Words by Belinda Quick
Photos by Justin White
“The time has come to turn your heart into a temple of fire. Your essence is gold hidden in dust. To reveal its splendor you need to burn in the fire of love” – Jalal al-Din Muhammad Rumi, Little Book of Life
The creative and personal lives of the five men who staff the iconic Pennsylvanian metalcore institution, AUGUST BURNS RED, are defined by their dichotomatic elements. Banding together for nigh on 25 years to produce some of the most recognisable music in American metalcore history, this year celebrates the release of a tenth studio album and sees the flourishing of a Season (not) Of Surrender, but youthful vitality.
Fronted by the inimitable Jake Luhrs, who finds an even more brutal voice to add to the crushing collective heaviness of SOS, the band is equally renowned for their commitment to universal love and belief in the beautiful bond of mankind. Exposing both sides of the polarity with poetic precision on record, nothing compares to the convergence of character that typifies the live experience. Deeply personal for those on and off stage, it is here we find ourselves together again, ‘walking through fire’ to set our hearts ablaze.
A loving Glance from Cullen Forbes implores the early crowd to “bring it in closer; we’re FALLWEATHER from Melbourne, but Adelaide is our favourite fucking city!” Immediately, tonight’s quartet Kill My Doubt; their intensely immersive sound has scores running for the dancefloor, Every Smile alight and Tired Eyes refreshed. Grateful to ABR Because You Were There from the very beginning for the band, hugs are requested for Beneath the Dirt. The ground shakes underfoot, courtesy of Markus Stuart’s earthmoving bassline and Halley Simpson’s drill-drumming of a collection of new tracks.
THE GLOOM IN THE CORNER one of Australia’s most unique musical entities. Epitomised by enigmatic frontman Mikey Arthur’s announcement of The Jericho Protocol, the songs “about war, but most importantly about heaven” careen between concept and chaos with pristine clarity. Nic Haberle’s crisp drumbeat blasts the Hollow Point Elysium on the Assassination Run, every movement represents another ‘cinematic universe’. Paul Musolino’s Angel’s Wrath is visceral; the bassist’s screams add yet another layer to the theatre, as guitarist Jesse Abdurazak syncs up with the front-of-house cast to Carry Me Home with a unified waist-bending convulsion.
Infusing the evening with its first distinctly American inflection, it’s hard to decide Weather To Believe I PROMISED THE WORLD are of this decade or a Beloved former time. A Proud presentation of the mid-naughties screamo trademarks, vocalist Hunter Wilson switches screech for spoken word, guitarist Caleb Molina backs his cleans, and keyboardist Zain Omar is A Pure Expression of a bygone era. Showcasing A Future Worth Dying For, Wilson discards his shirt and, dripping with sweat, sports his best Australian accent. Sucking in O2, he demands Don’t Just Stand There, the Texans’ Adelaide debut is pure Bliss In 7 Languages.
With a Meddler’s mindset, blue flame licks the edges of The Gov’s LED screen. The tiny spark ignites a molten crack, before finally the Back Burner illuminates the emblem and AUGUST BURNS RED’s blistering arrival. As Matt Greiner’s pulverising drumming threatens to ‘fade away (all else), as the sound hits the speaker’, Jake Luhrs’ enormous growl alternates with scintillating screams. Deepened by echoes of bassist Dustin Davidson, the choir soars above to generate Sonic Salvation in The Eleventh Hour. Twin flames, the stoic statues of guitarists J.B. Brubaker and Brent Rambler dance forward-and-back on the stage, Paramount in introducing and concluding the final track of the first act.
Luhrs attests, “Every tour here is important, we love Australia, but this one is even more so. We’ve got a new record out and we’re going to play a few songs that’ve never been heard live before this tour. Things are about to get aggressive,” we’re warned, before The Nameless Behemoth demolition duet is supplanted by the bristling Bloodletter. Following Davidson’s closing ceremony, Luhrs instructs he stays centrestage. Treated to a world premiere of his first songwriting experience, an homage to COVID times and a fantasised “move to Adelaide”, Den of Thieves follows in a sophomore live performance.
The song dedicated to Jamie Halls of POLARIS and the MAKE THEM SUFFER crew, both SOS collaborators “doing you proud over in the states”, Invisible Enemy “goes out to them and to you, let’s make some memories!” Empires rise in the form of a singular shoulder surfer. Contrary to an assumed challenge, another ascends and embodies the ethic of ABR: a show of true strength, they hold one another steady, as music rages. Exhumed by the demonstration, the band exudes passion and reaches yet another Everestian height. Befittingly so, the world’s tallest peak gives way to the greatest depth in Mariana’s Trench.
The eternal finisher, Luhrs has parting words for us also: “Take a look around this room. Outside of the walls of this building, the world is going to tell you who to be, politicians are going to tell you who to hate and who to love, but here we have each other. Grace, understanding, compassion, love; that’s how we make the world a better place.” The moment’s twinkle provided by an enchanting combination of the singer’s sentiment, phone lights and the track’s intricate guitar work, waves of emotion cascade throughout the venue before total darkness draws a curtain on the major set.
Without hesitation, chants of “one more song” go up. Summarily drowned out by blinding floodlights and a deafening siren’s blare, Greiner returns to the stage for a scintillating solo performance. His brothers in arms needing time to regain their full Composure, the quintet join the indefatigable drummer. The moshpit now a torrid ocean, White Washed and whirlpooling, every audience member follows the inducement of Luhrs: “This is the last time tonight, let’s make it count!” Every bandmate smiling, extends an instrument or microphone crowdward, a ‘crushing’ call-and-response provides closure.
An ever-adoring audience expresses their collective ‘thank you for this pen and ink ammunition’ and yet another awesome immolation, with no need to ‘say another word’ ABR reciprocate in gratitude: ‘thank you for the inspiration.’
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PHOTO GALLERY
FALLWEATHER
I PROMISED THE WORLD
THE GLOOM IN THE CORNER
AUGUST BURNS RED
