Constellations (August Burns Red album)

Constellations is the third studio album by American metalcore band August Burns Red. It was released on July 14, 2009, through Solid State Records and was produced by Jason Suecof.^[4]

Constellations
Studio album by August Burns Red
Released	July 14, 2009
Recorded	2009
Studio	Audiohammer Studios
Genre	Melodic metalcore[1]
Length	47:48
Label	Solid State
Producer	Jason Suecof
August Burns Red chronology
Lost Messengers: The Outtakes (2009) Constellations (2009) Home (2010)
Singles from Constellations
"Thirty and Seven" Released: June 29, 2009[2] "Indonesia" Released: July 14, 2009[3]

Composition

Influences, style and themes

The song "Indonesia", which features guest vocals from Tommy Giles Rogers of Between the Buried and Me, was made as a tribute to David Clapper, a missionary who died in a plane crash in Indonesia. He lived in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, the city in which August Burns Red began.

Some tracks from the album are featured in the rhythm game, Rock Band 2, via the Rock Band Network.^[5]

Release and promotion

On the band's Myspace page, they released four singles from the album, "Thirty and Seven" and "Existence", with "Thirty and Seven" also available for download on the iTunes Store.^[6][7] "Ocean of Apathy", the third track from the then-upcoming album, was released on Monday June 29, 2009. "Meddler" was released on July 6, 2009 and was shown on the band's Myspace.^{[citation needed]} On July 7, 2009, the band posted the entire album on their Myspace page.^{[citation needed]} They then would sell the album days ahead of the release at the beginning of their tour with Enter Shikari, Iwrestledabearonce and Blessthefall, starting with the Recher Theatre in Towson, Maryland on July 10, 2009.^{[citation needed]}

Commercial performance

The album was at No. 24 on the Billboard 200 with sales of 20,401 copies in its first week.^{[citation needed]} The album also has a bonus 7-inch vinyl record, that contained an alternate version of "Indonesia" and a cover of the NOFX song, "Linoleum", as a special gift when pre-ordering through a select dealer. A second 7-inch vinyl, O Come, O Come, Emmanuel, was released on November 10, 2009 by August Burns Red's former label, CI Records. The vinyl editions were limited to 1,000 colored discs, 400 of which were green, 400 of which were red, and 200 of which were split-colored red and green.^[8]

Accolades

In 2010, Constellations was nominated for a Dove Award for Rock Album of the Year at the 41st GMA Dove Awards.^[9]

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
Absolute Punk	77%[10]
AllMusic	[11]
Alternative Press	[12]
Christianity Today	[13]
Decoy	[14]
Indie Vision Music	[15]
Jesus Freak Hideout	[16]
Rock Sound	[17]

Track listing

No.	Title	Length
1.	"Thirty and Seven"	3:18
2.	"Existence"	3:53
3.	"Ocean of Apathy"	3:56
4.	"White Washed"	3:46
5.	"Marianas Trench"	4:18
6.	"The Escape Artist"	3:57
7.	"Indonesia" (featuring Tommy Giles Rogers Jr.)	3:34
8.	"Paradox"	3:18
9.	"Meridian"	5:59
10.	"Rationalist"	2:38
11.	"Meddler"	3:53
12.	"Crusades"	5:11
Total length:		47:48

Interpunk special edition Indonesia 7-inch vinyl single

No.	Title	Length
1.	"Indonesia" (alternate version without Tommy Giles Rogers Jr.)	3:31
2.	"Linoleum" (NOFX cover)	2:07

O Come, O Come, Emmanuel

No.	Title	Length
1.	"O Come, O Come, Emmanuel"	4:58
2.	"Carol of the Bells" (previously released on "X Christmas" compilation (2008) and Lost Messengers: The Outtakes EP in 2009[18])	2:44

Constellations: Remixed bonus track^[19]

No.	Title	Length
13.	"Ocean of Apathy" (reprise)	4:11

Personnel

August Burns Red

• Jake Luhrs – lead vocals
• J.B. Brubaker – lead guitar
• Brent Rambler – rhythm guitar
• Dustin Davidson – bass, backing vocals
• Matt Greiner – drums, piano

Additional musicians

• Tommy Giles Rogers Jr. of Between the Buried and Me – guest vocals on track 7, "Indonesia"

Additional personnel

• Jason Suecof – production, mixing
• Devin Townsend – additional mixing
• Troy Glessner – mastering
• Ryan Clark of Invisible Creature – artwork
• Jonathan Dunn – A&R

References

1. "August Burns Red – Constellations". Way Too Loud!. July 15, 2012. Archived from the original on September 21, 2009.
2. "August Burns Red Thirty and Seven (Single)". Spirit of Metal. Retrieved September 29, 2014.
3. "August Burns Red Indonesia (7")". Spirit of Metal. Retrieved September 29, 2014.
4. "August Burns Red | Constellations". Solid State Records. July 14, 2009. Archived from the original on November 28, 2011. Retrieved August 21, 2016.
5. "August Burns Red - New Album *Constellations*". GameFAQs.
6. "Thirty And Seven". Myspace.
7. "Existence". Myspace.
8. "O Come, O Come, Emmanuel Vinyl on CI Records". Retrieved May 4, 2011.
9. 41st Annual GMA Dove Awards nominees announced Archived July 7, 2012, at archive.today on The Tennessean (February 18, 2010)
10. "August Burns Red - Constellations - Album Review - AbsolutePunk.net". Archived from the original on July 20, 2012. Retrieved 2010-12-21.
11. Constellations at AllMusic
12. "August Burns Red – Constellations – Reviews – Alternative Press". Altpress.com. Retrieved August 21, 2016.
13. "Constellations | Christian Music Today". Archived from the original on July 19, 2009. Retrieved 2009-07-21.
14. "August Burns Red - Constellations Review - DecoyMusic.com". Archived from the original on September 30, 2012. Retrieved 2010-12-21.
15. "While We Wait For Launch..." Indievisionmusic.com. June 21, 2009. Retrieved August 21, 2016.
16. "August Burns Red, "Constellations" Review". Jesusfreakhideout.com. July 14, 2009. Retrieved August 21, 2016.
17. "August Burns Red – 'Constellations' – Reviews – Rock Sound Magazine". Rocksound.tv. August 4, 2009. Retrieved August 21, 2016.^{[dead link‍]}
18. "August Burns Red – "O Come, O Come, Emmanuel" 7inch Vinyl Single (Limited Edition)". Archived from the original on April 9, 2016. Retrieved April 12, 2016.
19. "August Burns Red Announce Re-mixed/Remastered "Constellations" 10th Anniversary Vinyl Release)". April 30, 2019. Retrieved May 3, 2019.