album : Leveler
artist : August Burns Red
genre : Metalcore
year : 2011
There is no reason for a website like Encyclopaedia Metallum (known to everyone as metal-archives) for not listing a band that is as metal as you’d expect a metal band to be. Maybe even more. Yes, as I said Metal Archives does not have a page for August Burns Red which according to me is not cool.
This band cracks a new hole with every new album of theirs, and while they are at it they also make sure they do something that has not been done before by them. As I’m increasingly getting drawn to their music on Leveler, I must also add that their last release Constellations was one of the mightiest metal releases of 2009. Complete with bone-breaking and irresistible compositions. On Leveler too, August Burns Red present metal in a plural fashion by giving several meanings and interpretations to the dimensions of music.
The band with a fresh set of twelve tracks (that’s minus the bonus songs) for the year 2011 take the listener on top of a high mountain and then push him or her down with full force. The entire album is how you enjoy your ride while coming down from there, hitting rocks and rolling along the way. And to my surprise they even have midi version of their opening track Empire. The least I can do is use it as my ringtone, to show them my respect.
The entire release is packed with evergreen riffs full of melodic patches. They win your heart with a tightness that would help you ease out your hatred for anything while they are on.
I, for once, cannot sit still when an August Burns Red album is played. They just pick you up and get you going. Leveler, too, has ultimately been produced with the sole purpose of making your neck muscles stronger.
Rating : 4/5
July 19th, 2011 at 12:21 am
Salsacore, eh? 😀
July 19th, 2011 at 10:47 am
What is that, Sam?
I don’t know about salsa but as far as ‘Leveler’ is concerned August Burns Red sure does make me want to dance naked!
July 19th, 2011 at 9:57 pm
Well, I heard few tracks off the new album last month, and I distinctly remember this one song which had salsa music in it. Hence, Salsa-core. 😛
July 20th, 2011 at 7:04 am
Ahh, I see. That’s reasonable enough. 😛
July 19th, 2011 at 8:50 am
Awesome review man! This album is great! \m/
July 19th, 2011 at 9:14 am
Thanks Saurav. It indeed is one hell of an album!
July 19th, 2011 at 9:12 am
Awesome band, and as usual, an awesome album. I cannot understand why some retards doesn’t consider “Metalcore” as metal at all. Btw Nice review \m/
July 19th, 2011 at 10:55 am
Thanks Amarjeet. Like you mentioned, it is one of those things which is believed by a few and then many others think it’s right to follow the belief. ‘Metalcore’ is an essential sub-genre of metal, and August Burns Red is a complete metal package. Every other belief or theory relating to this subject is unimportant.
July 19th, 2011 at 10:04 pm
Metalcore as a genre is pretty much stagnated now. However, the only few bands that I truly appreciate are BTBAM, Born of Osiris, Veil of Maya. Again, one can argue that these are not strictly metalcore, but that’s how I see this genre to be heading towards. More progressive, deathcore-esque sound.
July 21st, 2011 at 7:38 am
Point acknowledged, Sam. I still have to check out ‘Between the Buried and Me’ though.