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  1. August Burns Red – Season of Surrender Review By Lavender Larcenist

    I want to apologize in advance for delaying the biggest review of the summer that we all have been waiting for. While I know everyone here is chomping at the bit for more Christian-adjacent metalcore, you need to wait patiently for another moment so I can introduce the legendary August Burns Red. Jokes aside, the veteran genre stalwarts have released their tenth record, Season of Surrender, and to my surprise, as a longtime fan of the act despite their religious inception, S.O.S. is one of their most brutal albums to date. August Burns Red turns to the past to inspire its sound for the future, but is this shallow nostalgia-bait or an evolution of the band’s most refined records?

    August Burns Red is the type of band that will sour metalheads on site. Formed in the heyday of Christian metalcore, the band has been chugging along for decades with its trademark sound. As someone who found them after already cutting my teeth on acts like Mastodon, Gojira, High on Fire, and many more, their undeniable technical skill, blistering breakdowns, and heartfelt execution caught my ear. Their 2009 record, Constellations, remains as affecting as ever and serves as a north star for the band to this day. Now, with Season of Surrender, they have finally moved out of the era of genre-switchups and downright inspired musical interludes into something more efficient, heavy, and pointed. Matt Greiner remains the highlight of a band loaded with talent. His rhythm, force, and pure technical skill without resorting to metal cliches is the nucleus of a band that has written music together for two decades. August Burns Red has featured the same members since 2006, with nine of its ten records sporting the same lineup. This consistently carries over to the music, and everything about Season of Surrender feels effortless. Guitarists JB Brubaker and Brent Rambler have remained underrated throughout their career due to the Christian-metalcore label, but Season of Surrender is full of brutal breakdowns that would make even the heaviest deathcore bands blush, while retaining the rhythm and pacing that lets them truly hit hard.

    Season of Surrender contains some of August Burns Red’s heaviest material to date, clearly harkening back to The Messengers’ days. While its Christian trappings have become basically agnostic (only a few members of the band are still self-identified believers), Season of Surrender still contains the band’s trademark positivity. This trope doesn’t always serve the songs, and the lyrics on “Cerebral Malfunction” feel particularly tone-deaf, seemingly poking fun at therapy. “Sonic Salvation” revives a classic cliché by using music as an escape from life and stress. The song itself is solid, but I cannot help but cringe at some of the refrains. Despite these stumbles, Jake Luhrs seems to only get better and better as a vocalist with each record, and Season of Surrender shows his widest range while hitting the heaviest lows in his career, like on the ending of “Legions”.

    Season of Surrender is one of their most consistent and heavy records since their best releases, and while the band has rarely, if ever, stumbled, this record is stuffed with brutality. “Forged by Failure” features an opening riff that is so groovy and simultaneously heavy that it will surely end up as a concert finale. “Den of Thieves” is one of the best tracks the band has penned in its career, and “Behemoth” is an absolute crusher. Outside of a few lyrical stutters, Season of Surrender is mostly unblemished. The album is slim and trim for a band that usually lets things get a little bloated, and at nine tracks and one musical interlude, the album breezes by.

    Season of Surrender is a perfect example of August Burns Red at its tightest and most driven. Despite the genre label, the band continues to challenge the technical skill and sheer brutality of most modern core acts while showcasing a dedication to rhythm and emotion. Season of Surrender won’t likely change the minds of those who have written the act off, but it’s a great starting point with its parallels to early records. Season of Surrender is a solid metalcore record that will likely be a favorite of longtime fans, and if you can brush off the lingering scent of Jesus, it may just be a metalcore record worth your time.

    Rating: 3.5/5.0
    DR: 4| Format Reviewed: 320 kbps mp3
    Label: Fearless Records
    Websites: Bandcamp | Official Site
    Releases Worldwide: June 5th, 2026

    #2026 #35 #AmericanMetal #AugustBurnsRed #FearlessRecords #Gojira #HighOnFire #Jun26 #Mastodon #Metalcore #ProgressiveMetalcore #Review #Reviews #SeasonOfSurrender
  2. August Burns Red – Season of Surrender Review By Lavender Larcenist

    I want to apologize in advance for delaying the biggest review of the summer that we all have been waiting for. While I know everyone here is chomping at the bit for more Christian-adjacent metalcore, you need to wait patiently for another moment so I can introduce the legendary August Burns Red. Jokes aside, the veteran genre stalwarts have released their tenth record, Season of Surrender, and to my surprise, as a longtime fan of the act despite their religious inception, S.O.S. is one of their most brutal albums to date. August Burns Red turns to the past to inspire its sound for the future, but is this shallow nostalgia-bait or an evolution of the band’s most refined records?

    August Burns Red is the type of band that will sour metalheads on site. Formed in the heyday of Christian metalcore, the band has been chugging along for decades with its trademark sound. As someone who found them after already cutting my teeth on acts like Mastodon, Gojira, High on Fire, and many more, their undeniable technical skill, blistering breakdowns, and heartfelt execution caught my ear. Their 2009 record, Constellations, remains as affecting as ever and serves as a north star for the band to this day. Now, with Season of Surrender, they have finally moved out of the era of genre-switchups and downright inspired musical interludes into something more efficient, heavy, and pointed. Matt Greiner remains the highlight of a band loaded with talent. His rhythm, force, and pure technical skill without resorting to metal cliches is the nucleus of a band that has written music together for two decades. August Burns Red has featured the same members since 2006, with nine of its ten records sporting the same lineup. This consistently carries over to the music, and everything about Season of Surrender feels effortless. Guitarists JB Brubaker and Brent Rambler have remained underrated throughout their career due to the Christian-metalcore label, but Season of Surrender is full of brutal breakdowns that would make even the heaviest deathcore bands blush, while retaining the rhythm and pacing that lets them truly hit hard.

    Season of Surrender contains some of August Burns Red’s heaviest material to date, clearly harkening back to The Messengers’ days. While its Christian trappings have become basically agnostic (only a few members of the band are still self-identified believers), Season of Surrender still contains the band’s trademark positivity. This trope doesn’t always serve the songs, and the lyrics on “Cerebral Malfunction” feel particularly tone-deaf, seemingly poking fun at therapy. “Sonic Salvation” revives a classic cliché by using music as an escape from life and stress. The song itself is solid, but I cannot help but cringe at some of the refrains. Despite these stumbles, Jake Luhrs seems to only get better and better as a vocalist with each record, and Season of Surrender shows his widest range while hitting the heaviest lows in his career, like on the ending of “Legions”.

    Season of Surrender is one of their most consistent and heavy records since their best releases, and while the band has rarely, if ever, stumbled, this record is stuffed with brutality. “Forged by Failure” features an opening riff that is so groovy and simultaneously heavy that it will surely end up as a concert finale. “Den of Thieves” is one of the best tracks the band has penned in its career, and “Behemoth” is an absolute crusher. Outside of a few lyrical stutters, Season of Surrender is mostly unblemished. The album is slim and trim for a band that usually lets things get a little bloated, and at nine tracks and one musical interlude, the album breezes by.

    Season of Surrender is a perfect example of August Burns Red at its tightest and most driven. Despite the genre label, the band continues to challenge the technical skill and sheer brutality of most modern core acts while showcasing a dedication to rhythm and emotion. Season of Surrender won’t likely change the minds of those who have written the act off, but it’s a great starting point with its parallels to early records. Season of Surrender is a solid metalcore record that will likely be a favorite of longtime fans, and if you can brush off the lingering scent of Jesus, it may just be a metalcore record worth your time.

    Rating: 3.5/5.0
    DR: 4| Format Reviewed: 320 kbps mp3
    Label: Fearless Records
    Websites: Bandcamp | Official Site
    Releases Worldwide: June 5th, 2026

    #2026 #35 #AmericanMetal #AugustBurnsRed #FearlessRecords #Gojira #HighOnFire #Jun26 #Mastodon #Metalcore #ProgressiveMetalcore #Review #Reviews #SeasonOfSurrender
  3. Bloodywood – Nu Delhi Review

    By Kenstrosity

    Indian nu-metal upstarts Bloodywood deserve every ounce of success they’ve garnered since their early days as a cover band. 2022’s Rakshak was a resounding proof of concept for the band’s original material, effortless and enthusiastic in its uplifting and wholesome messaging delivered through a smooth blend of Indian folk instrumentation and nu-metal aggression. Since then, Bloodywood rapidly gained recognition worldwide, acquiring a contract with Fearless Records, and even earning the distinction of first Indian metal act to hit Billboard charts. For many of our readers, that might spell an ill omen. But it leaves me overjoyed to experience what follow-up Nu Delhi has to offer.

    Thankfully, Bloodywood hasn’t touched their core approach. Nostalgic nu metal reigns supreme just as before, bolstered by the region’s traditional instrumentation, which is represented most in the percussion, string, woodwind, brass, and vocal sections. Gruff, rapid-fire raps constitute the rhythmic backbone of Bloodywood’s trademark dueling vocals, while soaring, gravelly cleans and caustic screams provide the melodic and metallic sinew that connects verse to chorus. A renewed focus on pervasive hooks, swaggering riffs, and tight songwriting allows many, if not all, of Nu Delhi’s eight songs to stick even as its 33 minutes fly by. Above all, Nu Delhi is fun, and that’s all I needed from Bloodywood’s follow-up to a breakout record like Rakshak.

    Against the established convention, lead single “Nu Delhi” closes this record, encapsulating everything Bloodywood does well, with a satisfying wiggle and groove personifying its almost djenty riffsets. The song may be simple and straightforward, but it gets stuck in my head for days at a time. Such is my affliction with all of Nu Delhi’s best cuts, the highest watermarks of which are the center one-two punch of “Bekauf (ft. BABYMETAL”) and “Kismat.” I did not have “enjoying a song with a BABYMETAL feature” on my bingo card this year, but here we are; the song simply rocks. Furthermore, hearing how much more mature BABYMETAL’s vocalist(s) sounds here is a breath of fresh air. “Kismat” takes the hype “Bekhauf” generates and doubles down with incredible confidence. Serious bars trade blows with one of the album’s best choruses, supported by the album’s strongest guitar, synth, and drum work. Delivered with tons of passion, these cooperative contributions culminate in an exciting bout of aggro fun that carries through Nu Delhi’s conclusion. As an added note, I appreciate the uplifting, empowering message Nu Delhi delivers. Without a sheet to help me through the Hindi lyrics, I can still confidently say Nu Delhi is an album about believing in yourself, not giving in to hate or hatred, fighting corruption, supporting your community, and pushing forward to leave those who would rather see you fail back at the starting line. I need messages like this one in my music, now more than ever, so I extend my thanks to Bloodywood for bringing it.

    All that said, Nu Delhi lacks a true showstopper. Rakshak has the inimitable “Yaad,” an unqualified triumph of a song that easily snagged my Song o’ the Year in 2022. No such ultra-banger exists here, much to my chagrin. Nu Delhi is more consistent in overall song quality in a valiant attempt to offset that shortcoming, but other small nitpicks conspire to bring the end product down just a smidge from its predecessor. An example, opening duo “Halla Bol” and “Hutt” are the most “forgettable” selections of the set, their hooks and riffs not quite as sharp as those of its stronger album-mates. Elsewhere, all of Nu Delhi’s traditional instrumentation finds better integration with metallic elements, indicating improvements in mixing. However, the album still sounds compressed to bits (though it is hard to be certain when evaluating a stream promo). As a final nitpick, I would like to see these English lyrics massaged a bit further. Rap and hip-hop live and die by the verse, and there are moments where Bloodywood toe that line too closely with some awkward phrasing (“Tadka”).

    In accordance with my mission statement of “destroying AMG’s metal cred from within,” I award Bloodywood another positive score. Largely circumventing the dreaded “sophomore slump,” Nu Delhi is a worthy successor to the addicting Rakshak. It may not have that list-topping song that would push Nu Delhi to the next level, but its high fun factor and consistent quality make a compelling value statement for 33 minutes of your time. Nu metal detractors need not venture here, but I invite everyone else to gather ‘neath the Bloodywood tree, for we rejoice in the rise of Nu Delhi!

    Rating: Good!
    DR: Streaming Bastards Get No DRs | Format Reviewed: Stream (BAD LABEL! BAD!)
    Label: Fearless Records
    Websites: bloodywood.bandcamp.com | bloodywood.net
    Releases Worldwide: March 21st, 2025

    #2025 #30 #Bloodywood #FearlessRecords #FolkMetal #GrooveMetal #IndianMetalMetal #Mar25 #NuDelhi #NuMetal #RapMetal #Review #Reviews

  4. Bloodywood – Nu Delhi Review

    By Kenstrosity

    Indian nu-metal upstarts Bloodywood deserve every ounce of success they’ve garnered since their early days as a cover band. 2022’s Rakshak was a resounding proof of concept for the band’s original material, effortless and enthusiastic in its uplifting and wholesome messaging delivered through a smooth blend of Indian folk instrumentation and nu-metal aggression. Since then, Bloodywood rapidly gained recognition worldwide, acquiring a contract with Fearless Records, and even earning the distinction of first Indian metal act to hit Billboard charts. For many of our readers, that might spell an ill omen. But it leaves me overjoyed to experience what follow-up Nu Delhi has to offer.

    Thankfully, Bloodywood hasn’t touched their core approach. Nostalgic nu metal reigns supreme just as before, bolstered by the region’s traditional instrumentation, which is represented most in the percussion, string, woodwind, brass, and vocal sections. Gruff, rapid-fire raps constitute the rhythmic backbone of Bloodywood’s trademark dueling vocals, while soaring, gravelly cleans and caustic screams provide the melodic and metallic sinew that connects verse to chorus. A renewed focus on pervasive hooks, swaggering riffs, and tight songwriting allows many, if not all, of Nu Delhi’s eight songs to stick even as its 33 minutes fly by. Above all, Nu Delhi is fun, and that’s all I needed from Bloodywood’s follow-up to a breakout record like Rakshak.

    Against the established convention, lead single “Nu Delhi” closes this record, encapsulating everything Bloodywood does well, with a satisfying wiggle and groove personifying its almost djenty riffsets. The song may be simple and straightforward, but it gets stuck in my head for days at a time. Such is my affliction with all of Nu Delhi’s best cuts, the highest watermarks of which are the center one-two punch of “Bekauf (ft. BABYMETAL”) and “Kismat.” I did not have “enjoying a song with a BABYMETAL feature” on my bingo card this year, but here we are; the song simply rocks. Furthermore, hearing how much more mature BABYMETAL’s vocalist(s) sounds here is a breath of fresh air. “Kismat” takes the hype “Bekhauf” generates and doubles down with incredible confidence. Serious bars trade blows with one of the album’s best choruses, supported by the album’s strongest guitar, synth, and drum work. Delivered with tons of passion, these cooperative contributions culminate in an exciting bout of aggro fun that carries through Nu Delhi’s conclusion. As an added note, I appreciate the uplifting, empowering message Nu Delhi delivers. Without a sheet to help me through the Hindi lyrics, I can still confidently say Nu Delhi is an album about believing in yourself, not giving in to hate or hatred, fighting corruption, supporting your community, and pushing forward to leave those who would rather see you fail back at the starting line. I need messages like this one in my music, now more than ever, so I extend my thanks to Bloodywood for bringing it.

    All that said, Nu Delhi lacks a true showstopper. Rakshak has the inimitable “Yaad,” an unqualified triumph of a song that easily snagged my Song o’ the Year in 2022. No such ultra-banger exists here, much to my chagrin. Nu Delhi is more consistent in overall song quality in a valiant attempt to offset that shortcoming, but other small nitpicks conspire to bring the end product down just a smidge from its predecessor. An example, opening duo “Halla Bol” and “Hutt” are the most “forgettable” selections of the set, their hooks and riffs not quite as sharp as those of its stronger album-mates. Elsewhere, all of Nu Delhi’s traditional instrumentation finds better integration with metallic elements, indicating improvements in mixing. However, the album still sounds compressed to bits (though it is hard to be certain when evaluating a stream promo). As a final nitpick, I would like to see these English lyrics massaged a bit further. Rap and hip-hop live and die by the verse, and there are moments where Bloodywood toe that line too closely with some awkward phrasing (“Tadka”).

    In accordance with my mission statement of “destroying AMG’s metal cred from within,” I award Bloodywood another positive score. Largely circumventing the dreaded “sophomore slump,” Nu Delhi is a worthy successor to the addicting Rakshak. It may not have that list-topping song that would push Nu Delhi to the next level, but its high fun factor and consistent quality make a compelling value statement for 33 minutes of your time. Nu metal detractors need not venture here, but I invite everyone else to gather ‘neath the Bloodywood tree, for we rejoice in the rise of Nu Delhi!

    Rating: Good!
    DR: Streaming Bastards Get No DRs | Format Reviewed: Stream (BAD LABEL! BAD!)
    Label: Fearless Records
    Websites: bloodywood.bandcamp.com | bloodywood.net
    Releases Worldwide: March 21st, 2025

    #2025 #30 #Bloodywood #FearlessRecords #FolkMetal #GrooveMetal #IndianMetalMetal #Mar25 #NuDelhi #NuMetal #RapMetal #Review #Reviews