August Burns Red - Messengers (2007)^{Release ID: 4135}

Rising from a rookie act to a metalcore band liked by thousands of metalheads worldwide, August Burns Red was already almost reaching a higher level of fame with their debut Thrill Seeker. Because of that, the band had much higher confidence to start the next chapter of the metalcore legacy...

Messengers is a satisfying album that surpasses the standard expectations from the band's 2005 debut. The musicianship from each member of the band is just so incredibly phenomenal! It makes them stand out among other bands that are less elite in the genre. Pretty much every song in this album has the signature part of the metalcore arsenal; technical breakdowns in an intricate compound with yelling/screaming vocals, all in a heavy fast sequence with songs being the average song length being around 4 minutes.

"The Truth of a Liar" opens with a small throwback to the past; a Black Sabbath-style riff with a vintage metal scream. After that, the band stays with their present-day sound for the rest of that song and the album. There's some blazing drumming in "Up Against the Ropes", with furious rolls and cymbal patterns. "Back Burner" is a heavy song about the emptiness of the world.

The over 5-minute "The Blinding Light" starts with a brief atmospheric opening before crashing into a heavy verse. After a breakdown, clean guitar work comes out in a slower pace. Then there's another drastically better breakdown! Lots of varying passages to keep you waiting for the next twist or at least the next song. "Composure" is one of the band's most popular songs, with lyrics about keeping yourself together and carrying on. The song itself features an exciting headbanging breakdown with dual guitar harmony. The intro of "Vital Signs" has a clear bass line over the dual harmony before being lost again in the heavy drums. "The Eleventh Hour" is lyrically about handling the truth. That song opens with a drum fill, and rolls in with more fills and blast beats with great double-pedaling and cymbals. It works flawlessly with the lead/rhythm work!

There's another rare metal solo in "The Balance" which fits the metal and hardcore sides into an absolutely perfect balance. The relentless song "Black Sheep" has a high-level amount of tempo changes and breakdowns. "An American Dream" is an OK song, but it helps fulfill the band's American metalcore dream. The final track, "Redemption" continues the tradition of ending the album with a religious metalcore epic. The melodic guitars mixed with brutal blast beats and vocals unleash a balanced atmosphere. After countless sections and riffs, it all comes down to a slower emotional passage with what sounds like a screamed honest prayer to God, “Lord show me the way, As I give myself to you, Never let me go, Hold me with your everlasting love, Be my strength, Be my voice, Be my glory, Set me free”. An incredible perfect moment to end the album! Well, not entirely perfect; the song ends abruptly in the middle of the fade-out, but that's fixed in the 2018 remixed version.

Despite small complaints from a few of the more metal listeners, the sophomore August Burns Red album Messengers clearly establishes them as a powerful modern metalcore archetype. God bless the kings of modern Christian metalcore!

Favorites: The Truth of a Liar, The Blinding Light, Composure, The Eleventh Hour, The Balance, Redemption