On Oct. 5, August Burns Red released a new single titled “Dangerous” on YouTube from their latest album, “Phantom Anthem.”
The single delivers raw energy and thrills typical of metalcore bands.
Metalcore, a genre of rock music that takes elements of hardcore punk and heavy metal, is characteristically aggressive, featuring heavy, fast-paced riffs and screaming vocals.
August Burns Red formed in 2003 in Pennsylvania and was nominated for a Grammy for Best Metal Performance for their song “Identity” in 2015.
August Burns Red is a classic example of how good modern metal can be.
“Dangerous” oozes the kind of pissed-off-at-your-parents attitude that makes heavy rock and metal music so amazing.
Everyone likes to express their anger every once in awhile, and what better way than to bang
your head and hold up your hand in a devil horns symbol?
Sometimes it feels good just to growl and scream out emotions.
“Dangerous” features the classic metalcore tone, beginning softly and slowly, but building up to a fast and loud
verse that the band is known for.
With an almost balladic sound, the song paints a mellow scene before dropping the listener straight into an acid bath of aggressive riffs.
The rhythm guitar, bass and drums provide a thick, meaty backdrop for a higher-pitched, brittle-sounding lead guitar sound breaking away from the stampeding rhythm.
This lead provides the listener with clarity, a path leading through the jungle of gritty power.
The lead vocals pulverize each syllable of each lyric, drawing in the listener.
Many complaints about the vocal style of genres like metalcore is that it is difficult to understand the lyrics.
But that argument is ill- advised, as understanding lyrics goes far beyond understanding
the words themselves, and can have much more to do with understanding the emotion behind the voice.
When listening to “Dangerous,” the listener doesn’t need to look at the lyrics in order to understand the
tortured meaning of the song.
The sorrow and pain and rage are all perfectly clear in the singer’s voice.
Before happening upon this single, I had never listened to August Burns Red, but after my experience with this song, I’m glad I have.
I am always on the lookout for new music and like to dabble in harder rock on occasion.
Bands like this may not be everyone’s favorite everyday listen, but no one should live life without occasionally expressing their pain and stress through a cathartic metal song.
“Phantom Anthem” is August Burns Red’s seventh studio album. It is currently available for purchase on Google Play and iTunes, and is streaming on Apple Music and Spotify.
