August Burns Red is likely the only metal act ever described as “thrillingly empathetic” (Kerrang!). It’s a testament to the ferocious band’s ability to recognize and connect with the mixture of brokenness and hope found in their audience and within themselves. A hard-working collective with a shockingly stable lineup for the vast majority of their career, August Burns Red pour every ounce of themselves into their music. Atmospheric, riff-laden, aggressive bursts of controlled chaos, filled with shifting time signatures and tempos, deliver confessional, self-reflective, and authentic emotion. Songs like “White Washed,” “Marianas Trench,” “Invisible Enemy,” and “Paramount” are undeniable anthems. Tour stops with Lamb of God, Killswitch Engage, Parkway Drive, and Bring Me the Horizon; several major international hard rock festivals (Rock Am Ring, Download, and Aftershock, to name a few); and the Vans Warped Tour are among the destinations around the world to witness ABR’s live prowess. Massive headlining treks celebrating 10-year anniversaries for Constellations and Leveler demonstrated the enduring relevance of the band’s catalog, nearly 20 years into ABR’s storied career. 2020’s Guardians debuted at No. 1 on Billboard’s Hard Music, Rock Albums, and Vinyl Albums charts. Revolver, who put the band on their cover the same year, observed August Burns Red “embrace the pain so well.” It’s a truth never more evident than on Death Below, their stunning ninth studio album. Recorded with longtime producers Carson Slovak and Grant McFarland, Death Below encompasses all of the pissed-off strength of the band’s past without sacrificing an ounce of catchy, melodic might. Death Below boasts guest appearances from ABR allies Jesse Leach (Killswitch Engage), Spencer Chamberlain (Underoath), Jason Richardson (All That Remains), and JT Cavey (ERRA). “It’s getting difficult for the members of August Burns Red to keep one-upping themselves,” marveled Billboard shortly before Guardians arrived. With Death Below, they emerge victorious again.