Red took part on the main stage of the 2011 Vans Warped Tour.
August Burns Red headlined their own "Leveler" tour on the first quarter of 2012 with Silverstein, Texas In July, I The Breather and Letlive. Later in 2012, August Burns Red embarked on a European tour with The Devil Wears Prada and Veil of Maya, and an American tour with Of Mice & Men and The Color Morale. August Burns Red released their first Holiday album, entitled August Burns Red Presents: Sleddin' Hill on October 9, 2012. On February 8, 2013 the band was officially announced as part of Warped Tour 2013 alongside Bring Me the Horizon, NeverShoutNever, Black Veil Brides, 3OH!3, Crizzly and Bowling for Soup.
On May 5, they announced that the album, Rescue & Restore was set to release June 25, 2013. The album debuted at No. 9 on the Billboard 200. On August 30, they announced that they would release a documentary DVD titled Foreign & Familiar before the end of the year.
On August 5, 2014, it was announced the band had signed to Fearless Records and Found in Far Away Places would be available for pre-order on April 13, 2015 along with their new single "The Wake".
The band embarked on the Frozen Flame Tour from January 22 to March 8, 2015 along with Miss May I, Northlane, Fit for a King and ERRA, for 39 shows in Canada and the United States, sponsored by Rockstar Energy.
On December 7, 2015 August Burns Red was nominated for a Grammy Award in the Best Metal Performance Category for their song "Identity".
The Messengers 10th Anniversary Tour in Europe and the United States started on January 4, 2017 with supporting artists, Protest the Hero, In Hearts Wake and '68. On July 26, 2017, August Burns Red announced their new album, Phantom Anthem, released on October 6, 2017. The first single from the album, "Invisible Enemy," premiered on the SiriusXM Liquid Metal show the same day as the album announcement.
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August Burns Red Lyrics
...Baby One More Time Oh baby, baby How was I supposed to know That something wa…
02. Back Burner Convictions to the back burner Convictions to the back burne…
03. Sleigh Ride Just hear those sleigh bells jingling Ring ting tingling too…
03. White Washed Push your controlling values aside, And dissect your own lif…
09. Little Drummer Boy Come they told me, pa rum pum pum pum A…
1/16/2011 "[...] That's the day that four young men that attended…
13. Up Against The Ropes Pushed up against the ropes, you wouldn't last another round…
15. The Seventh Trumpet I can no longer tell the days from the nights.…
40 Nights You’re living for today, but your future is looking bleak.…
A Shot Below the Belt Don't you understand me? This cloud over my head is…
A Wish Full of Dreams Do I dare question it? This world is ending with…
Accidental Shot Heard 'round the World Currently holding that tongue. Let's just see what happens…
An American Dream Suffocation Suffocate with, with no room to breath Forgive …
Animals How must you feel up there So exalted, it's like a…
Baby One More Time Oh baby, baby How was I supposed to know That something wa…
Back Burner Convictions to the back burner Convictions to the back burne…
background music Then all silence is removed from the last room with…
Barbarian Chaos brings order. Who will you allow to lead you…
Beauty in Tragedy There is beauty in tragedy The heart won't stop beating, F…
Black Sheep You've fallen captive to what you thought would save you Wha…
Blackwood There is no hope for me, at least I know I…
Bloodletter You have, you have picked the wrong mark You tried, you…
Bones We built this new resistance To help keep our distance Don't…
Boys of Fall Reborn Where do we go to escape the end of the…
Broken Promises You've given up on us You've taken all I've made and…
Carol of the Bells Hark! how the bells Sweet silver bells All seem to say Throw…
Carpe Diem I've thrown away all of my outside distractions I'm diving h…
Chasing the Dragon Living in a world of regrets. You never wanted this and…
Composure Shake it off Pick yourself up, they say Your life fell apart…
Consumer A front seat to your own flick... If only you…
Count It All As Lost I want to believe these words are more than letters…
Creative Captivity This is a barren wasteland A lonely place Where inspiration …
Crusades I used to be so young and invincible. The mistakes of…
Cutting the Ties Silence is a frustrating answer when all you want is…
Defender Tonight I saw a father's love, in waves, start to…
Dismembered Memory Take care of the care taker Say these words before you…
Divisions What have I done? What have I done? Above the grave of…
Echoes The pressure is endless The tension is pounding Life change …
Empire Skyscrapers, earth movers, ground breakers Our buildings riv…
Empty Heaven Restart your heart Fill your lungs with this oxygen Restart …
Endorphins Just take it in stride. One breath and I think…
Everlasting Ending Ordinary men don't find their own way (find their own…
Existence This hollow feeling, the knowledge that you exist Amidst you…
Extinct by Instinct Stuck in the past The future is too open ended (too…
Fault Line We all hurt, we all need, we all cry, we…
Float Woah, woah This is where we start It′s time to wake up…
Frosty the Snowman Down to the village With a broomstick in his hand Running he…
Ghosts We are the ghosts of the midway, the beasts of…
Give me baby one more time Oh baby, baby How was I supposed to know That something wasn…
Glory Thrives Blooming into a fight for glory, We will rise above.…
God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen God rest ye merry, gentlemen Let nothing you dismay Remember…
God Rest Ye' Merry Gentlemen God rest ye merry, gentlemen Let nothing you dismay Rememb…
Hero of the Half Truth Carry us from the brink Keep us from becoming extinct We let…
Hit Me Baby One More Time Oh baby, baby How was I supposed to know That something wa…
Identity Do you know how it feels to hide with thoughts repressed…
Indonesia This plane's going down in flames And this time there's no…
Internal Cannon I've feared the deepest darkest secrets that live inside of…
Invisible Enemy Wounded and tired and worried It's like fighting an invisibl…
Jingle Bells Dashing through the snow In a one horse open sleigh O'er t…
King of Sorrow I′m the angel of the dead Take a good look at…
Leveler You have become a malicious liar that breaths for attention,…
Lifeline Sometimes it's best to keep it all in Words carry no…
Lighthouse Take another look around There's so much lost to be found Pe…
Linoleum possessions never meant anything to me i'm not crazy ('cau…
Little Drummer Boy Come they told me, pa rum pum pum pum A…
Majoring in the Minors These windy streets tell of a different time What got us…
Marathon Certainty can't be embraced or held over heads It has no…
Mariana This ship is sinking deeper and deeper We've abandoned this …
Mariana's Trench This ship is sinking deeper and deeper We've abandoned this…
Marianas Trench This ship is sinking deeper and deeper We've abandoned this …
Martyr Demand what you will never deserve Respect is gained by trus…
Meddler This moment will soon pass us by. Its this notion inside…
Meridian The people who survive the sword will find favor in…
Missing the Opportunity Time and time again, will his knowledge lead his aggression?…
Mosely It all happened so fast. Speeding off into the distance. Tha…
Mosley It all happened so fast. Speeding off into the distance. T…
O Come O Come Emmanuel O come, O come, Emmanuel And ransom captive Israel That mour…
O Holy Night O Holy Night! The stars are brightly shining It is the…
Ocean of Apathy Go! Everything looks the same, it's all so watered down …
Oh Holy Night O Holy Night! The stars are brightly shining It is the…
Pangaea Closed off, we wake from the dusk (the dusk) Only to…
Pangea Closed off, we wake from the dusk... (the dusk) only to…
Paradox Bite your tongue until it bleeds. This pain is worth more…
Paramount Are you walking through fire? You have a friend Are you stuc…
Poor Millionaire You stand up pridefully in front of thousands screaming word…
Premonition I had a dream the other night A dream I can't…
Pride & Humility The results are in. You′re not impressing anyone. Just liste…
Pride and Humility The results are in. You're not impressing anyone. Just l…
Provision You give us dreams to wake us up You say, take…
Rationalist See yourself to the exit. We can't afford to watch you…
Redemption I trust in you for life to live, and air…
Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer Rudolph, the red-nosed reindeer Had a very shiny nose And i…
Salt & Light Show our eyes true color. We want to hear the…
Separating the Seas This place isn't meant for people like you Spouting ideals f…
Shot Below The Belt Don't you understand me? This cloud over my head is…
Silhoutte of Wings It's my honor to describe your memories of everything that…
Sincerity Rarely the rare are seen in the ocean of chaotic…
Sleigh Ride Just hear those sleigh bells jingling Ring ting tingling too…
Speech Impediment Your due date is up. Don't make comments on irrelevant…
Spirit Breaker Staring at the walls to pass the time Pinch myself make…
suburbia Open those eyes. Wake from peace. Orders are some favorite…
The Balance All these ideas keep swimming, running through your All thes…
The Blinding The fear is what shelters them It's what shades their eyes…
The Blinding Light The fear is what shelters them It's what shades their eyes…
The Consumer A front seat to your own flick... If only you…
The Eleventh Hour We've heard the sound that ears bleed to hear The sound…
The Escape Artist Open your closed mind (Open your closed mind) Close your ope…
The First Step Without competition there is no progression Society won't wa…
The Frost The cold comes with a sting, a sting across my…
The Narrative Prey on ideals Feed on devotion Just to get a rise And trigg…
The Reflective Property Soft memories of a life well lived... I'm thinking back…
The Seventh Trumpet I can no longer tell the days from the nights.…
The Truth of a Liar Allow what's done to preach new insight to your life Hindsig…
The Wake Destroy everything, cleanse Wipe away the filth Set fire to …
Thirty and Seven You are infatuated with what consumes you Put the victim on…
Three Fountains When you forget who you are you don't just lose…
Ties That Bind Back of the pack with the wind in our face Control…
To Those About to Rock What's going on everybody? Yeah!!! Come on!!! You know I…
Too Late for Roses Some kind of friction has scarred me, but created your…
Treatment Stop turning life into a stagnant routine Maybe it's better…
Truth Of A Liar Allow what's done to preach new insight to your life Hindsig…
Twenty-One Grams As I follow you, where will you lead me To the…
Up Against the Ropes Pushed up against the ropes, you wouldn't last another round…
Vanguard Wave goodbye, as we turn our backs on our past Wave…
Vital Signs This building is barely standing on its own foundation I've …
We Wish You a Merry Christmas We wish you a Merry Christmas We wish you a Merry…
White Washed Push your controlling values aside, And dissect your own lif…
Whitewashed Push your controlling values aside, And dissect your own li…
Winter Wonderland Sleigh bells ring, are you listening In the lane, snow is…
Wish Full Of Dreams Do I dare question it? This world is ending with…
Wrecking Ball We clawed, we chained our hearts in vain We jumped never…
You Should Be Taking Flight Walls are painted as a brightness Surrounding the tired and…
You Should Be Taking Flight Now Walls are painted as a brightness surrounding the tired and …
You Should Be Taking Flight Right Now Walls are painted as a brightness surrounding the tired and…
Your Little Suburbia Is in Ruins Open those eyes. Wake from peace. Orders are some favorite…
…Baby One More Time Oh baby, baby How was I supposed to know That something wasn…