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.
Float
August Burns Red Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
This is where we start
It′s time to wake up the fire inside
This is where we start
Ignite your mind, open your eyes
We all move like spirits in the wind
In the wind
Be within
If everyone had more soul
Maybe we would have more control
We′re the ones to blame if everything stays the same
Stays the same
Where's the fire, the desire
An inherent right to stand up and fight
Stand up
Stand up and fight
Stand up
I said stand up and fight
It's time to set our blood to boil
Feel the heat rise inside
This is where we start
It′s time to wake up the fire inside
This is where we start
Ignite your mind, open your eyes
Where did we, where did we go wrong?
You can′t charge forward when your limbs will not listen
Where did we, where did we go wrong?
You can't mount a comeback
When you don′t know what you're missing
It′s apathy turned into atrophy
A lesson learned in human anatomy
This is where we start
It's time to wake up the fire inside
This is where we start
Ignite your mind, open your eyes
This is where we start
Change has never started with silence
This is where we start
So stop telling us to be quiet
Wake up, wake up
Wake up the fire inside
Wake up, wake up
It′s time to open your eyes
The lyrics of August Burns Red's song "Float" convey a powerful message of awakening and taking action. The song begins with a call to action, encouraging the listener to ignite the fire within themselves and open their eyes to the world around them. It suggests that we all have a spirit within us, but over time, we have lost touch with it. The line "We've been stripped of what used to be within" suggests that we have become disconnected from our true selves, perhaps due to societal influences or personal struggles.
The lyrics then question the current state of the world, asking "Where's the fire, the desire?" This can be interpreted as a reflection on the lack of passion and motivation in society. It emphasizes the need to stand up and fight for what we believe in, rather than being passive bystanders. The repetition of the line "stand up and fight" reinforces the urgency and importance of taking action.
The song also touches on the idea of self-improvement and self-reflection. It poses the question "Where did we go wrong?" suggesting that we need to acknowledge our mistakes and weaknesses in order to move forward. The line "You can't mount a comeback when you don't know what you're missing" highlights the importance of self-awareness and understanding in personal growth.
In the final verse, the lyrics address apathy and complacency, stating that these attitudes have turned into atrophy. The song concludes with a rallying call to wake up the fire inside, open our eyes, and reject silence. It urges us to be proactive and embrace change, as change cannot happen if we remain silent.
Overall, "Float" is a powerful anthem that encourages listeners to awaken their dormant spirits, question the status quo, and take action to make a difference in the world.
Line by Line Meaning
Woah, woah
Expressing surprise and excitement
This is where we start
Acknowledging the beginning of a journey or action
It's time to wake up the fire inside
Encouraging self-motivation and passion
Ignite your mind, open your eyes
Urging to think critically and observe the world
We all move like spirits in the wind
Highlighting the fluidity and interconnectedness of people
We've been stripped of what used to be within
Expressing loss or deprivation of something important
If everyone had more soul
Speculating on the impact of a greater sense of authenticity
Maybe we would have more control
Suggesting that a stronger sense of self leads to empowerment
We're the ones to blame if everything stays the same
Taking responsibility for maintaining the status quo
Where's the fire, the desire
Questioning the absence of passion and ambition
An inherent right to stand up and fight
Asserting the natural entitlement to defend one's beliefs
It's time to set our blood to boil
Encouraging intense emotions and determination
Feel the heat rise inside
Emphasizing the internal drive and motivation
Where did we, where did we go wrong?
Reflecting on past mistakes and missteps
You can't charge forward when your limbs will not listen
Stating the inability to make progress when there is lack of cooperation or motivation
You can't mount a comeback, When you don't know what you're missing
Highlighting the importance of self-awareness for personal growth
It's apathy turned into atrophy
Describing the progression from indifference to decline or weakness
A lesson learned in human anatomy
Suggesting that understanding oneself is crucial for growth and improvement
Change has never started with silence
Asserting that action and vocalization are prerequisites for change
So stop telling us to be quiet
Rejecting the notion of silencing or suppressing expression
Wake up, wake up
Urging to become aware and alert
Wake up the fire inside
Encouraging to reawaken passion and drive
It's time to open your eyes
Calling for increased awareness and perception
Writer(s): Matthew Wilson Greiner, Brent Gerald Rambler, John Benjamin Brubaker, Dustin Chad Davidson, William Jacob Luhrs
Contributed by Liliana L. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Michael Cavaliere
This is my favorite song on the CD. The intro is beautiful, the lyrics are hard hitting, and I love the ending. So hopeful and inspiring. These guys never put out a bad song. STAND UP AND FIGHT. I love that line.
Johnny Kara
That chorus is so hypnotizing. If this song had come out with Constellations it would have been a staple on their setlist to this day. I hope they play it live.
Joshuah Patterson
DUDE YES
Rafal D
This song is so uplifting. STAND UP AND FIGHT !!!
bbfan23 -
This is my favorite song on this album. The intro is sick! This and Constellations are my favorite albums of ABR. Call me wrong but my opinion is Phantom Anthem - Constellations - Leveler - Found in Far Away Places - Messenger - Rescue and Restore - Thrill Seeker.
Offizieller Kanal von Doggen-Tee
They can craft great melodies without loosing any heavyness.
Incredible
Woe, Is Me [&]
Ok this is my first time hearing ABR and oh boy it seems I’ve been missing out BIG time! Time to go listen to all of their albums. One of the greatest fearless bands.
Kyle Powers
Woe, Is Me [&] good decision 😂
Dimarô Ricco
You will be amazed with their entire trajectory until this album ... I can guarantee this to you ... ABR is the best band of the genre ... incontestably
Jonathan Condor
Listen to their album 'Rescue and Restore', it's beautiful. This album is very similar to it. Also this song reminds me of "Echoes"