Review Summary: Still progression
Just like every other album this band has put out, you know what you can expect. This has always been the main issue with August Burns Red: they basically produce the same stuff over and over. It's a matter of taste if that's a problem or not, 'cause some people love their style and some people don’t. Regardless, and while this album isn’t career changing in any way, a few things are presented differently.
Found In Far Away Places starts out heavy, as ‘The Wake’ explodes into the album with fast guitar riffs, drumbeats and pretty dark lyrics for an ABR composition. The dark atmosphere is found in more places than just this track. Compared to Rescue & Restore, this LP feels a bit harsher overall, with songs like ‘Blackwood’, ‘Martyr’ and ‘Separating the Seas’ being heavier than any material found on their last release.
Then there are the interludes, which are utilised on this album in a more appropriate fashion, especially on ‘Blackwood’. This is one of the best songs on the record, with an intro that actually reminds me of ‘Hotel California’ by the Eagles. Of course that doesn't last for long, as the band soon finds itself riffing like crazy. The song keeps getting heavier to reach its climax and then it suddenly stops; the intro appears again, providing the perfect passage for a heavy song like this: a nice instrumental section, which soon finds its way into blast beats and metalcore chugs.
Another change is that ABR is starting to find its way into progressive territory. Granted, there is still a lot of chugging metalcore to be found, but the tracks are longer, with ‘Broken Promises’ even passing the 6-minute mark. That song also features an accommodating interlude; it truly makes the tune shine, but so does the post-rock-like structure it has. That marks another improvement over past records, as ABR has always been experimenting with post-rock influences (take ‘Meridian’ for example), but on this outing a lot more has been implemented into non-instrumental songs. The intro to ‘Ghosts’ and the last half of ‘Vanguard’ are more arranged and longer in duration, emanating that kind of epic, darker ambience.
Speaking of ‘Ghosts’, it actually features a cameo by A Day to Remember’s Jeremy McKinnon. This has its pros 'n' cons. The downside is that his clean sung part doesn’t quite fit lyrics about “ghosts living in your nightmares”. His happy pop-punk singing style isn’t really conveying that message. Nonetheless, it sounds amazing when Jake and him are screaming together, as the more high pitched screams of Jeremy compliment Jake’s lows perfectly; the clean/harsh sung outro makes this song one of the better moments on the album. That mixed singing style is yet another 'first' as regards ABR. It’s not done by Jeremy just on ‘Ghosts’; songs like ‘Majoring in the Minors’ and ‘Vanguard’ share that approach as well, and it actually contemplates Jake’s screams effectively, adding another layer on the album.
August Burns Red have improved there formula again, like they always do in each record. The subtle differences over past LPs make this album stand out from the rest, but not enough to change the opinion of those who never liked this band.
