August Burns Red is an American metalcore band from Lancaster, Pennsylvania, formed in 2003. The band was formed while most members were in their final year of high school, with early practice sessions taking place in drummer Matt Greiner’s family farm buildings. The lineup of guitarists John Benjamin "JB" Brubaker and Brent Rambler, drummer Matt Greiner, lead vocalist Jake Luhrs, and bassist Dustin Davidson has remained consistent since 2006. The band is recognized for technical guitar riffs, heavy breakdowns, odd-meter and progressive rhythms, growled vocals, and a blend of melody and heaviness. Their influences include Between the Buried and Me, Misery Signals, Hopesfall, Meshuggah, Poison the Well, and Symphony in Peril. August Burns Red released their first EP, "Looks Fragile After All", through CI Records in 2004. Original vocalist Jon Hershey departed the same year and was replaced by Josh McManness. The band signed to Solid State Records in 2005 and released their first full-length album, "Thrill Seeker", on November 8, 2005. Drummer Matt Greiner received an endorsement from Truth Custom Drums following the album's release. McManness and original bassist Jordan Tuscan left in 2006 and were replaced by Jake Luhrs and Dustin Davidson, respectively. The band’s second album, "Messengers", was released on June 19, 2007, marking Luhrs’ debut as lead vocalist and reaching number 81 on the Billboard 200. To promote the album, August Burns Red toured extensively in North America and Europe, performing with acts such as As I Lay Dying, Misery Signals, A Skylit Drive, Sky Eats Airplane, Greeley Estates, and This or the Apocalypse. They also toured in Australia, Germany, Finland, Norway, Sweden, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Italy, Belgium, the Netherlands, Czech Republic, Slovakia, and France. During this period, the band recorded covers of "Carol of the Bells" for the compilation "X Christmas" and "...Baby One More Time" for "Punk Goes Pop, Vol. 2". On February 24, 2009, the band released the EP "Lost Messengers: The Outtakes", featuring material excluded from "Messengers". Their third album, "Constellations", was released on July 14, 2009, debuting at number 24 on the Billboard 200. Prior to and following the release, August Burns Red toured the United States, Europe, and Australia, performing with Blessthefall, Enter Shikari, All Shall Perish, iwrestledabearonce, Architects, Parkway Drive, Underoath, and Emery. The band released the music video for "Meddler" and premiered songs including "Thirty and Seven", "Existence", and "Ocean of Apathy" to promote the album. The band released their first live CD/DVD, "Home", on September 28, 2010. "Constellations" was nominated for a Dove Award for Best Rock Album in 2010. They toured Australia and New Zealand later that year on the No Sleep Til Festival alongside Parkway Drive, A Day to Remember, NOFX, Dropkick Murphys, Suicide Silence, Megadeth, Descendents, and Gwar. August Burns Red began writing their next album in 2011 and revealed the title "Leveler" on April 5, 2011. Songs released ahead of the album included "Empire", "Internal Cannon", "Divisions", and "Poor Millionaire". "Leveler" was released on June 21, 2011, in standard and deluxe editions, debuting at number 11 on the Billboard 200. The band participated in the 2011 Vans Warped Tour and headlined their own "Leveler" tour in early 2012 with Silverstein, Texas In July, I The Breather, and Letlive. They also toured Europe with The Devil Wears Prada and Veil of Maya, and the United States with Of Mice & Men and The Color Morale. On October 9, 2012, the band released their first holiday album, "August Burns Red Presents: Sleddin' Hill". The band participated in Warped Tour 2013 alongside Bring Me the Horizon, NeverShoutNever, Black Veil Brides, 3OH!3, Crizzly, and Bowling for Soup. Their sixth studio album, "Rescue & Restore", was released on June 25, 2013, debuting at number 9 on the Billboard 200. Later that year, they announced a documentary DVD titled "Foreign & Familiar". On August 5, 2014, August Burns Red signed to Fearless Records and announced the album "Found in Far Away Places" for pre-order on April 13, 2015, alongside the release of the single "The Wake". They embarked on the Frozen Flame Tour from January 22 to March 8, 2015, with Miss May I, Northlane, Fit for a King, and ERRA. The band received a Grammy Award nomination for Best Metal Performance in December 2015 for the song "Identity". In 2017, the band celebrated the tenth anniversary of "Messengers" with a tour across Europe and the United States, performing with Protest the Hero, In Hearts Wake, and '68. On July 26, 2017, August Burns Red announced their eighth studio album, "Phantom Anthem", released on October 6, 2017. The lead single "Invisible Enemy" premiered alongside the album announcement. The band has released ten studio albums to date. Their latest release, "Death Below", arrived in 2023. August Burns Red remains one of the most consistent and influential bands in modern metalcore, known for combining technical proficiency, melodic songwriting, and heavy breakdowns. Studio albums Thrill Seeker (2005) Messengers (2007) Constellations (2009) Leveler (2011) August Burns Red Presents: Sleddin' Hill (2012) Rescue & Restore (2013) Found in Far Away Places (2015) Phantom Anthem (2017) Guardians (2020) Death Below (2023)