Metalcore usually dies young. Most albums in the genre from the late 2000s feel like time capsules—fun to revisit, sure, but they’ve got that dusty, dated "Cali-cut" hair flip energy that doesn’t quite translate to the modern ear. Then there is the Constellations August Burns Red album. Released in 2009 through Solid State Records, this wasn't just another drop in the bucket of breakdowns and binary-code guitar riffs. It was a massive shift. It turned a bunch of guys from Manheim, Pennsylvania, into the undisputed kings of technical, melodic metalcore.
Honestly, if you were around for the MySpace era of metal, you remember the hype. But hype is cheap. What’s impressive is that in 2026, Constellations doesn't feel like a relic. It feels like a blueprint.
The Sound of 2009 Changing Forever
Before this record, the band had already dropped Messengers, which was basically a 45-minute sledgehammer to the face. It was great. It was heavy. But Constellations was where they learned how to breathe.
Producer Jason Suecof—the guy behind legendary sounds from Trivium and All That Remains—brought a specific kind of polish to the sessions at AudioHammer Studios. It wasn't "radio" polish. It was clarity. You could finally hear every single ghost note Matt Greiner was hitting on the snare. You could hear the intricate interplay between JB Brubaker and Brent Rambler.
The songwriting took a massive leap. It wasn't just about being the fastest or the heaviest anymore. They started messing with dynamics. Think about the track "Indonesia." It’s got that frantic, driving energy, but then it breaks into this sweeping, emotional melody that feels huge. Tommy Rogers from Between the Buried and Me even pops up for guest vocals, which, at the time, was like the ultimate seal of approval for any band trying to prove they had "prog" chops.
Why the Guitar Work Still Baffles People
JB Brubaker’s lead work on the Constellations August Burns Red album is, frankly, ridiculous.
He didn't just lean on the typical minor scale tropes of the era. He brought in these weird, circus-like leads and major-key melodies that should have sounded cheesy but somehow felt triumphant. Take "Marianas Trench." That opening riff is iconic. It’s not just a chug; it’s a call to arms. It’s melodic, but it’s played with such aggressive precision that it loses none of the metal edge.
The technicality here is "functional." It’s not shredding for the sake of shredding. Every lead serves the song's emotional arc.
- The "Ocean of Emptiness" bridge in "Marianas Trench" showcases a rare use of clean, delay-heavy guitars that was pretty experimental for the scene at the time.
- "The Escape Artist" features some of the most punishing polyrhythms the band had ever tracked, proving they hadn't lost their "mathy" roots.
- The closing track, "Crusades," is a masterpiece of tension and release, ending the album on a note that felt much more mature than their peers' work.
Matt Greiner and the Percussion Standard
If you play drums and you haven't tried to learn "White Washed," are you even a metal drummer?
Matt Greiner’s performance on this record set a new bar. He has this way of making complicated 4/4 time signatures sound like they’re shifting under your feet. His use of China cymbals became a meme for a reason—the man loves a sharp accent—but his footwork on "Thirty and Seven" is what really stands out.
It’s precise. It’s athletic. Most importantly, it’s creative. He treats the drum kit like a lead instrument, which is why the instrumentals on this album are just as popular as the vocal versions. In fact, the band eventually released a 10th-anniversary remix and remaster because the fans' appetite for hearing every nuance of these performances never really went away.
Jake Luhrs and the Power of the "Lungs"
Jake Luhrs’ vocal delivery on Constellations is some of his most raw work.
While later albums saw him experimenting more with range and different textures, here he is just a powerhouse. His mid-range growl is thick, and his enunciations are clear enough that you don't actually need a lyric sheet to know he’s screaming about purpose, loss, and redemption.
The lyrics on the Constellations August Burns Red album avoid the typical "tough guy" posturing of the 2000s. They’re introspective. "Existence" tackles the vacuum of purpose, while "Meridian" is almost a worship song in its structure, despite being a crushing metal track. This lyrical depth gave the album legs. It wasn't just music to mosh to; it was music people tattooed on their arms.
The Visuals and the Legacy
We have to talk about that cover art.
The burning tree against the night sky. It’s simple, striking, and perfectly captures the "Constellations" theme. It moved away from the "neon and monsters" aesthetic that was plagueing metalcore covers at the time. It looked sophisticated.
The impact was immediate. The album debuted at number 24 on the Billboard 200. For a band that sounds like a woodchipper, that's insane. It proved that there was a massive market for "smart" metalcore.
Without this record, do we get the current wave of technical metalcore? Maybe. But it would look a lot different. Bands like Architects, Northlane, and ERRA all owe a massive debt to the structural risks August Burns Red took on this project. They proved you could be technical without being boring and heavy without being mindless.
How to Truly Experience the Record Today
If you're revisiting the album or hearing it for the first time in 2026, don't just stream it on crappy earbuds while you're at the gym.
This is a "headphone" album. To get the most out of it, you need to hear the panning of the guitars. The way the rhythms jump from the left ear to the right in "Paradox" is a masterclass in mixing.
Check out the Constellations (10th Anniversary Edition) if you want a slightly more modern low-end punch. The original 2009 mix has a certain nostalgic grit, but the remaster really lets the bass guitar—which is often the unsung hero of this band—sit where it belongs in the mix.
Actionable Ways to Support the Music
- Grab the Vinyl: The artwork deserves to be seen at 12x12 size. Most pressings include high-quality gatefolds that look incredible on a shelf.
- Watch the "Home" Documentary: If you can find the footage from their Home DVD, it gives a lot of insight into the touring cycle for this specific era.
- Learn the Tabs: If you're a musician, picking up the official tab book for this album is basically a college-level course in metalcore composition.
The Constellations August Burns Red album isn't just a nostalgic trip. It’s a testament to what happens when a band decides to stop following trends and starts trying to outwork everyone else in the room. Fifteen years later, the stars are still aligned.
Key Takeaways for the Modern Listener
The longevity of Constellations comes down to three specific factors:
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- Emotional Sincerity: The band stayed true to their personal convictions, which resonated more deeply than the manufactured angst of their contemporaries.
- Compositional Risk: Using non-traditional scales and interludes (like the "Indonesia" bridge) kept the listener engaged beyond the standard "verse-chorus-breakdown" formula.
- Production Quality: Choosing a producer like Suecof ensured the record didn't sound like a "garage project," giving it the professional sheen required to compete on a global stage.
To get the full perspective, listen to Messengers first, then Constellations, then Leveler. You’ll hear the clear trajectory of a band finding their voice, then screaming through it at the top of their lungs. It is the definitive middle chapter of a trilogy that defined a decade of heavy music.