nown for their musical brutality and perfection in performance, August Burns Red has risen out of a sea of metal to make a run at the top spot in the genre. Though as kind and well dressed as they are you would never guess it if you saw them on the street.

Since their first full length release of Thrill Seeker in 2005 ABR has been knocking down the walls of our boxes, allowing us to believe that music can sound as good live as it does on the album, that metal can be extremely technical yet appear simple, and all the while it can carry a strong message along with it. There is not an ABR track that doesn’t stand straight up in defiance against the norms of society; from materialism and the emptiness of the American dream, to an over medicated population, you’re not going to get party anthems or a feel good summer soundtrack from August Burns Red. When they capture your attention with their technicality and precision, they proceed to use that platform with responsibility and humility.

For those that know ABR, I am showing the six o’clock news at seven.

We got an opportunity to ask ABR’s drummer Matt Greiner about touring the world, their influences, and some advice, but most importantly, we get a look at the guts of their July 14th release of Constellations. Matt fills us in on the meanings behind tracks, the album art, and the writing process from his hotel room in Finland.

There are a lot of bands that have been heading in the same direction that ABR has been heading for the last three years. What is

it that keeps you guys ahead of the curve?

Matt Greiner: I think we’re more conscious of writing a great a record then attempting to stay ‘ahead of the curve.’  We are always trying to get better as musicians so that we’re capable of experimenting with different tempos and creating dynamic songs.  We always focus on writing songs that we’d not only enjoy listening to but will enjoy playing live as well.

What are some of your metal influences?

MG: I love Between The Buried And Me; I don’t think they’re incapable of anything.  I also enjoy Converge, UnderOath, Meshuggah, Darkest Hour, Extol, and The Agony Scene.

Is there any other music that influences you that we wouldn’t expect?

MG: Yes, I actually don’t listen to that much in the metal genre, comparatively.  Coldplay is one of my favorite bands.  Lately I’ve been listening to Band Of Horses, Justice, mewithoutYou, Johnny Cash, The Avett Brothers, Circa Survive, Bon Iver, and a few worship artists like Phil Wickham and Ian McIntosh.

Your sophomore slump was non-existent. How have you continued to progress in the writing of this third album?

MG: We worked harder then ever in ‘fine-tuning’ both the lyrical and musical content for Constellations.  We had an extremely busy 1 ½ years touring the U.S., Canada, Mexico, and Europe in support of Messengers.  We started piecing the new songs together in late November of last year and quickly realized that this record would be more dynamic then anything we’ve ever done.  We really tried to push ourselves as musicians and, in doing so, explored more diverse tempos and song dynamics.

Do you feel that Constellations is a big departure from Messengers?

MG: Yes and no. I think so many things came into fruition on Constellations.  We’ve been touring for 8 months/year over the past 3 years through which we’ve all matured significantly as musicians.  In addition, we’ve all grown significantly as people.  I think both these aspects helped create a record that showcases an August Burns Red that might catch some people off guard.  However, I’m confident that Messengers and Thrill Seeker fans will thoroughly enjoy Constellations.

Where is the inspiration for the lyrics coming from for this new album?

MG: Some of the lyrics on Constellations tell stories; others encourage the reader to take action.  Overall I think the inspiration comes from simply living life, being 100% genuine everyday with everyone in everything.  Because the inspiration is truly real, I feel like these lyrics will really hit home with the reader.  There is something for everyone to relate to whether it’s that pain you experienced as an unloved child, or that friend that tragically passed away with no warning and no reason.  One of the songs entitled, “Indonesia,” is about a friend of mine that passed away in a tragic accident.  His name was David Clapper, father of 4 children, happily married for over 20 years, a missionary to a remote tribe in Indonesia.  He owned a small single engine plane, which he’d fly injured folks in from their tribe to the nearest hospital, a 4 hour flight away.  He was returning one evening from the hospital after dropping off the last patient that day and got caught in a terrible windstorm on the way home.  The storm blew his plane into the side of a mountain where he was pinned beneath the plane and died shortly thereafter.  I had jotted down something at church the night before finding out about the accident, and it was eerily similar to the story of the plane, the missionary, and the family left behind.  “Indonesia” tells the story of a family who surrendered all they had to minister to a remote tribe, the story of a husband and father killed in a tragic accident, and most importantly, the story of a widower and 4 children that kept their faith in God, even when all seemed lost.

So is lyric writing often a collaboration between all the band members?

MG: JB and Jon Hershey (our previous vocalist) wrote lyrics to two songs on Thrill Seeker, but we first really started collaborating with the lyrical content on Messengers and continued sharing the responsibility on Constellations. Our theory is that whatever makes the songs their very best at the end of the day, that’s all that matters.  For example, if Dustin were to come up with a sweet drum pattern over a particular riff, I would use it and see how/if it complemented that part.  The same applies to lyrics; if someone other then Jake comes up with a great set of lyrics that fit the mood of a song, we utilize them for the good of the music.

You mentioned that you wrote something down in regards to that same plane crash scenario the night before. What do you make of that?

MG: I was at a 24-hour worship and prayer service called Gateway that night the ‘story’ came to me.  I was on my feet praying when I suddenly felt dizzy and lightheaded.  I sat down and felt the need, the prompting, to write something down.  I didn’t have anything in particular in mind to write but nevertheless put pen to paper and started jotting words as they came to me.  I drove home, went to sleep, woke up the next morning and was told of David Clapper passing away in a tragic plane accident.  Instantly I thought of what I had written the night before, the first line of which is, “This plane’s going down in flames, and this time there’s no black box to capture your last words.”

I think that God gave me a prophetic word that foreshadowed the news I’d hear the next morning.  In addition however, I think He wanted to highlight how the family would react to the news of their father/husband passing away.  My favorite line from the song is, “…the white on his flag brings colors to shame.” It then goes on to talk about the cycle of life, how the earth will swallow the water and the clouds refill the oceans.  David’s family can’t possibly understand why he died that night.  But they also can’t fathom eternity; they can’t even explain their own chemical makeup.  What’s most profound is that they get it.  They understand that they’ll have to settle for now in not knowing why David passed away. They are still living in Indonesia where they’ve devoted their life to ministering to the tribe David died lending his own hand.

What is the significance behind the title Constellations?

MG: The name Constellations is based on the art concept for the record.  The CD cover shows a small figure pulling on a rope that’s attached to the biggest and brightest star in the sky; it looks as if the figure is playing tug of war with the star.  The figure represents our generation while the star symbolizes God and the Heavens.

Inside the booklet are other figures (like the one on the cover) flying kites illuminated by the brightest star in the sky.  Some of these kites are soaring in the air and others are lying on the ground.  The kites represent our own abilities and intelligence.  The ‘kite runners’ represent those who choose to ignore the hard to believe, the untouchable (the star).  Meanwhile, the ‘kites’ that guide their lives fly aimlessly in the sky, shifting course with every burst of wind.

I believe that our generation should be focused on bringing heaven to earth.  It’s crucial that we direct our passion towards God, the steadfast, never changing ‘entity in the sky.’  Everything else in life will leave us empty and alone.

ABR has been overseas quite a bit in the last few years. How are you received and how do those tours differ from American tours?

MG: Europe can be a very uncomfortable place to tour.  It’s hard to be so far away from home in a foreign place where things we all take for granted are often unavailable.  That said, we’ve started to develop a fan base there and are excited to continue performing for new faces.  Our first tour in Europe was in early 2008 with Misery Signals; it was rewarding to have fans already familiar with our music and excited to see us perform.  Since then we’ve toured Europe numerous times, playing places as obscure as Ireland and Portugal and places as popular as Germany and Switzerland.

What do you want listeners to walk away with after seeing your live show?

MG: First and foremost, we strive to get the audience involved during our shows.  We want kids to enjoy themselves whether it’s in the mosh pit, screaming along to the lyrics, or just soaking up the performance.  I hope listeners walk away stoked on how we played and sounded, but also with the understanding that we’re just a bunch of dudes blessed with the opportunity of playing music together.

The opportunity to travel the world playing music with your friends is no doubt a huge blessing but we see so many bands succumb to the perils of the road and being away from their support systems for long periods of time. How does ABR deal with those issues when or if they arise?

MG: Most of us in ABR grew up in Christian homes where we had accountability to help keep us in check.  Naturally, we are who we are today because of our upbringing.  We keep each other in check on tour, in love, not by pointing fingers and accusing each other.  It’s really just like anyone in any particular job setting; you are faced with situations where there is a decision to do right or to do wrong; situations in real life, not in a book or a seminar, situations that separate those living intentionally from everything else. And in these situations it’s important to have someone looking over your shoulder, giving you a heads up when your vulnerability starts showing itself.

What’s behind your infamous flip-flop and popped collar, AE stage attire?

MG: Every time someone asks me that question I chuckle out loud.  We wear what’s comfortable, simple as that.  It’s not a gimmick, it’s not for show, it is what it is.

Come&Live is a featured article in this month’s issue and we see that they are in your top friends. Could you see ABR joining a vision such as theirs in the future?

MG: Chad Johnson, the man behind Come & Live, is a good friend of mine.  I actually flew down to Nashville in early March to hang out with some friends and ended up getting lunch with Chad.  We talked about his career in the music industry, his goal for Come & Live, and what God has been doing in his life.  Chad knows business.  He has worked for and owned labels in the past, has set band’s careers in motion, and has personally touched the lives of so many people.  His heart and soul are in this 110% and he needs our help to make his goal come into fruition.  Do yourself a favor and get informed about Come & Live.  His blogspot is currently my homepage and is a great spiritual reminder and source of profound information.  Check it out via: http://comeandlive.blogspot.com/

Your new album Constellations comes out on the 14th of July. What’s the plan for the rest of the year?

MG: We have an incredibly busy year.  I’m actually doing this interview in our hotel room in Seinajoki, Finland where we are playing Provinssirock Festival tonight.  We are headed to Switzerland tomorrow and continuing our 4 week tour here in Europe.  We will then embark on a 4-week U.S. headline tour in July and an Australian tour in August.  In September we’re headed back to the U.S. for the second leg of the headline tour, back to Europe in October, and touring the U.S. again in November/December.

Pick up the new record, Constellations, on July 14.  That’s the only date you need to remember!