After a momentous 2011 that saw their latest album, Leveler, debut at #11 on the Billboard charts, hard rock juggernauts August Burns Red have shown an unwillingness to slow down, kicking off 2012 with headlining tours of North America, Japan and Australia with stops in New Zealand, Taiwan, Indonesia, Phillippines, Malaysia, Thailand and Singapore along the way.
Now the band turns its sites firmly on Europe with the announcement of a string of Festival and Headlining dates throughout the summer that will see ABR hit 13 countries in 4 weeks before returning stateside to support the legendary Refused at Philadelphia’s Riot Fest, followed by a return to South America. [Dates are listed below].
“I can say with all sincerity that ABR has never looked forward to a European tour as much as we are looking forward to our upcoming run in June/July,” says guitarist JB Brubaker. “We haven’t done the ‘festival circuit’ since 2009 and that was one of our favorite overseas tours to date. I’m pumped to have the opportunity to play alongside some legendary bands and in front of some massive crowds!”
Already among the most respected acts in the genre, August Burns Red solidified their status further with the June 2011 release of their fourth studio album, Leveler, which rocketed to the top of the Billboard charts – debuting at #11 on the Billboard 200 in addition to entering the charts as the #1 Hard Rock album and #2 Rock album. Leveler has also displayed incredible durability and staying power, having become the band’s fastest selling album to date by a large margin.
Following two albums that have topped 100,000 in sales [2009′s Constellations and 2007′s Messengers], Leveler is on pace to set a new high-bar for August Burns Red, adding commercial success to the critical praise which the album has garnered from the likes of Alternative Press, Revolver, Rock Sound and dozens of other outlets. The album pushes the band’s sonic boundaries in every direction, yet emerges as an unquestionably heavier album than its predecessor. It’s a game-changer, for ABR, and for fans of hard rock everywhere.
Select praise for ‘Leveler’:
“From start to finish, Leveler is exhilarating… the quintet’s strongest work to date. (4/5)” –Alternative Press
“August Burns Red have crafted a signature brand of metalcore that challenges the genre’s status quo … [They’ve] set their own bar even higher on Leveler, and have done so for all the scene in the process. (4.5/5)” –Revolver
“Leveler takes the band to a unique level… not only easily approachable but entertaining, impressive, and new. (10/10)” –Outburn
“By far the greatest album August Burns Red have ever produced” –Excllaim!
“A wonderfully dynamic album” –All Music Guide
“Leagues above much of this genre” –Rock Sound
“Leveler has the potential to be another breakout record for the group, with a maturing sound and greater experimentation. Hopefully, this new album will help turn even more skeptics into headbanging converts” –Metal Insider
After the stellar sales of ‘Constellations’ they could have easily played it safe and carried on in the same vein, especially as they were using the same producer, Jason Suecof (Sevendust, All That Remains, Trivium). Instead they returned to the ferocious sound of their earlier albums, and also threw in some new twists. –The Metal Resource [Read the full review].
August Burns Red European Dates:
Jun 8 – Nickelsdorf, Austria @ Pannonia Fileds II
Jun 10 – Donnington UK @ Download Festival
Jun 12 – Lille, France @ Splendid Lille
Jun 13 – Strasbourg, France @ La Laiterie
Jun 14 – Augsburg, Germany @ Kantine
Jun 15 – Montabaur, Germany @ Flagplatz
Jun 16 – Montabaur, Germany @ Mair 1 Festival
Jun 17 – Clisson, France @ HELLFEST
Jun 19 – Clermont, France @ La Cooperative de Mal
Jun 20 – Marseille, France @ Cabaret Aléatoire La Friche
Jun 22 – Hasselt, Belgium @ Graspop Metal MEeting
Jun 23 – Basel, Switzerland @ Earshakerdays
Jun 24 – Milan, Italy @ Gods of Metal
Jun 25 – Stugggart, Germany @ Die Röhre
Jun 26 – Saarbrücken, Germany @ Garage
Jun 27 – Arendal, Norway @ Hove Festival
Jun 28 – Amsterdam, Netherlands @ Melkweg The Max
Jun 29 – Leipzig, Germany @ With Full Force Festival
Jun 30 – Muenster, Germany @ Am Hawerkamp
Jul 2 – Prague, Czech Republic @ Rock For People
Jul 2 – Bratislava, Slovakia @ Randall
Jul 3 – Budepest, Hungary @ Durer Kert
Jul 6 – Gälven, Sweden @ Getaway Festival
Additional Upcoming Dates:
Jul 19 – Philadelphia, PA @ Riot Fest
Aug 11 – Sao Paulo, Brazil @ Carioca Club
Aug 12 – Curitiba, Brazil @ Music Hall
Aug 14 – Buenos Aires, Argentina @ Teatro Flores
Aug 15 – Santiago, Chile @ Teatro Teleton
Aug 17 – Bogota, Colombia @ Teatro Metro
Aug 19 – Mexico City, Mexico @ El Circ Volador
Related articles:
August Burns Red – Leveler (Deluxe Edition) [CD review]
‘Eastpak Antidote Tour 2011′ with ‘August Buns Red’ and others [Sept. 2011]
‘Brick By Brick’ – ‘Connecting Cultures, Creating Community’ [Aug. 2011]
‘August Burns Red’ – ‘God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen’ [Available For Streaming/Download] [Nov. 2011]
Interview With ‘Jake Luhrs’ [August Burns Red] + Video Testimony [Feb. 2012]