August Burns Red talks their new album and how it will be different from their other albums!
We're here today to chat with JB Brubaker (Guitars) of August Burns Red.
1. You’re heading out on The Frozen Flame Tour. How pumped are you guys for this tour, and what can your fans expect from it? Will you be playing any new tracks on this tour?
We haven’t been on a proper tour since last August so we are VERY excited for this tour. It’s our first full North American headline tour since the end of 2013. I think we are all itching to get on stage. Fans can expect a fairly diverse set list including some songs we haven’t played in five years or so. We are reaching back pretty far on some of these songs. It’s been fun relearning some old tracks. You won’t be hearing any new songs on this tour. We prefer to play songs people are already familiar with. I think that’s more fun for the audience.
2. Aside from being ready to head out on tour, you are working on recording a new album at the moment. How is that going for ABR?
The new record is actually finished! We did the tracking during November and December and have been tweaking the mix a little bit during the beginning of 2015. It sounds so sick. I’m itching to get this into people’s hands!
3. This being your 6th studio album, you guys have obviously all grown and matured - not only as musicians but as people. What can your fans expect to hear in this new album?
I think this new record is our most balanced album to date. It’s heavier than R&R but at certain gets more experimental than we ever have before. Jake Luhrs gave his best vocal performance to date. I’m really proud of what he was able to do. This record is our catchiest album ever, but it’s also lengthy with a lot of material to digest. I think our fans will really enjoy spending some quality time with these songs.
4. How far along are you with the album? If you had to give a percentage of how far along it is, what would it be?
98%. We really just need to tweak a couple tiny things that no one who wasn’t actively involved with the project would probably even notice. It also hasn’t been mastered yet but it’s nearly completed.
5. Is there an album name already created?
We haven’t titled the record yet. We have begun those discussions internally. I imagine we will have it titled before long.
6. How many tracks will be on this new album?
That is to be determined. We have a lot of material. I think we have too much to put on one album so we need to decide what isn’t going to make the cut, which is difficult for us. We kinda love them all. Haha!
7. Is there anything going to be on this album that will really surprise your fans or have them thinking, ‘Wow, this is different from the usual ABR sound’?
Yes. I think there are a bunch of little surprises throughout this record. ABR loves surprises.
8. What has the writing and recording process been like for this album?
The process has been very relaxed. We budgeted our time carefully and had a few months off to solidify the songs before heading into the studio. Also, the record was recorded at Atrium Audio where we did Rescue & Restore and Sleddin’ Hill. It’s a familiar location in our hometown with producers we are comfortable and confident in working with. Carson Slovak and Grant McFarland are awesome producers and we’re lucky to have such talented guys in our hometown. We blocked off two full months to track the album which was more than we needed. As a result we were able to take our time and not work crazy days. We worked 10am-6pm during the week and 10am-4pm on Saturdays. Sundays were always off. It was chill.
9. Does ABR record all together or at different times?
We always track each part separately. We’ve always done it that way.
10. If you had to describe this new album in three words, what would they be and why?
Heavy, Diverse and Catchy. If I explained why, it would require more than three words.
11. How do you guys feel you matured/grew as a band since you first started creating music together?
Well we learned so much about how a full time touring band operates, simply by being on the road and in the thick of it. We have literally been a family of brothers together for the better part of a decade, living and working together. We are closer than I think we probably even realize. We have learned how to work together to put on a live show, how to write music together, how to run a business together. Really, there is so much that has transpired between all of us since 2006 when this line up was solidified. I’ve been honored to experience so much with these guys.
12. Jake has an organization called HeartSupport that has been growing quite quickly. Could you tell us a bit about this organization and how it will make an impact on not only ABR fans but the music industry?
HeartSupport is a non-profit that Jake funds and operates with the help of a small team of people. Together they run a website that is a community for people who feel they have nowhere else to turn. Victims of domestic abuse, rape, addictions of all kinds, etc. are all welcome with open arms at heartsupport.com. It’s changing lives in a good way and we are proud of Jake for taking the time to do this.
13. What else can we expect from ABR in 2015?
2015 will be a busy year upon the release of our new record. We will be hitting the road hard, all over the world. It’s too far out for me to give specifics, but we will be much busier than we were in 2014 as far as touring is concerned.
Lets end this interview on a different note and less serious….
14. If you were forced to rename the band, what would you call it?
Redd’s Ashes, referring to Jon Hershey’s dog, Red, who was burned alive by August.
15. What would be one thing your fans would be surprised to know about you?
I’m really into collecting and organizing my baseball cards. It’s a hobby I had as a kid and rediscovered as an adult. It’s silly but I love it!
16. If you had to choose 1 song from any album that you have released to a new fans who has never listened to ABR before, what song would you choose and why?
I think I’d pick the song “Provision.” It’s one of my favorite tracks and is a pretty good representation of our sound, encompassing the fast, the heavy, and the dynamic, all in one neat little package.
Twitter: @ABRband & Instagram: @ABRband
Matthew Greiner (twitter.com/mattgreiner) JB Brubaker (twitter.com/JB_burns_red) Brent Rambler (twitter.com/stubbornbrent) Jacob Luhrs (twitter.com/jakeabr) Dustin Davidson (twitter.com/dustinabr)
Interview by: Andrew Wendowski
Thank you to Fearless Records for helping set this interview up!
