Have you picked up August Burns Red’s newest album, Phantom Anthem, yet? The record marks a new and creative chapter in ABR’s career, and we spoke to the whole group about how Phantom Anthem was inspired by breaking out of the metalcore box, resisting the lure of pornography and more.

Though August Burns Red released their first album when the metalcore trend began wilting, the band has remained inspired to grasp its own identity. Though guitarist JB Brubaker feels Phantom Anthem doesn’t get as “wacky” as some of ABR’s material on Found in Far Away Places, he calls the new album “dark” and “brooding” in a way the band hasn’t approached their music before.

Fans will certainly notice a prevalence of clean singing on the album’s back half, something August Burns Red have rarely done. “Those section warranted that type of feeling,” says vocalist Jake Luhrs. “Lyrically, it’s what we call a one-liner, something that really stands out.”

One line that August Burns Red made sure to punctuate is “I wish I had the will to keep my word” from the track “Dangerous.” As it turns out, those lyrics were written by drummer Matt Greiner about pornography. “My personal stance is that it’s destructive and that it objectifies women,” Greiner says. “Keeping my word to myself is that I don’t want anything to do with it. Obviously, the song talks about that struggle.”

Check out our exclusive chat with the entirety of August Burns Red above and make sure to grab a copy of Phantom Anthem, available now!

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