August Burns Red: Ashes To Ashes

August Burns Red
The Showbox, Seattle, WA
02.16.15

August Burns Red lit up Seattle on Monday night, bringing their heavy riffs and crashing drums to a packed house at the Market Showbox. Realizing their twelfth year together, August Burns Red has essentially done and seen it all, with six albums under their belt and countless stints across the globe. Sporting a new record deal with Fearless, and flaunting a seventh album on the Horizon, they’re taking their trademark metalcore back on the road for the Frozen Flame Tour, where August Burns Red proves once again why they shine.

As the house went dark into deafening screams, they began their set with “White Washed” from 2009’s Constellations. The pit was ferocious from the get-go, and the momentum seemed to barely calm, even as lead man Jake Luhrs took precious moments to greet the crowd. The energy on stage was hot and chaotic, as Luhrs lunged to and fro, dominating the mic with a voice conjured from the depths. Drummer Matt Greiner should win some sort of award, with his notable timing executed flawlessly. August Burns Red pulled from across their catalogue, appeasing a varied audience that, presumably, has grown up with this band. Greiner polished off the regular set with his signature solo, before ABR returned for their encore, killing the night with “Carpe Diem” and “Empire.”

Opening the evening were Miss May I, a melodic metalcore five-piece from Ohio; Australian metalcore band Northlane; Dallas Christian metal band Fit for a King; and ERRA, a progressive metalcore foursome from Birmingham, Alabama. If metal is on your mind, find these guys on tour, because this lineup was stacked with wholesome, musical awesomeness.

August Burns Red Set List:
White Washed
Beauty in Tragedy
Thirty and Seven
Spirit Breaker
The Eleventh Hour
Up Against the Ropes
Marianas Trench
Provision
Back Burner
Fault Line
Meridian
The Seventh Trumpet
Composure
(drum solo)
Encore:
Carpe Diem
Empire