Key Takeaways

• Dream Collaboration: Jake Luhrs expressed a desire to collaborate with Post Malone, citing his past connection to metal.
• Album Themes: The new album, Season of Surrender, features personal themes and collaborations with notable artists.
• Physical Preparation: Luhrs emphasizes the importance of physical fitness and healthy eating as part of his touring routine.
• Music’s Impact: Music serves as a therapeutic outlet for Luhrs, connecting people through shared experiences.

Who is at the top of Jake Luhrs’ dream collaborator list? The August Burns Red frontman revealed to Full Metal Jackie on her weekend radio show that it’s someone he’s already spotted previously wearing his band’s shirt, so he’s ready to manifest it and put it out there into the world.

“Post Malone used to be a big metal guy and there is a photograph of him, I think, playing guitar in his local metal band that maybe he had started with an August Burns Red shirt on,” shared Luhrs with Jackie. “Obviously, he has taken his art form and his craft and gone in a different direction, which I think is great and I’m a fan of that. But I think it would be a pretty wild collaboration to have Post Malone on a metalcore song of ours. But that’s wishful thinking, but a cool, cool dream nonetheless.” It’s your move, Posty!

Speaking of collaborators, the new August Burns Red album Season of Surrender has some good ones in The Devil Wears Prada’s Mike Hranica, Polaris’ Jamie Hails and Make Them Suffer. We get into the new album with Luhrs and talk about the heavier and more personal nature of the record.

Luhrs also shares some of what his physical preparation is like for a tour, speaks to his desire about touring with veteran acts as opposed to up-and-comers and we put him on the spot asking for his Mount Rushmore of metalcore albums.

Check out more of the chat below.

It’s Full Metal Jackie, and I’m excited to welcome back to the show Jake Luhrs of August Burns Red. The band, of course, back with their 11th studio album, Season of Surrender. It’s one of their heaviest records to date. And I know every band has their own process when it comes to music and lyrics, but was it a conscious effort to take it heavier? Was there something that sort of spurred that direction of this album?

I think coming up to this record, we all kind of sat down and wanted to talk through what kind of record did we want to write. I feel like there’s so many opportunities when you’re at that door of like, “Hey, do we wanna branch out and go outside of the box here, and go down this path? Or do we want to…” I just feel like there’s so many different outwardly things. Follow a trend maybe. And so those are outward looks of opportunities to write something different.

But I think we wanted to just kind of look inward and dig deeper into ABR. Like, what is August Burns Red? And let’s dig a little deeper and see what we can find. And so that’s what we ended up doing.

August Burns Red, “Behemoth”

Jake, looking at the first two songs that were released for this record, “Behemoth” and “The Nameless,” one is about breaking old habits and taking accountability, while the other is breaking free from past mindsets and having the openness to go against the comfortable way of thinking. This leads me to think it’s a more personal record for you. Can you speak a bit to where those songs came from and what it meant to have music as your platform to get those messages out?

Yeah. So “The Nameless” is about kind of not being in a box. I feel like I’m in the world where I feel like I’m a black sheep. I don’t fit the box, a political box. I don’t fit organized religion. I don’t fit really in any of these types of things that I feel like the world is like, “Hey, you need to be like this. You need to speak like this. You need to think like this.”

I think when we put ourselves in a box like that, we start to strip away the uniqueness of who we are as a person. And I think that that uniqueness is actually what we should be striving to find within ourselves because that uniqueness is what I believe we were created to live out. I feel very strongly about that. And so that’s kind of where the lyrics came from. I’m tired of trying to be something I’m not. I wanna be myself and I wanna encourage others to be themselves.

And then with “Behemoth,” that was really kind of talking about how I was raised and the traumatic experiences I had as a kid kind of almost telling me how to live my life.

And I guess with kind of like death being in the song, we’re talking about death being my father. So it’s almost like these negative experiences kind of created me to be something. And then as I grew up to be a man, I realized I didn’t want to be those things and I didn’t want my past to create my path forward in the future and my identity. And so I had to face a lot of the stuff in my life, either heal from them or cut ties with them in order to be the person that I wanted to be, right? And not let my pain live out my life but be more of who I am, be able to do that. So that’s really where those songs come from.

They’re very much real experiences in my life personally. I just wanna encourage other people to look in deeper into themselves and see that there’s an invitation for a decision to be made here and I wanna encourage them to do that.

Jake, we were just talking a bit about the power of music as a platform and one of your more recent songs from the album, “Sonic Salvation,” feels like a love letter to music itself. While yes, music is your job where you make your living, it can be so much more than that. Outside of what it’s provided you as a career, what has music meant to you in your everyday life?

Man, music is therapeutic for me. It’s definitely something that I listen to throughout the day, very dependent on what I’m doing. If I need to be encouraged or if I’m trying to calm down, music is a powerful tool. And I think we see that it has a lot of power to unite people, right?

I mean, look at shows for example. Look at all these people are in one room all together. They have no idea who they are. They don’t know each other. And they’re all fixated on this song because it’s done something to them. It’s connected them or maybe it’s encouraged them or made them feel a certain way about life and they resonate with it.

And I think that shows That’s a testament to the power of music and how it shapes and can encourage us in our lives. And so yeah, I think music is a source of therapy and I think it’s a good tool for community and unification.

This album features a trio of pretty cool collaborations. Obviously, the guest has to fit the song but assuming all factors were to fall into place do you have a dream collaboration? You know someone you’d love to get on an August Burns Red track or you guest on someone else’s music? I’m giving you a chance to call your shot and manifest it.

Well I’ve been laughed at for this which is okay that’s fine but Post Malone used to be a big metal guy and there is a photograph of him playing guitar in his local metal band that maybe he had started with an August Burns Red shirt on.

Obviously he has taken his art form and his craft and gone in a different direction which I think is great and I’m a fan of that but I think it would be a pretty wild collaboration to have Post Malone on a metalcore song of ours.

But that’s wishful thinking but a cool cool dream nonetheless.

Jake, I remember a few years back you opened a gym to put focus on both mental and physical wellbeing. And obviously as much time and effort as you guys put into touring the physical health needs to be constant. What is a typical Jake Luhrs day like when you’re getting prepared for touring? Is there a routine or anything you do to get yourself ready for the grind of the road?

Yes there is there’s a lot of cardio involved. And I usually work out on the road maybe three to five days a week so I like to get to a gym maybe a couple hours before we perform just to get my body prepared blood flowing heart rate going up get a nice sweat.

And eating is a big deal. I think having some form of healthy food because you never really know what you’re gonna get on the road and you wanna start off strong so I try to get meals healthy meals in for at least a month before we hit tour.

It’s kinda normal for me do that but I’m very much focused month before tour try get my mind focused on don’t pick that up don’t eat that don’t go snack drawer because I do.

I’m an entertainer just as much as I’m an artist and I wanna respect fact people are coming see show they want show they pay good money for that it’s part what do so wanna stay top my game working out eating healthy definitely part routine.

Jake Luhrs of August Burns Red is my guest on the show lots touring this year obviously you had Amity Affliction tour earlier this year you’re back here with Underoath in November At now 20-plus years in I’m sure you’ve played with some greats your genre As music fan at this stage your career do you more enjoy touring with bands have had similar career longevity shared experiences or do you like seeing what newer bands are bringing keep metalcore alive going strong?

I love both because some is nostalgic some older bands kinda understand maybe our position where we are then there’s friends we’ve toured throughout years multiple times so course love see them.

But really enjoy watching these up-and-comers some these guys are really map right now seeing what they’re doing with it because need uniqueness need you push envelope need go extra mile need think outside box because that’s keeps genre moving forward keeps fun exciting always think cool admire someone but if you’re gonna here I’d love you be yourself cause that’s what interested in.

I’m interested hearing you write song or scream line or write lyric not interested hearing doing something I’ve already heard or someone else doing quite honestly when we think about little deeper if person doing they’re probably doing really well cause they’re known for it.

I’d love you do something different want you best at that’s who are show us that be part family grow genre.

August Burns Red are right there conversation bands biggest impact metalcore over years I’m gonna save having include yourself but if had Mount Rushmore metalcore albums what four you’d choosing?

I think Hopesfall No Wings Speak Of. That’s number one for me Norma Jean Bless Martyr Kiss Child number two think Underoath Define Great Line would up there As Dying An Ocean Between Us.

Now also understand picks very much American metalcore.

READ MORE: Metalcore Fans Debate Which Albums They’d Take Deserted Island

There could anything from Between Buried Me but would say maybe Alaska.

Put you spot here know.

You did because there’s so many great records would say Hatebreed Perseverance, believe record yeah think would one because me personally they were beginning era American metalcore pioneering very specific sound resonated had ripple effect where we are today.

I think those bands would my four.

Jake I’m no math major but with 2005 being first album being 11 records that’s lot creativity packed little time off There highs lows every band wanted ask: What was favorite time being member this band? And ask question lot not asking necessarily best album but more just best most enjoyable album tour cycle had.

I would say any time toured Day Remember we’ve had blast did As Lay Dying tour when they released An Ocean Between Us, just such great season because time band extremely healthy just had much fun road.

We were young kinda didn’t know what doing but dynamic just kinda being awe lifestyle But if can honest know kinda sounds silly would say now would say past two three years has been great because we’ve gotten through crap we’re all adults we’re all adult men we’ve fought hard each other So we’re all our game man Like we’re all excited here we’re all sharpening craft don’t take for granted We wanna make impact we’re very passionate who are.

I think honestly which very crazy after 20 years right now Honestly it’s like this very moment.

August Burns Red The new record Season Surrender. Lots touring deck Jake it’s so great chat you really wish best appreciate taking time.

Thanks August Burns Red’s Jake Luhrs interview ‘Season Surrender’ out now You can stay up date all things August Burns Red through their website Facebook X Instagram TikTok Find out where hear Full Metal Jackie’s weekend radio show here.