August Burns Red - Phantom Anthem (October 6, 2017) Album • Page 3

Yawn, nothing too new or different about this; just seems like an extension of FIFAP

 

@Micah511 I know what you mean. This is nothing that will stick with me for a long time, but they do what they do well and it scratches a certain itch.

 

yeah, I really wanted to give this a chance, but i got about 8 songs in, and absolutely nothing made me say, wow, that was cool and different. I mean, they do what they do well, but they've already got so much out there of them doing the same stuff.

 

I've loved this band since my high school days, but I think they've finally exhausted their creativity. It's the same formula over and over, and not necessarily every album is an improvement on each prior release. I held off on listening to the leak because of the bad quality, but now that it's out I've listened to about half of it so far and it doesn't really offer anything new.

I don't understand the interludes anymore. It was kinda cool when they first did it on Leveler, (although the salsa part on Internal Cannon is still kinda out of left field), but it's not like any of them are playing those instruments live. They aren't bringing a string section or a piano with them on stage, they're just playing samples, right? If that's the case, what's the point? Just seems like filler, and they're still doing it. There are small improvements here and there (like JB finally doing arpeggios and whatnot) but as far as formulas go, it's beginning to feel pretty similar.

This will probably be the first album I won't purchase since Thrill Seeker.

 

The interludes are like them screaming "Look! We're different now!" except as soon as they're over they go right back to the same riff or chugging breakdown.

 

They're not interludes, they're parts of the song that add dynamics. On this record they're done well and on FIFAP they were not

Also wtf at suggesting you shouldn't add extra instrumental layers to your music if you're not willing to bring it out on tour and have it played live lol

 

but theyve done them so much at this point that they are starting to feel just as formulaic as a breakdown. they always occur about 2/3 of a way through a song and find a way to transition into a loud finishing part of a song that was either a breakdown/chorus/verse from before the break.

 

New Black Dahlia Murder is way better than this.

 

Yeah not arguing that most of these songs aren't incredibly formulaic, I agree and think I even mentioned that earlier in the thread

 

Coordinates is the only standout track on this album for me. Bummer. Echoing the formula rut, these guys need to shake things up. Different song structure, clean chorus vocals, something. R&R felt so refreshing upon release, but these last two...meh.

 

I feel like metalcore is just dead

 

This record really crept up on me. ABR has one of my favorite bands, but I felt there was no excitement generated around this release. I will report back with my thoughts after I listen.

 

I've only heard it once via through speakers, but it was kinda underwhelming. I think I hyped myself wayyy too much with the two singles. It definitely didn't blow FIFAP outta the water. I think the "interlude" stuff is handled much much better here (no salsa or western mumbo jumbo), but it didn't hit any of the highs from FIFAP like the ending of Martyr for example. That was still only after one listen though so I'm sure it'll grow on me. R&R is my second fav and that one was a grower

 

I swear this band could write an album with the same recycled riffs every 2 years until they dropped dead and I would enjoy every single one of them.

 

This is huge. I listened to the album for the first time a couple days ago and it was simply solid ABR to me. More listens will be given though!

 

Do it do better than FIFAP?

 

That reached a high of #9 according to Billboard. They also had a Grammy nom with that record.

 

Right I forget it was nominated for a Grammy.

 

Very impressive numbers.

 

Lol I love JB says this album has less "whacky parts". Thank goodness that's true

 

This is absolutely shockingly good.

 

Hadn't heard about this:

 

I gave the remix a listen a few days ago, it's ok but I'm not sure that it was needed. The bass is way more audible, the china is reined in a bunch, and the guitar tones are more in tune with what they sound like on their later albums. I was never a fan of the guitar tone on the original, but it did give it its own unique charm.

 

Like with the original Messengers, I could barely make it all the way through when I listened the other day. Cool thing to do for their fans though, very unique way to give something back and likely not have to expend a ton of effort.

 

I've never been a big fan of Messengers, but I liked this remixed. The production always brought it down for me, but this tuned it up a bit.

I'm also liking Phantom Anthem more. The latter half is pretty awesome