| Guardians | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | April 3, 2020 | |||
| Genre | Metalcore | |||
| Length | 49:27 | |||
| Label | Fearless | |||
| Producer |
| |||
| August Burns Red chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Singles from Guardians | ||||
| ||||
Guardians is the ninth studio album by American metalcore band August Burns Red. It was released on April 3, 2020, through Fearless Records. The album was produced by Carson Slovak and Grant McFarland. It is their last album to be released on this label before the band signed to SharpTone Records in 2022. [1]
On February 6, 2020, August Burns Red released the first single, "Defender". At the same time, the band announced the album itself, the album cover, the track list, and release date. [2] [3] On February 26, the band released the second single of the album titled "Bones". [4] On March 26, a week before the album release, the band released their third single "Paramount". [5]
After the release of the album on April 3, the band planned to embark on a full North American Tour in support of Killswitch Engage; however, the tour was delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. [6]
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |    [7] |
| Dead Press! | 7/10 [8] |
| Distorted Sound | 7/10 [9] |
| Exclaim! | 8/10 [10] |
| Kerrang! | [11] |
| KillYourStereo | 85/100 [12] |
| New Transcendence | 8/10 [13] |
| Wall of Sound | 8/10 [14] |
The album received positive reviews from critics. AllMusic gave the album a positive review saying, "August Burns Red's particular brand of metalcore, one that favors melody and positivity over atonal angst, hasn't changed much over time -- the metalcore genre itself is as calculated as it is explosive -- but Guardians delivers 11 good-to-great reasons why that formula has worked for so long." [7] Carlos Zelaya from Dead Press! rated the album positively calling it: "Guardians is all-in-all a solid album that will undoubtedly satisfy August Burns Red fans. It's hard to guess whether you'd get much out of it if you're not already sold by what they've delivered thus far in their career, or indeed of some of their contemporaries, but when it comes to this type of music, you could certainly do a lot worse." [8] Distorted Sound scored the album 7 out of 10 and said: "There's little doubt that many jumping into Guardians won't be doing so in the hope that AUGUST BURNS RED are about to reinvent themselves. Nine records in, the Pennsylvanians blueprint is nigh-on set in stone by this point, and Guardians reinforces the idea that there's little wrong with this. Will AUGUST BURNS RED write a similar sounding record in two years time? Probably, but the band have done an excellent job at making that kind of statement a compliment rather than a criticism. Guardians is another notch on the belt of arguably one of modern metal's most consistent, reliable bands." [9] Addison Herron-Wheeler of Exclaim! gave it 8 out of 10 and said: "While this record may not necessarily break new ground in the sense that it sounds like something we've never heard before, they definitely showed that they are still more than capable of making a solid record and keeping fans happy." [10]
Kerrang! gave the album 4 out of 5 and stated: "Even with metalcore in its current era of hyper-innovative flux – every band and their dog experimenting with synths, samples and strange new sounds in a race to the genre's next evolutionary step – there's still something to be said for good old meat-and-potatoes melodic munch. 17 years in, Pennsylvania bruisers August Burns Red remain some of its highest-quality purveyors." [11] Hunter Hewgley from KillYourStereo gave the album 85 out of 100 and said: "Guardians feels like an album that was written for any longtime lover of August Burns Red. There is truly something for everyone on their seventh record, pulling influences from every previous era of the metalcore band's history. In any other circumstance, I'd say that this was pandering and a cynical cash-grab, but no, it honestly feels as if August Burns Red is really enjoying writing music like this. You can hear the sheer passion and drive behind each song and every note played, and Jake Luhrs' energetic vocal delivery is the real icing on the cake. This is the album that many people, the band included, have been waiting on for years. As someone who had slightly fallen off of the August Burns Red bandwagon of late, I am over the moon to say that Guardians was a great reminder as to why this band is so wildly popular, and why I still love them as much as I do. I'm back on the wagon now!" [12] New Transcendence praised the album saying, "Overall, Guardians is a righteous testament to diversity within metalcore. It boasts heaviness, catchiness, bounce, emotion, groove—you name it, it's there—but it simply lacks the staying power that made Phantom Anthem such an outstanding record. While August Burns Red's 2020 release isn't a whole step backwards, it fails to continue the incredible trajectory and, in many ways, halts the band's momentum, feeling like a record that—with just a little more refinement—could have been another star-studded entry in the band's ever-evolving discography." [13] Wall of Sound scored the album 8/10 saying: "August Burns Red seem to deliver outstanding records, one after the other. If you're not yet a fan, it is never too late to experience what you have been missing out on and join the party." [14]
All lyrics are written by Brent Rambler, except where noted.
| No. | Title | Lyrics | Music | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "The Narrative" | Dustin Davidson | 4:09 | |
| 2. | "Bones" | JB Brubaker | 4:15 | |
| 3. | "Paramount" | Matt Greiner | Brubaker | 4:48 |
| 4. | "Defender" | Greiner | Brubaker | 4:21 |
| 5. | "Lighthouse" | Greiner | Davidson | 4:13 |
| 6. | "Dismembered Memory" | Davidson | 4:09 | |
| 7. | "Ties That Bind" | Davidson | 4:18 | |
| 8. | "Bloodletter" | Davidson, Brubaker | 3:40 | |
| 9. | "Extinct by Instinct" | Davidson | 4:43 | |
| 10. | "Empty Heaven" | Brubaker | 4:25 | |
| 11. | "Three Fountains" | Brubaker | 6:21 | |
| Total length: | 49:27 | |||
August Burns Red
Additional personnel
| Chart (2020) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Australian Albums (ARIA) [15] | 54 |
| Austrian Albums (Ö3 Austria) [16] | 41 |
| German Albums (Offizielle Top 100) [17] | 24 |
| Portuguese Albums (AFP) [18] | 39 |
| Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade) [19] | 22 |
| US Billboard 200 [20] | 53 |
| US Christian Albums (Billboard) [21] | 1 |
| US Top Hard Rock Albums (Billboard) [22] | 2 |
| US Top Rock Albums (Billboard) [23] | 4 |
Killswitch Engage is an American metalcore band from Westfield, Massachusetts, formed in 1999 after the disbanding of Overcast and Aftershock. Killswitch Engage's current lineup consists of vocalist Jesse Leach, guitarists Joel Stroetzel and Adam Dutkiewicz, bassist Mike D'Antonio, and drummer Justin Foley. The band has released eight studio albums and three live performance albums. Their eighth studio album, Atonement, was released on August 16, 2019.
Metalcore is a fusion genre combining elements of extreme metal and hardcore punk, that originated in the late 1980s. Among other styles blending metal and hardcore, such as crust punk and grindcore, metalcore is noted for its use of breakdowns, which are slow, intense passages conducive to moshing. Other defining instrumentation includes heavy guitar riffs often utilizing percussive pedal tones and double bass drumming. Vocalists in the genre typically perform screaming, more popular bands often combine this with the use of standard singing, usually during the bridge or chorus of a song. However the death growl is also a popular technique within the genre.
As I Lay Dying is an American metalcore band from San Diego, California. Founded in 2000 by vocalist Tim Lambesis, the band's first full lineup was completed in 2001. The band has released seven albums, one split album, and two compilation albums.
August Burns Red is an American metalcore band from Lancaster, Pennsylvania, formed in 2003. The band's current lineup consists of lead guitarist John Benjamin "JB" Brubaker, rhythm guitarist Brent Rambler, drummer Matt Greiner, lead vocalist Jake Luhrs and bassist Dustin Davidson. The band was nominated for a Grammy Award in 2016 for Best Metal Performance for the song "Identity" from its 2015 release Found in Far Away Places, and again in 2018 for "Invisible Enemy" from Phantom Anthem (2017). The band has released ten studio albums to date; their latest, Death Below, was released on March 24, 2023.
As Daylight Dies is the fourth studio album by American metalcore band Killswitch Engage. It was released on November 21, 2006 through Roadrunner Records. It was produced by Adam Dutkiewicz and Joel Stroetzel.
Horizons is the second studio album by Australian metalcore band Parkway Drive. It was released on 6 October 2007 through Resist and Epitaph Records, and was produced by Adam Dutkiewicz. It was recorded in Westfield, Massachusetts at Zing Studios in May 2007. The record was a surprising commercial success for the band at the time, charting at #6 on the ARIA Album Charts, a notable achievement for an Australian metal band in 2007.
Melodic metalcore is a fusion genre, incorporating elements of melodic death metal and metalcore; it has a heavy emphasis on melodic instrumentation, distorted guitar tones, palm muting, double bass drumming, blast beats, metalcore-stylized breakdowns, aggressive screaming, death growls, and clean singing. The genre has seen commercial success for employing a more accessible sound at times compared to other forms of extreme music. Many notable melodic metalcore bands have been influenced by At the Gates and In Flames.
Matthew Wilson Greiner is an American drummer, best known as a founding member for the metalcore band August Burns Red. He also cofounded the drum company Greiner&Kilmer with fellow drummer Kaleb Kilmer, which they founded in 2012. Greiner is an outspoken Christian. While Greiner is best known for his drumming, he also plays the piano.
Disarm the Descent is the sixth studio album by American metalcore band Killswitch Engage. The album was released on April 2, 2013, under Roadrunner Records. It is the band's first album with Jesse Leach on vocals since 2002's Alive or Just Breathing. Killswitch Engage announced the return of Leach in January 2012, after vocalist Howard Jones parted ways with the group due to illness. The album received generally positive reception from professional critics.
Rescue & Restore is the sixth studio album by American metalcore band August Burns Red. It was released on June 25, 2013, through Solid State Records and was produced by Carson Slovak and Grant McFarland. The album peaked at No. 9 on the Billboard 200 and No. 2 on the Billboard Top Christian Album chart, losing the No. 1 spot to Skillet's album Rise, which was released on the same day. It is the band's last album to be released through Solid State before they moved to Fearless Records.
Found in Far Away Places is the seventh studio album by American metalcore band August Burns Red. It was released on June 29, 2015, through Fearless Records and was produced by Carson Slovak and Grant McFarland. It is their first release on the label. On December 7, 2015, the single "Identity" was nominated for a Grammy Award in the Best Metal Performance category, making it the band's first Grammy nomination.
That's the Spirit is the fifth studio album by British rock band Bring Me the Horizon. The album was released on 11 September 2015, and marks a departure from the group's metalcore roots, in favour of a less aggressive alternative rock and metal style.
Incarnate is the seventh studio album by American metalcore band Killswitch Engage, released on March 11, 2016. The band released "Strength of the Mind" as a promotional single from the album on December 11, 2015 and revealed the title of the album six days later. The band toured to promote the album with Memphis May Fire and 36 Crazyfists. On January 26, 2016, the track listing was revealed. Three singles were released from the album: "Strength of the Mind" on December 11, "Hate by Design" on January 29 and "Cut Me Loose" on February 19. The album debuted at No. 6 on the Billboard 200, making it the band's most successful album on the chart, and reached No. 1 on both the Top Rock Albums and Hard Rock Albums charts, with 33,000 copies sold on its first week of release.
Phantom Anthem is the eighth studio album by American metalcore band August Burns Red. It was released on October 6, 2017, through Fearless Records and was produced by Carson Slovak and Grant McFarland. The album peaked at No. 19 on the Billboard 200, selling 19,000 equivalent album units in its first week.
Reverence is the sixth studio album by Australian metalcore band Parkway Drive. It was released on 4 May 2018 through Resist and Epitaph Records. The album was produced by George Hadji-Christou. Critics noted that the album marked a step towards a more melodic, accessible heavy metal sound, with more prominent use of clean singing while the songs tackle themes such as religion and death. The album won the 2018 ARIA Award for Best Hard Rock/Heavy Metal Album, the band's second win in the category, the first being Deep Blue.
Disguise is the fifth studio album by American metalcore band Motionless in White. It was released on June 7, 2019, through Roadrunner Records and was produced by Drew Fulk and Chris "Motionless" Cerulli. It is the second release on a major label since the band's departure from Fearless Records. The album's tracklist was revealed on April 17 together with the release of the two singles, "Disguise", which had been premiered at Earthday Birthday in Orlando a few days prior, and "Brand New Numb". It is the band's first album with Vinny Mauro on drums and former Ice Nine Kills guitarist Justin Morrow, who replaced Devin "Ghost" Sola on bass guitar, as well as the first album not to feature Josh Balz on keyboards.
Shaped by Fire is the seventh studio album by American metalcore band As I Lay Dying. It was released on September 20, 2019, through Nuclear Blast. The album was produced by the band themselves and is the follow-up to the group's sixth album, Awakened (2012). It is the first album in seven years after the band went on hiatus in 2014 when Tim Lambesis was incarcerated and sentenced to six years in prison for soliciting the murder of his estranged wife. It is also the last album to feature lead guitarist Nick Hipa before he left the band in 2020, and the last to feature drummer Jordan Mancino and bassist/clean vocalist Josh Gilbert, both of whom left the band in 2022. Loudwire named it one of the 50 best metal albums of 2019.
Atonement is the eighth studio album by American metalcore band Killswitch Engage, released through Metal Blade Records on August 16, 2019. Lead single "Unleashed" was released on June 25, and followed by "I Am Broken Too" in July which would later follow up with a music video in August, as well as "The Signal Fire" shortly before the album's release. The band began a co-headlining tour of North America with Clutch in promotion of the album in July.
The Ghost Inside is the fifth album by American metalcore band The Ghost Inside. The album was released on June 5, 2020, through Epitaph Records. It is the band's first release since they were involved in a serious tour bus crash in 2015, and is also the first to feature guitarist Chris Davis, who joined the band in 2016 after serving as a touring member.
Death Below is the tenth studio album by American metalcore band August Burns Red. It was released on March 24, 2023, through SharpTone Records. The album was produced by Carson Slovak and Grant McFarland. It is the band's first studio release with the label.
{{cite magazine}}: Cite magazine requires |magazine= (help)