August Burns Red

Lost Messengers: The Outtakes

Written by: AP on 11/03/2009 16:08:27

For those fans for whom the wait for August Burns Red's upcoming new album is insufferable, the band has crafted an EP out of a handful of b-sides and demos from the recording process of "Messengers" to play with in the meanwhile. To top that off, it also features an instrumental cover of Billy Joel's "Piano Man" which frankly begs the question "why?". In fact most of what's on offer here begs that question, as it is difficult to see exactly what the band expects anyone other than a hard core of diehard fans to extract from "Lost Messengers: The Outtakes".

It begins with "Carol Of The Bells", which was originally recorded for the "X Christmas" compilation album featuring such bands as Anberlin and Switchfoot and can also be heard on select trailers for the Christmas blockbuster movie, "The Spirit". This, too, is an entirely instrumental track, though inspired by neoclassicism and thus by default far more interesting than the redundant "Piano Man". "Chasing The Dragon" "Mosely" follow with the instantly recognizable sound of "Messengers", and while both are solid tunes, they offer little that hasn't already been heard on that album, though arguably the more eclectic "Chasing The Dragon" could have been chosen to be on it instead of one of the more anonymous - if as technically impressive as the rest - tracks. Following the "Piano Man" debacle is the one-minute-long "To Those Who Are About To Rock", which, though its name might so suggest, is not a cover of the similarly titled AC/DC song, but a parody of Southern-influenced rock and metal. Again, one wonders what purpose it was intended to serve; and much more so with the demos of "Truth Of A Liar" and "Vital Signs" that follow. What these essentially are, are two underproduced, less refined, but nearly identical versions of two excellent songs off the "Messengers" album, making these, too, entirely redundant.

What the band hopes to achieve with "Lost Messengers: The Outtakes" remains unclear. The same fans that would happily hoard Jake Luhrs action figures had such things been produced will of course embrace a 'behind the scenes' look at the band's recording process but for those of us for whom August Burns Red is still but another metal band, this just isn't worth the bucks or the effort.

6

Download: Carol Of The Bells, Chasing The Dragon

For the fans of: August Burns Red, Misery Signals, Parkway Drive

Listen: Myspace

Release date 24.02.2009

Solid State

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