August Burns Red Offers Christmas Cheer With Cover of ‘God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen’

For three straight years, Christian metalcore band August Burns Red have released a late-year cover of a holiday classic. Carrying on the tradition of providing online merriment and cheer to all good little boys and girls, the band has just issued a raging instrumental of 'God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen,' which features dual guitar harmonies redolent of Iron Maiden, a galloping rhythm that sounds kinda like Metallica's 'One' with an acoustic arpeggio breakdown.

"The past few years, the annual August Burns Red Christmas songs haven’t been nearly as 'metal' as 'Carol of the Bells' was," said guitarist JB Brubaker. "When writing our rendition of 'God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen' I wanted to write a more traditional metal song - something less artsy and more in your face. 'God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen' is easily the most metal Christmas song we’ve ever done. While recording it I was thinking 'this song sounds straight 80’s metal' which amused me greatly."

The song is currently streaming on the band's Facebook page and is also available as a limited edition colored vinyl seven-inch.

August Burns Red released 'Carol of the Bells' in 2007, followed with 'O Come, O Come, Emmanuel' in 2009 and last year recorded 'The Little Drummer Boy.'

After celebrating the holidays with their families in Manheim, Penn., August Burns Red will launch a North American tour headline to support the release of their fourth full length, 'Leveler,' which came out June 21 and debuted at No. 11 on the Billboard album chart.

The tour kicks off Jan. 14 in Sayreville, New Jersey and runs through Mar. 3 in Philadelphia. Silverstein and Texas in July will support all dates. Letlive will provide support through Jan. 29 in San Antonio, Texas, then I The Breather will open the remaining shows, starting Jan. 31 Tucson, Arizona.