Lost Messengers: The Outtakes

For those who couldn’t get enough of August Burns Red’s 2007 album *Lost Messengers*, here is a seven-song SP of outtakes, demos, b-sides, and a cover that didn’t make the cut. You don’t have to be a diehard fan of the Lancaster, PA metalcore quintet to get into this — newcomers stumbling onto the opening onslaught of “Chasing the Dragon” can still be delightfully pummeled by the band’s artillery approximating rhythm section, technically taut guitar riffs and the melodically unsettling way their third singer Jake Luhrs yells like he’s swallowed shrapnel. But unlike many vocalists of this genre, Luhrs puts melody into his guttural cries. You can also really hear the dynamics of the double kick-drum on “Mosely” as one is slightly bigger than the other, making for a subtly noticeable contrast in tone. With its slight nod to sludgy stoner rock (à la High On Fire) “To Those About to Rock” may be the one song here that fits the vintage metal-looking album artwork. The most curious track is quite an anomaly: “Piano Man” is an instrumental cover of the Billy Joel hit that sounds close to the original, sans vocals. Go figure.