I have been following August Burns Red for about 17 or 18 years. My brothers got into them and I went to every concert I could with them. Until COVID, I had been to a concert of theirs about 2 times a year. Luckily, this year I got to see them. But literally we went to a concert in March 2020, and I walked into the venue thinking, “I bet you this is the last concert I’ll be able to attend in awhile.” COVID had sparked up and I was so paranoid walking in – but took in the moment that I knew would go away for a bit.
August Burns Red has always had such powerful lyrics. They have a lot of merch that state “angry music for happy people,” because their music sounds pissed off, but it’s gotta be the most metaphorical, strong, and most powerful lyrics of any artist I know. I will sob, scream and smile to these songs.
I decided to start doing this series with their most recent album. They have SO many albums. The only competitor in my phone for space is Taylor Swift [lol]. So to say I have a wide range of music is correct. I love the concept of their new album and it honestly really pulls me because of the discussions – which I’ll get into. After this I may go back and choose some of the songs that punch me in the gut the most. But for now- we start with Track one.
Premonition – Lyrical Breakdown
I had a dream the other night
A dream I can’t forget
It woke me with a sense of doom
And soaked my sheets in sweat
This vision plagues my every thought
The worst is yet to come
I fear this dream is coming true
I need to tell someone
So with the title of the song – this first verse really ties to seeing things coming to fruition. The first verse is full of paranoia- our wildest and most feared dreams coming to reality. Are they thoughts of paranoia with no merit? Or do they have truth? Do our biggest fears keep us up at night or invade themselves into our nightmares creating a sleepless night for our minds as our bodies try to rest. The worst is yet to come. I fear this is coming true.
Recently I have begun to actively grieve my grandfather. I’ve written him notes that I haven’t given him. I’ve tried to process the pain of losing him before I’ve lost him in hopes it’ll soften the blow. I know I should cherish him while he is here, and I have, and I do. I do treat every visit like it’ll be my last to him and tell him what I need to say – but my fears are coming true – I will lose him, and any day it happens I will not be ready for it.
I dreamt the other night
That famine spread across the land
The clouds, they held no water
And the oceans turned to sand
This sounds a lot like climate change. ABR has been a band that has been rooted in Christianity without ever really forcing it down people’s throats. Not during concerts, not obviously in their lyrics – but they always have been rooted in love and not necessarily organized religion. They have always been level headed, progressive in human rights and understanding of science. They wrote “Marianas Trench” which referenced the end of the world because of societal downfall way back in the early 2000’s, and although more rooted in society as a social construct, they have had several other songs as of recent being more about the planet in general.
We cannot swim under these conditions
Marianas Trench
We’re drowning quicker and quicker
We cannot swim, we cannot swim
We can’t swim under these conditions
We are drowning quicker and quicker
We cannot swim, we cannot swim
Under these conditions
So I can see this as something they would write about. The fear, coming to reality. A perceived idea and verse they’ve sang before, coming to truth. Before this idea was more about morality and the downfall of society, but it seems to have turned to be about the actual longevity of the planet, and humans.
People by the millions
Were gathered in the streets
Their voices had gone quiet
Just the sound of marching feet
Protests? Famine? Disease? Human rights? This could also be a metaphor for voices never heard. In protests there are usually chants and yelling, but what if these voices are never heard. In our society currently, we have had so many protests that go nowhere. Lawmakers and officials never listen to the bulk of the people – they always have their own agenda even though they are supposed to be voting the way we want them to.
They labored forward blindly
Not knowing where or why
This part feels really political to me. Working blindly, not remembering why they are working. Who they are working for. Self interests take over – forgetting why they are there in the first place.
Their purpose long forgotten
But we have forgotten too – holding people higher than the reason they are there. Pinning people against each other for clout instead of reason. Holding people above values.
Their eyes fixed on the sky
Their goals? Their fame?
Amongst them walked a silent foe
It had no face or name
It cared not for your riches
For your power, or your fame
The next verse tells us what this foe is- this thing that doesn’t care for people’s money, power or fame. The premonition of the fear happening to us – the world and climate not caring what happens to us. Their biggest enemy is the thing they can not control – and that enemy is simply the world and nature.
Its deadly touch would plant in you
Disease to multiply
And spread to those around you
As the herd emulsified
This is too real. Coming out of COVID we have faced a lot in the last few years, the disease that DID kill so many. Disease multiplies, but also, COVID isn’t the only killer on this planet. Plenty of other countries face famine, disease, and malnutrition. What happens when we do nothing to stop it?
And in the sky, appeared to us
It’s message clear and plain
“When I am done, this world and you
Will never be the same”
Will never be the same
Will never be the same
We are in a scary position. People always talk about history as if because ‘people were always talking about the end of the world’ that is nothing to fear. But those times were not as loaded with C02 emissions, dangerous gases and pollution in the capacity we have been dealing with or outputting. Our storms will get worse, our diseases may worsen too, our droughts will be more frequent and we will struggle as a species, as others will too. This world will never look the same if we don’t do something urgently to protect it. At the end of the day, the planet doesn’t need to be saved, it’ll continue on without us, but we need to save ourselves.
Image representation
Believe me I thought about making this some sort of cliche image in the beach with eerie end of the world vibes – but I thought about the idea of being trapped. So many of our voices get lost in the shadows. With greed filling the linings of politicians pockets we are barely heard, never seen. Even if we rise up and come together, we are ignored. It feels like we are stuck in a box, behind closed doors – unable to be seen or heard from those who are supposed to see and hear us.
