August Burns Red - Leveler (2011)^{Release ID: 4137}

Let's look back at August Burns Red from the beginning to their fourth album. The band started their journey with their debut Thrill Seeker, a long climb up the metalcore mountain with nothing too similarly identical. After their chaotic debut, the band continuing ascending the metalcore mountain, finding sturdier footing on the jagged embrace of Thrill Seeker and Messengers before they reach the summit balanced with the smooth color-sprouting perfection of Constellations. But there's an undiscovered plateau waiting to be found, and that is...Leveler!

The fourth album Leveler continues the band's hype that had already been building for a couple years. Anyone expecting an August Burns Red album would find some moments of dazing surprises. August Burns Red isn't exactly a typical metal band. Since their brutal 2005 debut, they've gained more experimentation in each consecutive release. The band doesn't care about the expectations. They just don't want to do the same album all over again!

"Empire" starts in a 7/8 time signature, which can really throw you off, whether you're listening to it or performing it. It's a standard August Burns Red song that should've been in their previous album Constellations, specifically right after "Meddler" because it picks up where "Meddler" left off. Other than that, a good fast start to this album. "Internal Cannon" starts as another standard August Burns Red song. Then something comes in that really stands out; a Latin flamenco-influenced section! That's the first part of the diversity to be heard throughout the album. Then after a short soft country-influenced interlude with cowbell, there's a great heavy metal solo!! "Divisions" is one of my favorites in the album, with powerful technical drumming in the beginning. It has a really heavy tone with deep lyrics as vocalist Jake Luhrs keeps screaming, "I threw you away, I failed you". The part between the crescendo and the breakdown reminds me of their 2007 album Messengers. "Cutting the Ties" starts with a killer lead guitar riff, then the band starts smashing through the chaos before it gets slow and melodic in unexpected diversity. Then near the 3-minute mark, it's back to kick-A full gear.

"Pangaea" starts as another powerful song. Drummer Matt Greiner lays a nice, fast drum track here. It's not my total favorite drumming, but it really fits the song. The song also has a great solo that would qualify as one of the 3 great solos of the album. "Carpe Diem" is another one of my favorite songs of the album. It stands out as a nice follow-up from the previous track. It's slower than most other August Burns Red songs except "Meridian" from Constellations, both of those songs each being the slowest and longest song in one of their albums. This song is far more superior than "Meridian" having much more lyrics with vocals differentiating between Luhrs' shouts and bassist Dustin Davidson's higher screams. Too bad that awesome diverse song ends too abruptly. "40 Nights" is another powerful song with killer bass. If you think that's incredible, get a load of this next song...

"Salt & Light" is a song to be remembered for years to come, showing how all members of the band have more musical talent than in the past, especially Dustin's bass work. I'm a huge fan of the next track, "Poor Millionaire" which has some of the best drumming of this album. The band really raises the volume in the lyrics higher than rap. Yeah, who needs rap when you have this song for lyrical greatness? It's also one of the heaviest songs of the album with many different elements mixed into the song's consistent heaviness. And it ends with a brutal breakdown flashing back to Thrill Seeker, as Luhrs yells, "Where is the life in the life you live?!" The interlude "1/16/2011" was dedicated to a few Manheim high school boys who were killed in a car accident. The tribute continues when the interlude segues to "Boys of Fall", another heavy song. Crazy guitars, audible bass, nice technical drumming, epic soloing, and darker vocals, all making it another standard August Burns Red song. The title track starts with an awesome drum intro, and it's a great leveling ending to this album. Killer drums, bass, and guitars, making it an epic song despite not being an epic. There are heavy breakdowns worth headbanging. This proves that August Burns Red are more than just a metalcore band, heading in an almost progressive direction.

Since the hot chaotic debut Thrill Seeker, it took the band almost 6 years to sword-smith the diverse gem that is Leveler. This album has some surprises you won't see coming, but there's never any reason to complain about this album. If you need music that would better suit you heavier taste, there are more metal options to explore. If you're up to a huge supply of breakdowns, then I'd recommend Messengers or, if you want a more colorful, warped, flawless album produced by Jason Suecof, Leveler. Every member of the band continues improving with new and old sounds, and it makes me very interested in the band and their later albums. More metalcore greatness continues as the band goes on....

Favorites: Internal Cannon, Divisions, Salt and Light, Poor Millionaire, Boys of Fall, Leveler