From start to finish, Rescue & Restore is an incredible leap for the band that should not only please the August Burns Red faithful, but opens them up to a wider audience of metal lovers.
As a listener it’s a thrill to experience the album’s myriad twists and turns. Although it’s almost ominously dense in terms of the sheer amount of notes played, Rescue & Restore’s 11 tracks still seem to blaze by without becoming repetitive.
Metalcore has been in my life a lot longer than ABR has been. In the very short amount of time that I've been consuming their material, theyMetalcore has been in my life a lot longer than ABR has been. In the very short amount of time that I've been consuming their material, they have steadily climbed the ranks in my book, as one of the best metalcore bands to ever exist. This album is one of the main reasons why I think the way I do towards the band. After hearing Phantom Anthem, I had to head back in time, to get more of a feel for how the old ABR sounded & felt. I picked this album with no hesitation, probably based on the artwork. Not even 30 seconds into the first track & I already knew that this was going to be a staple in my book. After finishing up the whole project, I was lost for words. This couldn't be real. How could a group really make something so sophisticated yet so heavy?! There were a few moments where I couldn't believe the transition they did or that one heavy breakdown that didn't repeat itself. It seriously threw me off in the best way possible. I become addicted to their sound from Phantom Anthem, but this effort from them, truly upped the ante & proved to me that these guys have been pioneers of the genre for quite some time. The genre of metalcore was in a weird state at the time. I remember 2012 music-wise & metal was not on my radar at all. Probably because the genre wasn't what it used to be back when i was a kid. I only had maybe a handful of artists that i listened to at that time, but they weren't anything close to what ABR is. The scene was thirsty for something new & something fresh. It needed something to rescue & restore the sound, the scene & the culture. This album, does just that.
Badges/Honors:
- Metalcore Staple Album
- Top 10 Metal Album
- Best Album Artwork
- Best New Song "Treatment"
- All-Time Favorite
- Beginning To End
- Pioneering Sound
- Best Breakdown "Fault Line"
- Essential Album
Intelligently written lyrics that explore exciting themes make it a more mature album overall. That's saying something. I mean, it's not likeIntelligently written lyrics that explore exciting themes make it a more mature album overall. That's saying something. I mean, it's not like their last album was kiddy stuff. What we get here is a incredibly heavy album that stands out from the pack thanks to dynamic vocals and true growth from the band.
The sound is still aggressive and very heavy. The band sprinkles in some nice little surprises here and there that shake up their instrumental game. "Creative Captivity" has some trumpet sections that just sound fantastic and are one example of the enjoyable ways the band catches you off guard.
The album's almost non-stop brutality can lead to a light sense of monotony if you try to listen to it all at once. Too heavy? There's no such thing. Yet, even at eleven tracks it's nice to get a quick break after a certain point to cleanse your listening palate to fully appreciate the album.
With a uncompromising sense of heaviness, exciting changes in pace, and just an all around excellent sound, this is one you don't want to miss. It's an album that doesn't just deserve to be in any metal fans collection, it kind of needs to be. It's one of the most exciting examples of just how quality this genre can be. Metal has rarely shined brighter.
