August Burns Red- Constellations

Known for their aggressive style, honest lyrics, and highly energetic live show, August Burns Red has made a name for themselves in the Christian metal genre. This being their third album on Solid State Records, ABR's highly anticipated Constellations is sure to be another favorite among fans of this genre.

The album's first single and first track, "Thirty and Seven," is your typical ABR song. Lots of double bass and guitar riffs with nothing but screaming thrown in between. Due to lead vocalist Jake Luhrs's screaming style of half-screaming/part-yelling, a lot of the words are a little easier to discern than those of other metal bands. One line that is easily recognizable in this song is "Your mind is the mountain before you," telling of a person who is holding on to their guilt and shame and not realizing that they've been forgiven by God. "Existence" and "Ocean of Apathy," the next two songs, have great guitar parts, the first containing a mind-bending guitar solo, ABR style. They're a little more melodic in places, making them some of the more memorable songs on this album. They both also have excellent lyrics, which is a big highlight in this album.

Lyrically, this album is very sound. All of the songs have deep and thoughtful lyrics. That is one of the things that separates ABR from the normal--they are entirely open about their faith, and are not afraid to let it show in their music. That is a huge part of why they are so successful in the Christian metal market. The song, "Paradox," is a perfect example, telling of a foolish person who can't control their words. And "Meridian" is one of the simplest, yet most meaningful tracks on the album--"I will build you up again, you will be rebuilt. I am the painter making this mess a masterpiece. I will rebuild you up again."

Songs like "White Washed" and "Marianas Trench" have long intros without vocals until about a minute into the song, giving a temporary break from the brutal screaming. The song, "Meridian" holds the record on this album for the longest time without any screaming. Putting the vocals to rest is a great way to make the album more diverse. While Luhrs is belting out screams, some things tend to sound the same after a while and get boring. The solos and instrumental bridges really help to change things up a little. Of course, if you're looking for a song that's brutal all the way through till the end, "The Escape Artist" will be to your liking, although there is a very nice sounding piano piece for a few seconds at the end.

This being my first August Burns Red album, I am very impressed. Their lyrics are fantastic, and while things do become slightly redundant after a bit, their talent is well worth it. Melodic in places and brutal throughout, this album is a must-buy for fans of Christian metal (other bands like Demon Hunter, Underoath, The Devil Wears Prada) and August Burns Red. I will definitely be checking out their older work, based on this.