By now considered metalcore stalwarts, August Burns Red have always proved a reliable and popular outfit without ever reaching the creative or commercial heights of many of their peers; yet have successfully carved somewhat of a niche in the genre. Whilst never seeming close to toppling the likes of Killswitch Engage or Parkway Drive off their perches, they have produced a consistently decent catalogue and have settled into the notion of their music being fun and (at least attempting to be) anthemic throughout, whilst also never being afraid to shy away from the samey and stagnant structures that plague many in the genre.
With all of this in mind, eighth album Phantom Anthem (Fearless Records) proves a great case in point and summary of their overall career.
‘King Of Sorrow’ acts as a tremendous opener, greeting the listener from the off with an impactful, mosh-ready riff, and the album then continues on this scorching pace. The band’s ever heightened sense of immediacy makes for some blistering moments where many songs could easily prove setlist openers or closers. Particular highlight ‘Hero Of The Half Truth’ offers a sense of melodrama with its dark undertones, furious opening pace and its bold atmospheric break which feels reminiscent to recent Architects. Sadly, as much as the album’s opening brace is arguably amongst the best metalcore has to offer this year, the rest of the album equally has much less memorable moments and unfortunately feels overly long. Thankfully its opening heights are restored at the close with the vibrant ‘Carbon Copy’ which once again offers unrivaled energy and a dynamic range unlike many others in the often stale subgenre.
Always a decent outfit with some fine moments across their career, August Burns Red once again provides some excellent moments that showcase their musical chops and their lack of fear in off-kilter song structures (at least for the genre), but simultaneously has as much that falls into the background. In a subgenre that has true world-beating champions, Phantom Anthem once again shows their capabilities at times, but sadly not enough to outshine their more successful counterparts.
6.5/10
CHRIS TIPPELL