Avenged Sevenfold
Encyclopedia
Avenged Sevenfold is an American heavy metal
band from Huntington Beach
, California. Formed in 1999, the group consists of vocalist M. Shadows
, lead guitarist Synyster Gates
, rhythm guitarist Zacky Vengeance
, bassist Johnny Christ
.
They are known for their diverse heavy metal
sound, dramatic imagery in album covers and t-shirts. Avenged Sevenfold emerged with a metalcore
sound on their debut Sounding the Seventh Trumpet
but their style had evolved by their third album and first major label release, City of Evil
into a hard rock
/heavy metal sound. The band continued to explore new sounds with their self-titled
release and enjoyed continued mainstream success before their drummer, James "The Rev" Sullivan
, died in 2009. Despite his death, the band continued on with help of now-former Dream Theater
drummer Mike Portnoy
and released and toured in support of their fifth album Nightmare
in 2010 which debuted on the top spot of the Billboard 200
, their first number one debut.
To date, Avenged Sevenfold has released five studio albums, one live album/compilation
/DVD, and eighteen singles and sold more than four million album worldwide. The band has received much credit for their worldwide mainstream success and were featured as second place on Ultimate Guitar
's Top Ten Bands of the Decade.
, California with original members M. Shadows
, Zacky Vengeance
, The Rev
and Matt Wendt. M Shadows came up with the name as a reference to the story of Cain and Abel
from The Bible, which can be found in Genesis 4:24, although they are not a religious band. Upon its formation, each member of the band also took on a pseudonym which were already nicknames of theirs from high school.
Before the release of their debut album, the band recorded two demos
in 1999 and 2000. Avenged Sevenfold's debut album, Sounding the Seventh Trumpet
, was recorded when the band members were just eighteen years old and in high school. It was originally released on their first label, Good Life Recordings
in 2001. After lead guitarist Synyster Gates
joined the band, at the end of 1999 when he was 18 at the introductory track "To End the Rapture" was re-recorded featuring a full band element. The album was subsequently re-released on Hopeless Records
in 2002. The band started to receive recognition, performing with bands such as Mushroomhead
and Shadows Fall
and playing on the Take Action Tour
.
, they released Waking the Fallen
on Hopeless Records in August 2003. The album featured a more refined and mature sound production in comparison to their previous album. The band received profiles in Billboard and The Boston Globe
, and played in the Vans Warped Tour. In 2004, Avenged Sevenfold toured again on the Vans Warped Tour and recorded a video for their song "Unholy Confessions" which went into rotation on MTV2
's Headbanger's Ball. Shortly after the release of Waking the Fallen, Avenged Sevenfold left Hopeless Records and were signed to Warner Bros. Records
.
City of Evil
, the band's third album and major label debut, was released on June 7, 2005 and debuted at No.30 on the Billboard 200
chart, selling over 30,000 copies in its first week of release. It utilized a more classic metal sound than Avenged Sevenfold's previous albums, which had been grouped into the metalcore
genre. The album is also notable for the absence of screamed
and growled vocals; M. Shadows worked with vocal coach Ron Anderson—whose clients have included Axl Rose
and Chris Cornell
—for months before the album's release to achieve a sound that had "grit while still having the tone". The album received steller reviews from several magazines and websites and is credited for propelling the band into international popularity.
After playing Ozzfest in 2006, Avenged Sevenfold memorably beat out R&B Singers Rihanna
and Chris Brown, Panic! at the Disco
, Angels & Airwaves
and James Blunt
for the title of Best New Artist at the MTV Video Music Awards, thanks in part to their Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas-inspired song “Bat Country
.”
They returned to the Vans Warped Tour, this time headlining and then continued on their own "Cities of Evil Tour." In addition, their lead single "Bat Country
" reached No.2 on Billboard's Mainstream Rock Charts, No.6 on Billboard's Modern Rock Charts and the accompanying video made it to No.1 on MTV's Total Request Live
. Propelled by this success, the album sold well and became Avenged Sevenfold's first gold
record. It was later certified platinum in August 2009.
tour on the main stage, alongside other well known hard rock
and heavy metal
acts DragonForce
, Lacuna Coil
, Hatebreed
, Disturbed and System of a Down
for the first time in 2006. That same year they also completed a worldwide tour, including the US, The United Kingdom (as well as mainland Europe), Japan, Australia and New Zealand. After a sixteen month promotion of City of Evil, the band announced that they were cancelling their Fall 2006 tour to record new music. In the interim, the band released their first DVD titled All Excess on July 17, 2007. All Excess, which debuted as the No.1 DVD in the USA, included live performances and backstage footage that spanned the band's eight year career. Two tribute albums, Strung Out on Avenged Sevenfold: Bat Wings and Broken Strings
and Strung Out on Avenged Sevenfold: The String Tribute
were also released in October 2007.
Avenged Sevenfold
, the band's fourth album, was released on October 30, 2007, debuting at No.4 on the Billboard 200
with over 90,000 copies sold. Two singles, "Critical Acclaim" and "Almost Easy
" were released prior to the album's debut. In December 2007, an animated video was made for "A Little Piece of Heaven." Due to the song's controversial subject matter, however, Warner Brothers only released it to registered MVI
users over the internet. The third single, "Afterlife
" and its video was released in January 2008. Their fourth single, "Dear God", was released on June 15, 2008. Although critical reception was generally mixed the self-titled album went on to sell over 500,000 copies and was awarded "Album of the Year" at the Kerrang! Awards.
Avenged Sevenfold headlined the 2008 Taste of Chaos
tour with Atreyu
, Bullet for My Valentine
, Blessthefall
and Idiot Pilot
. They used the footage from their last show in Long Beach
for Live in the LBC & Diamonds in the Rough
, a two-disc B-sides CD and live DVD which was released on September 16, 2008. They also recorded numerous covers, including Pantera
's "Walk", Iron Maiden
's "Flash of the Blade" and Black Sabbath
's "Paranoid
".
In January 2009, M. Shadows confirmed that the band was writing the follow-up to their self-titled fourth album
within the upcoming months. They also announced that they will be playing at Rock on the Range
, from May 16–17, 2009. On April 16, they performed a version of Guns N' Roses
' "It's So Easy
" onstage with Slash
, at the Nokia Theater in Los Angeles. On December 28, 2009, drummer James "The Rev" Sullivan
was found dead at his home at the age of 28. Autopsy results were inconclusive, but on June 9, 2010, the cause of death was revealed to have been an "acute polydrug intoxication due to combined effects of Oxycodone, Oxymorphone, Diazepam/Nordiazepam and ethanol". In a statement by the band, they expressed their grief over the passing of The Rev and later posted a message from Sullivan's family which expressed their gratitude to his fans for their support.
drummer Mike Portnoy
, to drum for the record, in place of the Rev.
The single "Nightmare
" was digitally released on May 18, 2010. A preview for the song was released on May 6, 2010 on Amazon.com
, but was removed soon after for unknown reasons. Mixing for the album had been completed in New York City, and Nightmare
was finally released worldwide on July 27, 2010. It met with mixed to positive reviews from music critics but was well received by the fans. Nightmare beat sales projections easily, debuting at number one on the Billboard 200
with sales of 163,000 units in its first week. After finishing recording, in December, Portnoy and the band posted simultaneous statements on their websites stating that he will not be their replacement for The Rev. However, Portnoy did travel with the band overseas in December 2010 for three shows in Iraq and Kuwait sponsored by the USO. They played for US Soldiers at Camp Adder, Camp Beuhring, and Balad Air Base. On January 20, 2011, Avenged Sevenfold announced via Facebook that former Confide drummer Arin Ilejay
will tour with them starting this year. Whether or not he will be joining the band on a permanent basis has not been decided yet.
Avenged Sevenfold performed at the Rock am Ring and Rock im Park festivals on June 3–5, 2011 alongside other bands such as Alter Bridge
, System of a Down
, and In Flames
. On April 2011, the band headlined the Golden God Awards held by Metal Hammer
. The same night the band won three awards for "Best Vocalist" (M. Shadows
), "Epiphone Best Guitarist(s)" (Synyster Gates
and Zacky Vengeance
) and "Affliction’s Album of The Year: " for Nightmare
, while Mike Portnoy
won the award for "Drum Workshop’s Best Drummer" for his work on the album.
In May 2011, it was confirmed that the band had written a new song to be included in the Escalation DLC pack for Call of Duty: Black Ops
. The song is the first time developers Treyarch
have commissioned an outside band to contribute a song since the franchise began. The song, titled "Not Ready to Die
", was released on iTunes on May 2, 2011.
In August 2011, vocalist M. Shadows stated the band would finish the Uproar Festival
then go home to take a break for six to seven months before starting a new record. He also roughly stated that Arin Illejay and the band are getting along great, but that they have to make sure he's comfortable writing music with them, but also that he hopes everything works out.
Avenged Sevenfold headlined the 2011 Uproar Festival
with supporting acts Three Days Grace
, Seether
, Bullet For My Valentine
, Escape The Fate
, among others.
The band will be touring in November and December on their "Buried Alive" tour with supporting acts Hollywood Undead
, Asking Alexandria
, and Black Veil Brides
.
, Guns N' Roses
, Iron Maiden
, Pantera
, Dream Theater
, Metallica
, NOFX
, Alice in Chains
, Black Flag
, Corrosion of Conformity
, The Misfits, Slayer
, The Vandals
, Rage Against the Machine
, Korn
, Deftones
and AFI
as their artistic influences.
Avenged Sevenfold's material spans multiple genres and has evolved over the band's entire career. Initially, the band's debut album Sounding the Seventh Trumpet
consisted almost entirely of metalcore
sound; however, there were several deviations to this genre, most notably in "Streets" which adopts a punk
style and "Warmness on the Soul
," which is a piano-oriented ballad
. On Waking the Fallen
, the band displayed the contemporary metalcore style once more, but added more clean vocals as well as more mature and intricate musical elements. In the band's DVD All Excess, producer Andrew Mudrock
explained this transition: "When I met the band after Sounding the Seventh Trumpet had come out before they had recorded Waking the Fallen, M. Shadows said to me 'This record is screaming. The record we want to make is going to be half-screaming half-singing. I don't want to scream anymore. And the record after that is going to be all singing.'"
On City of Evil
, Avenged Sevenfold's third album, the band chose to abandon the metalcore genre, developing a more hard rock
style. Avenged Sevenfold's self-titled album, again, consists of several deviations to less consistent genres and styles from the album's main hard rock and heavy metal
songs, most notably in "Dear God", which adopts a country
style and "A Little Piece of Heaven", which is circled within the influence of Broadway show tunes, using primarily brass instruments and stringed orchestra to take over most of the role of the lead and rhythm guitar. Nightmare
contains further deviations, including a piano ballad called "Fiction" and a brief return to their metalcore roots on "God Hates Us". The band has changed considerably since their first album, in which during that time they have been characterized as a heavy band with a screamed
and growled
vocal style combined with clean vocals, chugging guitar riffs and breakdowns
that one can expect from the metalcore genre.
Current members
Former members
Session and touring members
Heavy metal music
Heavy metal is a genre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s, largely in the Midlands of the United Kingdom and the United States...
band from Huntington Beach
Huntington Beach, California
Huntington Beach is a seaside city in Orange County in Southern California. According to the 2010 census, the city population was 189,992; making it the largest beach city in Orange County in terms of population...
, California. Formed in 1999, the group consists of vocalist M. Shadows
M. Shadows
Matthew Charles Sanders , better known by his stage name M. Shadows, is the lead vocalist, songwriter, and founding member for the American metal band Avenged Sevenfold.-Early life and musical beginnings:...
, lead guitarist Synyster Gates
Synyster Gates
Brian Elwin Haner, Jr. , better known by his stage name Synyster Gates or simply Syn, is an American musician, best known for being the lead guitarist of the American heavy metal band Avenged Sevenfold.-Early life:...
, rhythm guitarist Zacky Vengeance
Zacky Vengeance
Zachary James Baker, better known by his stage name Zacky Vengeance, is the rhythm guitarist and backing vocalist for the American metal/rock band Avenged Sevenfold.-Biography:...
, bassist Johnny Christ
Johnny Christ
Jonathan Lewis Seward, , better known by his stage name Johnny Christ, is the bassist of the American heavy metal band Avenged Sevenfold. Johnny was the fourth bassist to join Avenged Sevenfold in 2002, replacing former members Matt Wendt, Justin Sane, and Dameon Ash...
.
They are known for their diverse heavy metal
Heavy metal music
Heavy metal is a genre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s, largely in the Midlands of the United Kingdom and the United States...
sound, dramatic imagery in album covers and t-shirts. Avenged Sevenfold emerged with a metalcore
Metalcore
Metalcore is a subgenre of heavy metal combining various elements of extreme metal and hardcore punk. The name is a portmanteau of the names of the two genres. The term took on its current meaning in the mid-1990s, describing bands such as Earth Crisis, Deadguy and Integrity...
sound on their debut Sounding the Seventh Trumpet
Sounding the Seventh Trumpet
-Personnel:Avenged Sevenfold* M. Shadows — lead vocals, keyboard, acoustic guitar* Zacky Vengeance - Lead guitar and rhythm guitar* Jimmy "The Rev" Sullivan — drums, backing vocals, piano* Justin Sane - bass guitar, pianoProduction...
but their style had evolved by their third album and first major label release, City of Evil
City of Evil
City of Evil is the third studio album and first major label release by American metal band Avenged Sevenfold. The album was released on June 7, 2005 under the Warner Bros. Records label. Co-produced by Andrew Murdock, City of Evil contains a more hard rock and classic heavy metal sound than...
into a hard rock
Hard rock
Hard rock is a loosely defined genre of rock music which has its earliest roots in mid-1960s garage rock, blues rock and psychedelic rock...
/heavy metal sound. The band continued to explore new sounds with their self-titled
Avenged Sevenfold (album)
Avenged Sevenfold is the fourth studio album by American metal band Avenged Sevenfold, released on October 30, 2007 through Warner Bros. Records...
release and enjoyed continued mainstream success before their drummer, James "The Rev" Sullivan
The Rev
James Owen Sullivan , more commonly known by his stage name The Reverend Tholomew Plague, often shortened to The Rev, was an American musician, best known as the drummer for the American heavy metal band Avenged Sevenfold...
, died in 2009. Despite his death, the band continued on with help of now-former Dream Theater
Dream Theater
Dream Theater is an American progressive metal band formed in 1985 under the name Majesty by John Petrucci, John Myung, and Mike Portnoy while they attended Berklee College of Music in Massachusetts. They subsequently dropped out of their studies to further concentrate on the band that would...
drummer Mike Portnoy
Mike Portnoy
Michael Stephen "Mike" Portnoy is an American drummer primarily known as the former drummer, backing vocalist, and a co-founder of the progressive metal band Dream Theater, as well as the temporary drummer for the hard rock band Avenged Sevenfold. Known for his drumming prowess and technical...
and released and toured in support of their fifth album Nightmare
Nightmare (Avenged Sevenfold album)
Nightmare is the fifth studio album by American rock band Avenged Sevenfold, released on July 27, 2010 through Warner Bros. Records. It was produced by Mike Elizondo and mixed in New York City by noted engineer Andy Wallace...
in 2010 which debuted on the top spot of the Billboard 200
Billboard 200
The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists...
, their first number one debut.
To date, Avenged Sevenfold has released five studio albums, one live album/compilation
Compilation album
A compilation album is an album featuring tracks from one or more performers, often culled from a variety of sources The tracks are usually collected according to a common characteristic, such as popularity, genre, source or subject matter...
/DVD, and eighteen singles and sold more than four million album worldwide. The band has received much credit for their worldwide mainstream success and were featured as second place on Ultimate Guitar
Ultimate Guitar Archive
Ultimate Guitar Archive, also known as Ultimate-Guitar.com or simply UG, is a large guitarist community website known for its large amount of guitar and bass tablature, reviews of music and equipment, interviews with notable musicians, online written and video lessons, and forums...
's Top Ten Bands of the Decade.
Formation and early years (1999–2002)
The band was formed in 1999 in Huntington BeachHuntington Beach, California
Huntington Beach is a seaside city in Orange County in Southern California. According to the 2010 census, the city population was 189,992; making it the largest beach city in Orange County in terms of population...
, California with original members M. Shadows
M. Shadows
Matthew Charles Sanders , better known by his stage name M. Shadows, is the lead vocalist, songwriter, and founding member for the American metal band Avenged Sevenfold.-Early life and musical beginnings:...
, Zacky Vengeance
Zacky Vengeance
Zachary James Baker, better known by his stage name Zacky Vengeance, is the rhythm guitarist and backing vocalist for the American metal/rock band Avenged Sevenfold.-Biography:...
, The Rev
The Rev
James Owen Sullivan , more commonly known by his stage name The Reverend Tholomew Plague, often shortened to The Rev, was an American musician, best known as the drummer for the American heavy metal band Avenged Sevenfold...
and Matt Wendt. M Shadows came up with the name as a reference to the story of Cain and Abel
Cain and Abel
In the Hebrew Bible, Cain and Abel are two sons of Adam and Eve. The Qur'an mentions the story, calling them the two sons of Adam only....
from The Bible, which can be found in Genesis 4:24, although they are not a religious band. Upon its formation, each member of the band also took on a pseudonym which were already nicknames of theirs from high school.
Before the release of their debut album, the band recorded two demos
Demo (music)
A demo version or demo of a song is one recorded for reference rather than for release. A demo is a way for a musician to approximate their ideas on tape or disc, and provide an example of those ideas to record labels, producers or other artists...
in 1999 and 2000. Avenged Sevenfold's debut album, Sounding the Seventh Trumpet
Sounding the Seventh Trumpet
-Personnel:Avenged Sevenfold* M. Shadows — lead vocals, keyboard, acoustic guitar* Zacky Vengeance - Lead guitar and rhythm guitar* Jimmy "The Rev" Sullivan — drums, backing vocals, piano* Justin Sane - bass guitar, pianoProduction...
, was recorded when the band members were just eighteen years old and in high school. It was originally released on their first label, Good Life Recordings
Good Life Recordings
Good Life Recordings is a record label based in Belgium. It was founded in 1996 by Edward Verhaeghe who had been the lead vocalist in Nations On Fire. The label specializes in hardcore bands. It has released many highly significant bands of the second and third wave of hardcore, as well as the...
in 2001. After lead guitarist Synyster Gates
Synyster Gates
Brian Elwin Haner, Jr. , better known by his stage name Synyster Gates or simply Syn, is an American musician, best known for being the lead guitarist of the American heavy metal band Avenged Sevenfold.-Early life:...
joined the band, at the end of 1999 when he was 18 at the introductory track "To End the Rapture" was re-recorded featuring a full band element. The album was subsequently re-released on Hopeless Records
Hopeless Records
Hopeless Records is an independent record label located in Van Nuys, Los Angeles, California. The label was started in 1993 by Louis Posen and financed by a group of private investors. Hopeless's artists are generally considered punk rock, pop punk, post-hardcore, or alternative rock, but some...
in 2002. The band started to receive recognition, performing with bands such as Mushroomhead
Mushroomhead
Mushroomhead is an American industrial metal band from Cleveland, Ohio. Formed in 1993 in Cleveland Warehouse District, the band's music can be described as a synthesis of alternative music, heavy metal, and electro-industrial...
and Shadows Fall
Shadows Fall
Shadows Fall is an American heavy metal band from Springfield, Massachusetts, formed in 1995. They are one of the few contemporary metal bands who take their lyrical influence from Eastern philosophy and some references to the Rastafari culture...
and playing on the Take Action Tour
Take Action Tour
The Take Action Tour is an annual spring tour that not only hosts several bands, but also tries to get people alerted about the issues with teen suicide, and ultimately tries to prevent it. The tour was created by both Sub City and Hopeless Records...
.
Line-up stability and chart success (2003–2006)
Having settled on their fourth bassist, Johnny ChristJohnny Christ
Jonathan Lewis Seward, , better known by his stage name Johnny Christ, is the bassist of the American heavy metal band Avenged Sevenfold. Johnny was the fourth bassist to join Avenged Sevenfold in 2002, replacing former members Matt Wendt, Justin Sane, and Dameon Ash...
, they released Waking the Fallen
Waking the Fallen
Waking the Fallen is the second album by Avenged Sevenfold, released on August 26, 2003 through Hopeless Records. It is the last release by the band to feature their metalcore sound, although more clean vocals are featured on the album than their debut album, Sounding the Seventh Trumpet. It is...
on Hopeless Records in August 2003. The album featured a more refined and mature sound production in comparison to their previous album. The band received profiles in Billboard and The Boston Globe
The Boston Globe
The Boston Globe is an American daily newspaper based in Boston, Massachusetts. The Boston Globe has been owned by The New York Times Company since 1993...
, and played in the Vans Warped Tour. In 2004, Avenged Sevenfold toured again on the Vans Warped Tour and recorded a video for their song "Unholy Confessions" which went into rotation on MTV2
MTV2
MTV2 is a cable network that is widely available in the United States on digital cable and satellite television, and is progressively being added to analogue cable lineups across the nation...
's Headbanger's Ball. Shortly after the release of Waking the Fallen, Avenged Sevenfold left Hopeless Records and were signed to Warner Bros. Records
Warner Bros. Records
Warner Bros. Records Inc. is an American record label. It was the foundation label of the present-day Warner Music Group, and now operates as a wholly owned subsidiary of that corporation. It maintains a close relationship with its former parent, Warner Bros. Pictures, although the two companies...
.
City of Evil
City of Evil
City of Evil is the third studio album and first major label release by American metal band Avenged Sevenfold. The album was released on June 7, 2005 under the Warner Bros. Records label. Co-produced by Andrew Murdock, City of Evil contains a more hard rock and classic heavy metal sound than...
, the band's third album and major label debut, was released on June 7, 2005 and debuted at No.30 on the Billboard 200
Billboard 200
The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists...
chart, selling over 30,000 copies in its first week of release. It utilized a more classic metal sound than Avenged Sevenfold's previous albums, which had been grouped into the metalcore
Metalcore
Metalcore is a subgenre of heavy metal combining various elements of extreme metal and hardcore punk. The name is a portmanteau of the names of the two genres. The term took on its current meaning in the mid-1990s, describing bands such as Earth Crisis, Deadguy and Integrity...
genre. The album is also notable for the absence of screamed
Screaming (music)
Screaming is a vocal technique that is most popular in subgenres of heavy metal, punk and hard rock, including metalcore, deathcore, post-hardcore, groove metal, black metal, and grindcore...
and growled vocals; M. Shadows worked with vocal coach Ron Anderson—whose clients have included Axl Rose
Axl Rose
W. Axl Rose is an American singer-songwriter and musician. He is the lead vocalist and only remaining original member of the hard rock band Guns N' Roses, with whom he enjoyed great success and recognition in the late 1980s and early 1990s, before disappearing from the public eye for several years...
and Chris Cornell
Chris Cornell
Chris Cornell is an American rock musician best known as the lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist for Soundgarden and as the former lead vocalist for Audioslave. He is also known for his numerous solo works and soundtrack contributions since 1998...
—for months before the album's release to achieve a sound that had "grit while still having the tone". The album received steller reviews from several magazines and websites and is credited for propelling the band into international popularity.
After playing Ozzfest in 2006, Avenged Sevenfold memorably beat out R&B Singers Rihanna
Rihanna
Robyn Rihanna Fenty , better known as simply Rihanna, is a Barbadian recording artist. Born in Saint Michael, Barbados, Rihanna moved to the United States at the age of 16 to pursue a recording career under the guidance of record producer Evan Rogers...
and Chris Brown, Panic! at the Disco
Panic! at the Disco
Panic! at the Disco is an American alternative rock duo, formed in Las Vegas, Nevada in 2005. Since its split, the band's line-up includes Brendon Urie and Spencer Smith . Former members Ryan Ross and Jon Walker left the group in 2009...
, Angels & Airwaves
Angels & Airwaves
Angels & Airwaves is an American alternative rock supergroup led by Blink-182 guitarist/vocalist Tom DeLonge, also including guitarist David Kennedy from Over My Dead Body, Hazen Street and Box Car Racer, bass guitarist Matt Wachter from 30 Seconds to Mars and former Lostprophets and Nine Inch...
and James Blunt
James Blunt
James Hillier Blount , better known by his stage name James Blunt, is an English singer-songwriter and musician, and former army officer, whose debut album, Back to Bedlam and single releases, including "You're Beautiful" and "Goodbye My Lover", brought him to fame in 2005...
for the title of Best New Artist at the MTV Video Music Awards, thanks in part to their Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas-inspired song “Bat Country
Bat Country
"Bat Country" is a song by American metal band Avenged Sevenfold. The song was released as the second single from their third album, City of Evil. Avenged Sevenfold won 'Best New Artist' at the 2006 MTV Video Music Awards for "Bat Country" and on October 1, 2009, the single was certified gold by...
.”
They returned to the Vans Warped Tour, this time headlining and then continued on their own "Cities of Evil Tour." In addition, their lead single "Bat Country
Bat Country
"Bat Country" is a song by American metal band Avenged Sevenfold. The song was released as the second single from their third album, City of Evil. Avenged Sevenfold won 'Best New Artist' at the 2006 MTV Video Music Awards for "Bat Country" and on October 1, 2009, the single was certified gold by...
" reached No.2 on Billboard's Mainstream Rock Charts, No.6 on Billboard's Modern Rock Charts and the accompanying video made it to No.1 on MTV's Total Request Live
Total Request Live
Total Request Live is a television series on MTV that featured popular music videos. TRL was MTV's prime outlet for music videos as the network continues to concentrate on reality-based programming. In addition to music videos, TRL featured daily guests...
. Propelled by this success, the album sold well and became Avenged Sevenfold's first gold
Music recording sales certification
Music recording sales certification is a system of certifying that a music recording has shipped or sold a certain number of copies, where the threshold quantity varies by type and by nation or territory .Almost all countries follow variations of the RIAA certification categories,...
record. It was later certified platinum in August 2009.
Self-titled album and death of "The Rev" (2007–2009)
Avenged Sevenfold's was invited to join OzzfestOzzfest
Ozzfest is an annual festival tour of the United States featuring performances by many heavy metal and hard rock musical groups. It was founded by Ozzy Osbourne and his wife Sharon Osbourne, both of whom also organize each yearly tour with their son Jack Osbourne...
tour on the main stage, alongside other well known hard rock
Hard rock
Hard rock is a loosely defined genre of rock music which has its earliest roots in mid-1960s garage rock, blues rock and psychedelic rock...
and heavy metal
Heavy metal music
Heavy metal is a genre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s, largely in the Midlands of the United Kingdom and the United States...
acts DragonForce
DragonForce
DragonForce are an English power metal band from London. Formed in 1999, the group is known for its long and fast guitar solos, fantasy-based lyrics, and electronic sounds in their music to add to their retro video game-influenced sound. Guitarists Herman Li and Sam Totman are the only two...
, Lacuna Coil
Lacuna Coil
Lacuna Coil is an Italian gothic metal band from Milan. Formed in 1994, the group has had two name changes since being previously known as Sleep of Right and Ethereal and was inspired by the combination of gothic imagery and music...
, Hatebreed
Hatebreed
- History :Hatebreed was formed in 1994 in Bridgeport, Waterbury and New Haven. They began by recording a three song demo and selling it to locals. Those three songs would eventually be released on a split seven inch with New York's Neglect in 1995...
, Disturbed and System of a Down
System of a Down
System of a Down, also known by the acronym SOAD and often shortened to System, is a rock band from Southern California. The band was formed in 1994. It consists of Serj Tankian , Daron Malakian , Shavo Odadjian and John Dolmayan...
for the first time in 2006. That same year they also completed a worldwide tour, including the US, The United Kingdom (as well as mainland Europe), Japan, Australia and New Zealand. After a sixteen month promotion of City of Evil, the band announced that they were cancelling their Fall 2006 tour to record new music. In the interim, the band released their first DVD titled All Excess on July 17, 2007. All Excess, which debuted as the No.1 DVD in the USA, included live performances and backstage footage that spanned the band's eight year career. Two tribute albums, Strung Out on Avenged Sevenfold: Bat Wings and Broken Strings
Strung Out on Avenged Sevenfold: Bat Wings and Broken Strings
In 2007, before the release of Avenged Sevenfold's self titled album, two Strung Out On Avenged Sevenfold albums were produced, both by independent record labels.-Track listing:# "Burn It Down" - 5:00# "Sidewinder" - 6:42# "And All Things Will End" - 6:19...
and Strung Out on Avenged Sevenfold: The String Tribute
Strung Out on Avenged Sevenfold: The String Tribute
In 2007, before the release of Avenged Sevenfold's self titled album, two Strung Out On Avenged Sevenfold albums were produced, both by independent record labels...
were also released in October 2007.
Avenged Sevenfold
Avenged Sevenfold (album)
Avenged Sevenfold is the fourth studio album by American metal band Avenged Sevenfold, released on October 30, 2007 through Warner Bros. Records...
, the band's fourth album, was released on October 30, 2007, debuting at No.4 on the Billboard 200
Billboard 200
The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists...
with over 90,000 copies sold. Two singles, "Critical Acclaim" and "Almost Easy
Almost Easy
"Almost Easy" is a song by American heavy metal band Avenged Sevenfold. It is the second song as well as second single from their self-titled album.-Background:...
" were released prior to the album's debut. In December 2007, an animated video was made for "A Little Piece of Heaven." Due to the song's controversial subject matter, however, Warner Brothers only released it to registered MVI
MVI
MVI stands for Musical Video Interactive, a DVD-based means of packing audio, video and interactive visual content onto one disk...
users over the internet. The third single, "Afterlife
Afterlife (Avenged Sevenfold song)
"Afterlife" is a song by American heavy metal band Avenged Sevenfold. The is released as the third single from their self-titled album. The song itself features a string orchestra and was written by the band's drummer, The Rev. It was voted the best song of the new album on the band's homepage...
" and its video was released in January 2008. Their fourth single, "Dear God", was released on June 15, 2008. Although critical reception was generally mixed the self-titled album went on to sell over 500,000 copies and was awarded "Album of the Year" at the Kerrang! Awards.
Avenged Sevenfold headlined the 2008 Taste of Chaos
Taste of Chaos
Taste of Chaos is a hardcore tour that was started in the winter of 2005 by Kevin Lyman, the creator of the successful Warped Tour along with friend and business partner, John Reese. The Taste Of Chaos tour caters for fans of the post-hardcore, screamo, and metal genres, while offering the same...
tour with Atreyu
Atreyu (band)
Atreyu is an American rock band from Orange County, California, formed in 1998. The band consists of vocalist/lyricist Alex Varkatzas, guitarists Dan Jacobs and Travis Miguel, bassist Marc McKnight and drummer/vocalist Brandon Saller...
, Bullet for My Valentine
Bullet for My Valentine
Bullet for My Valentine are a Welsh heavy metal band from Bridgend, formed in 1998. The band is composed of Matt Tuck , Michael Paget , Jason James , and Michael Thomas . They were formed under the name Jeff Killed John and started their music career by covering songs by Metallica and Nirvana...
, Blessthefall
Blessthefall
Blessthefall is an American metalcore band from Phoenix, Arizona, currently signed to Fearless Records. The band was founded in 2003 by guitarist Mike Frisby, drummer Matt Traynor, and bassist Jared Warth. Their debut album, His Last Walk, with original vocalist Craig Mabbitt, was released April...
and Idiot Pilot
Idiot Pilot
Idiot Pilot is an alternative rock/electronica duo from Bellingham, Washington, United States consisting of Michael Harris and Daniel Anderson.-History:...
. They used the footage from their last show in Long Beach
Long Beach, California
Long Beach is a city situated in Los Angeles County in Southern California, on the Pacific coast of the United States. The city is the 36th-largest city in the nation and the seventh-largest in California. As of 2010, its population was 462,257...
for Live in the LBC & Diamonds in the Rough
Live in the LBC & Diamonds in the Rough
Diamonds in the Rough -Personnel:Avenged Sevenfold* M. Shadows – lead vocals* Synyster Gates – lead guitar, backing vocals* Zacky Vengeance – rhythm guitar, backing vocals...
, a two-disc B-sides CD and live DVD which was released on September 16, 2008. They also recorded numerous covers, including Pantera
Pantera
Pantera was an American heavy metal band from Arlington, Texas. Formed by the Abbott brothers, Vinnie Paul and Dimebag Darrell in 1981, bassist Rex Brown would join in late 1981 with vocalist Terry Glaze. Looking for a new and heavier sound, Pantera had Terry replaced in 1987 with Phil Anselmo as...
's "Walk", Iron Maiden
Iron Maiden
Iron Maiden are an English heavy metal band from Leyton in east London, formed in 1975 by bassist and primary songwriter Steve Harris. Since their inception, the band's discography has grown to include a total of thirty-six albums: fifteen studio albums; eleven live albums; four EPs; and six...
's "Flash of the Blade" and Black Sabbath
Black Sabbath
Black Sabbath are an English heavy metal band, formed in Aston, Birmingham in 1969 by Ozzy Osbourne , Tony Iommi , Geezer Butler , and Bill Ward . The band has since experienced multiple line-up changes, with Tony Iommi the only constant presence in the band through the years. A total of 22...
's "Paranoid
Paranoid (song)
"Paranoid" is a song by the British heavy metal band Black Sabbath, featured on their second album Paranoid . It is the first single from the album, while the B-side is the song "The Wizard". It reached number 4 on the UK Singles Chart and number 61 on the Billboard Hot 100...
".
In January 2009, M. Shadows confirmed that the band was writing the follow-up to their self-titled fourth album
Avenged Sevenfold (album)
Avenged Sevenfold is the fourth studio album by American metal band Avenged Sevenfold, released on October 30, 2007 through Warner Bros. Records...
within the upcoming months. They also announced that they will be playing at Rock on the Range
Rock on the Range
Rock on the Range is an annual rock festival featuring mostly mainstream rock bands, with a classic band usually headlining the show. The festival is held at two venues; Columbus Crew Stadium in Columbus, Ohio and Canad Inns Stadium in Winnipeg, Manitoba...
, from May 16–17, 2009. On April 16, they performed a version of Guns N' Roses
Guns N' Roses
Guns N' Roses is an American hard rock band, formed in Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, in 1985. The band has released six studio albums, three EPs, and one live album...
' "It's So Easy
It's So Easy
-Personnel:* Axl Rose - lead vocals* Izzy Stradlin - rhythm guitar, backing vocals* Slash - lead guitar* Duff McKagan - bass, backing vocals* Steven Adler - drums-Cover versions:...
" onstage with Slash
Slash (musician)
Saul Hudson , known by his stage name Slash, is a British-American musician and songwriter. He is best known as the former lead guitarist of the American hard rock band Guns N' Roses, with whom he achieved worldwide success in the late 1980s and early 1990s. During his later years with Guns N'...
, at the Nokia Theater in Los Angeles. On December 28, 2009, drummer James "The Rev" Sullivan
The Rev
James Owen Sullivan , more commonly known by his stage name The Reverend Tholomew Plague, often shortened to The Rev, was an American musician, best known as the drummer for the American heavy metal band Avenged Sevenfold...
was found dead at his home at the age of 28. Autopsy results were inconclusive, but on June 9, 2010, the cause of death was revealed to have been an "acute polydrug intoxication due to combined effects of Oxycodone, Oxymorphone, Diazepam/Nordiazepam and ethanol". In a statement by the band, they expressed their grief over the passing of The Rev and later posted a message from Sullivan's family which expressed their gratitude to his fans for their support.
Nightmare and recent events (2010–present)
The band members admitted in a number of interviews that they considered disbanding at this point of time. However, on February 17, 2010, Avenged Sevenfold stated that they had entered the studio, along with now-former Dream TheaterDream Theater
Dream Theater is an American progressive metal band formed in 1985 under the name Majesty by John Petrucci, John Myung, and Mike Portnoy while they attended Berklee College of Music in Massachusetts. They subsequently dropped out of their studies to further concentrate on the band that would...
drummer Mike Portnoy
Mike Portnoy
Michael Stephen "Mike" Portnoy is an American drummer primarily known as the former drummer, backing vocalist, and a co-founder of the progressive metal band Dream Theater, as well as the temporary drummer for the hard rock band Avenged Sevenfold. Known for his drumming prowess and technical...
, to drum for the record, in place of the Rev.
The single "Nightmare
Nightmare (song)
Nightmare is a song by American metal band Avenged Sevenfold released as the lead single for their fifth studio album, Nightmare. It is also their first single released without former drummer "The Rev", who died on December 28, 2009...
" was digitally released on May 18, 2010. A preview for the song was released on May 6, 2010 on Amazon.com
Amazon.com
Amazon.com, Inc. is a multinational electronic commerce company headquartered in Seattle, Washington, United States. It is the world's largest online retailer. Amazon has separate websites for the following countries: United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Japan, and...
, but was removed soon after for unknown reasons. Mixing for the album had been completed in New York City, and Nightmare
Nightmare (Avenged Sevenfold album)
Nightmare is the fifth studio album by American rock band Avenged Sevenfold, released on July 27, 2010 through Warner Bros. Records. It was produced by Mike Elizondo and mixed in New York City by noted engineer Andy Wallace...
was finally released worldwide on July 27, 2010. It met with mixed to positive reviews from music critics but was well received by the fans. Nightmare beat sales projections easily, debuting at number one on the Billboard 200
Billboard 200
The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists...
with sales of 163,000 units in its first week. After finishing recording, in December, Portnoy and the band posted simultaneous statements on their websites stating that he will not be their replacement for The Rev. However, Portnoy did travel with the band overseas in December 2010 for three shows in Iraq and Kuwait sponsored by the USO. They played for US Soldiers at Camp Adder, Camp Beuhring, and Balad Air Base. On January 20, 2011, Avenged Sevenfold announced via Facebook that former Confide drummer Arin Ilejay
Arin Ilejay
Arin Ilejay is a drummer who is currently playing for the American metal band Avenged Sevenfold as their new supporting drummer...
will tour with them starting this year. Whether or not he will be joining the band on a permanent basis has not been decided yet.
Avenged Sevenfold performed at the Rock am Ring and Rock im Park festivals on June 3–5, 2011 alongside other bands such as Alter Bridge
Alter Bridge
Alter Bridge is an American rock band that was formed in 2004 in Orlando, Florida by lead guitarist Mark Tremonti, bassist Brian Marshall, and drummer Scott Phillips, who are all also members of Creed. Lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist Myles Kennedy, formerly of The Mayfield Four and the frontman...
, System of a Down
System of a Down
System of a Down, also known by the acronym SOAD and often shortened to System, is a rock band from Southern California. The band was formed in 1994. It consists of Serj Tankian , Daron Malakian , Shavo Odadjian and John Dolmayan...
, and In Flames
In Flames
In Flames is a Swedish heavy metal band from Gothenburg, formed in 1990. Since the band's inception in 1993, they have released ten studio albums and one live DVD...
. On April 2011, the band headlined the Golden God Awards held by Metal Hammer
Metal Hammer
Metal Hammer is a monthly heavy metal music magazine published in the United Kingdom by Future Publishing, and in several other countries by different publishers. Metal Hammer articles feature both mainstream bands and more unusual acts from the whole spectrum of heavy metal music...
. The same night the band won three awards for "Best Vocalist" (M. Shadows
M. Shadows
Matthew Charles Sanders , better known by his stage name M. Shadows, is the lead vocalist, songwriter, and founding member for the American metal band Avenged Sevenfold.-Early life and musical beginnings:...
), "Epiphone Best Guitarist(s)" (Synyster Gates
Synyster Gates
Brian Elwin Haner, Jr. , better known by his stage name Synyster Gates or simply Syn, is an American musician, best known for being the lead guitarist of the American heavy metal band Avenged Sevenfold.-Early life:...
and Zacky Vengeance
Zacky Vengeance
Zachary James Baker, better known by his stage name Zacky Vengeance, is the rhythm guitarist and backing vocalist for the American metal/rock band Avenged Sevenfold.-Biography:...
) and "Affliction’s Album of The Year: " for Nightmare
Nightmare
A nightmare is an unpleasant dream that can cause a strong negative emotional response from the mind, typically fear or horror, but also despair, anxiety and great sadness. The dream may contain situations of danger, discomfort, psychological or physical terror...
, while Mike Portnoy
Mike Portnoy
Michael Stephen "Mike" Portnoy is an American drummer primarily known as the former drummer, backing vocalist, and a co-founder of the progressive metal band Dream Theater, as well as the temporary drummer for the hard rock band Avenged Sevenfold. Known for his drumming prowess and technical...
won the award for "Drum Workshop’s Best Drummer" for his work on the album.
In May 2011, it was confirmed that the band had written a new song to be included in the Escalation DLC pack for Call of Duty: Black Ops
Call of Duty: Black Ops
Call of Duty: Black Ops is a first-person shooter video game developed by Treyarch, published by Activision and released worldwide on November 9, for Microsoft Windows, Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, Wii consoles, with a separate version for Nintendo DS developed by n-Space. Announced on April 30, 2010,...
. The song is the first time developers Treyarch
Treyarch
Treyarch is an American video game developer company, founded in 1996 by Peter Akemann and Doğan Köslü , and acquired by Activision in 2001...
have commissioned an outside band to contribute a song since the franchise began. The song, titled "Not Ready to Die
Not Ready to Die
"Not Ready to Die" is a song by the American heavy metal band Avenged Sevenfold, featured on the soundtrack to the 2010 video game Call of Duty: Black Ops, on the Zombie map "Call of the Dead". Recorded by the band in April 2011, the song was released as the lead single from the album on 2 May...
", was released on iTunes on May 2, 2011.
In August 2011, vocalist M. Shadows stated the band would finish the Uproar Festival
Uproar Festival
The Uproar Festival, also called the Rockstar Energy Drink Uproar Festival, is an annual hard rock/heavy metal tour inaugurated in 2010 by John Reese and sponsored by Rockstar Energy Drink. The tour was also created by John Oakes, Darryl Eaton and Ryan Harlacher from the Creative Artists Agency,...
then go home to take a break for six to seven months before starting a new record. He also roughly stated that Arin Illejay and the band are getting along great, but that they have to make sure he's comfortable writing music with them, but also that he hopes everything works out.
Avenged Sevenfold headlined the 2011 Uproar Festival
Uproar Festival
The Uproar Festival, also called the Rockstar Energy Drink Uproar Festival, is an annual hard rock/heavy metal tour inaugurated in 2010 by John Reese and sponsored by Rockstar Energy Drink. The tour was also created by John Oakes, Darryl Eaton and Ryan Harlacher from the Creative Artists Agency,...
with supporting acts Three Days Grace
Three Days Grace
Three Days Grace is a Canadian rock band, formed in Norwood, Ontario, Canada in 1992, originally under the name Groundswell. After a breakup in late 1997, the band regrouped in the same year under its current name and with a line-up consisting of guitarist and lead vocalist Adam Gontier, drummer...
, Seether
Seether
Seether is a post-grunge/alternative metal band from Pretoria, South Africa, formed in 1999. The band is currently signed to Wind-up Records...
, Bullet For My Valentine
Bullet for My Valentine
Bullet for My Valentine are a Welsh heavy metal band from Bridgend, formed in 1998. The band is composed of Matt Tuck , Michael Paget , Jason James , and Michael Thomas . They were formed under the name Jeff Killed John and started their music career by covering songs by Metallica and Nirvana...
, Escape The Fate
Escape The Fate
Escape the Fate is an American post-hardcore band from Las Vegas, Nevada formed in 2005 and originally from Pahrump, Nevada. They have released three EPs and three full-length studio albums. Dying Is Your Latest Fashion was the band's debut album and only album to feature vocalist Ronnie Radke...
, among others.
The band will be touring in November and December on their "Buried Alive" tour with supporting acts Hollywood Undead
Hollywood Undead
Hollywood Undead is an American rap rock band from Los Angeles, California. They released their debut album, Swan Songs, on September 2, 2008, and their live CD/DVD Desperate Measures, on November 10, 2009. Their second studio album, American Tragedy, was released April 5, 2011...
, Asking Alexandria
Asking Alexandria
Asking Alexandria are a British metalcore band from York, North Yorkshire. Founded in 2008 when Ben Bruce contacted his old companions upon returning to the UK after residing in Dubai...
, and Black Veil Brides
Black Veil Brides
Black Veil Brides is an American rock band based out of Hollywood, California. The group is composed of Andrew Biersack , Ashley Purdy , Jake Pitts , Jinxx , and Christian "CC" Coma...
.
Style and influences
The band has cited bands such as Bad ReligionBad Religion
Bad Religion is a punk rock band that formed in Los Angeles in 1979. Their current line-up consists of Greg Graffin , Brett Gurewitz , Jay Bentley , Greg Hetson , Brian Baker and Brooks Wackerman . Gurewitz is also the founder of the label Epitaph Records, which has released almost all of the...
, Guns N' Roses
Guns N' Roses
Guns N' Roses is an American hard rock band, formed in Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, in 1985. The band has released six studio albums, three EPs, and one live album...
, Iron Maiden
Iron Maiden
Iron Maiden are an English heavy metal band from Leyton in east London, formed in 1975 by bassist and primary songwriter Steve Harris. Since their inception, the band's discography has grown to include a total of thirty-six albums: fifteen studio albums; eleven live albums; four EPs; and six...
, Pantera
Pantera
Pantera was an American heavy metal band from Arlington, Texas. Formed by the Abbott brothers, Vinnie Paul and Dimebag Darrell in 1981, bassist Rex Brown would join in late 1981 with vocalist Terry Glaze. Looking for a new and heavier sound, Pantera had Terry replaced in 1987 with Phil Anselmo as...
, Dream Theater
Dream Theater
Dream Theater is an American progressive metal band formed in 1985 under the name Majesty by John Petrucci, John Myung, and Mike Portnoy while they attended Berklee College of Music in Massachusetts. They subsequently dropped out of their studies to further concentrate on the band that would...
, Metallica
Metallica
Metallica is an American heavy metal band from Los Angeles, California. Formed in 1981 when James Hetfield responded to an advertisement that drummer Lars Ulrich had posted in a local newspaper. The current line-up features long-time lead guitarist Kirk Hammett and bassist Robert Trujillo ...
, NOFX
NOFX
NOFX is an American punk rock band from Los Angeles, California .The band was formed in 1983 by vocalist/bassist Fat Mike and guitarist Eric Melvin. Drummer Erik Sandin joined NOFX shortly after. In 1991 El Hefe joined to play lead guitar and trumpet, rounding out the current line-up...
, Alice in Chains
Alice in Chains
Alice in Chains is an American rock band formed in Seattle, Washington, in 1987 by guitarist and songwriter Jerry Cantrell and original lead vocalist Layne Staley. The initial lineup was rounded out by drummer Sean Kinney, and bassist Mike Starr...
, Black Flag
Black Flag (band)
Black Flag was an American punk rock band formed in 1976 in Hermosa Beach, California. The band was established by Greg Ginn, the guitarist, primary songwriter and sole continuous member through multiple personnel changes in the band...
, Corrosion of Conformity
Corrosion of Conformity
Corrosion of Conformity is an American heavy metal band from Raleigh, North Carolina formed in 1982. For almost the majority of its existence, the band has consisted of guitarist Woody Weatherman, bassist Mike Dean , drummer Reed Mullin and vocalist and rhythm...
, The Misfits, Slayer
Slayer
Slayer is an American thrash metal band formed in Huntington Park, California, in 1981 by guitarists Jeff Hanneman and Kerry King. Slayer rose to fame with their 1986 release, Reign in Blood, and is credited as one of the "Big Four" thrash metal acts, along with Metallica, Megadeth and...
, The Vandals
The Vandals
The Vandals are an American rock band established in 1980 in Huntington Beach, California. They have released ten full-length studio albums and two live albums and have toured the world extensively, including performances on the Vans Warped Tour...
, Rage Against the Machine
Rage Against the Machine
Rage Against the Machine is an American rock band from Los Angeles, California. Formed in 1991, the group's line-up consists of vocalist Zack de la Rocha, bassist and backing vocalist Tim Commerford, guitarist Tom Morello and drummer Brad Wilk...
, Korn
Korn
Korn is an American nu metal band from Bakersfield, California, formed in 1993. The current band line up includes four members: Jonathan Davis, James "Munky" Shaffer, Reginald "Fieldy" Arvizu, and Ray Luzier. The band was formed as an expansion of L.A.P.D.The band released their first demo album,...
, Deftones
Deftones
Deftones are an American alternative metal band from Sacramento, California, founded in 1988. The band consists of Chino Moreno , Stephen Carpenter , Chi Cheng , Frank Delgado , and Abe Cunningham . Currently Sergio Vega is standing in on bass while Cheng recovers from a car accident...
and AFI
AFI (band)
AFI is an American alternative rock band from Ukiah, California that formed in 1991. They have consisted of the same lineup since 1998: lead vocalist Davey Havok, drummer and backup vocalist Adam Carson, with bassist Hunter Burgan and guitarist Jade Puget, who both play keyboard and contribute...
as their artistic influences.
Avenged Sevenfold's material spans multiple genres and has evolved over the band's entire career. Initially, the band's debut album Sounding the Seventh Trumpet
Sounding the Seventh Trumpet
-Personnel:Avenged Sevenfold* M. Shadows — lead vocals, keyboard, acoustic guitar* Zacky Vengeance - Lead guitar and rhythm guitar* Jimmy "The Rev" Sullivan — drums, backing vocals, piano* Justin Sane - bass guitar, pianoProduction...
consisted almost entirely of metalcore
Metalcore
Metalcore is a subgenre of heavy metal combining various elements of extreme metal and hardcore punk. The name is a portmanteau of the names of the two genres. The term took on its current meaning in the mid-1990s, describing bands such as Earth Crisis, Deadguy and Integrity...
sound; however, there were several deviations to this genre, most notably in "Streets" which adopts a punk
Punk rock
Punk rock is a rock music genre that developed between 1974 and 1976 in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Rooted in garage rock and other forms of what is now known as protopunk music, punk rock bands eschewed perceived excesses of mainstream 1970s rock...
style and "Warmness on the Soul
Warmness on the Soul
Warmness on the Soul is the first EP/single by Avenged Sevenfold. It was released on August 8, 2001 by Good Life Recordings. The release features the video for the title track, "Warmness on the Soul" as an Enhanced CD bonus. The EP was the first release to feature guitarist, Synyster Gates...
," which is a piano-oriented ballad
Ballad
A ballad is a form of verse, often a narrative set to music. Ballads were particularly characteristic of British and Irish popular poetry and song from the later medieval period until the 19th century and used extensively across Europe and later the Americas, Australia and North Africa. Many...
. On Waking the Fallen
Waking the Fallen
Waking the Fallen is the second album by Avenged Sevenfold, released on August 26, 2003 through Hopeless Records. It is the last release by the band to feature their metalcore sound, although more clean vocals are featured on the album than their debut album, Sounding the Seventh Trumpet. It is...
, the band displayed the contemporary metalcore style once more, but added more clean vocals as well as more mature and intricate musical elements. In the band's DVD All Excess, producer Andrew Mudrock
Mudrock
Mudrocks are a class of fine grained siliciclastic sedimentary rocks. The varying types of mudrocks include: siltstone, claystone, mudstone, slate, and shale. Most of the particles are less than 0.0625 mm and are too small to study readily in the field...
explained this transition: "When I met the band after Sounding the Seventh Trumpet had come out before they had recorded Waking the Fallen, M. Shadows said to me 'This record is screaming. The record we want to make is going to be half-screaming half-singing. I don't want to scream anymore. And the record after that is going to be all singing.'"
On City of Evil
City of Evil
City of Evil is the third studio album and first major label release by American metal band Avenged Sevenfold. The album was released on June 7, 2005 under the Warner Bros. Records label. Co-produced by Andrew Murdock, City of Evil contains a more hard rock and classic heavy metal sound than...
, Avenged Sevenfold's third album, the band chose to abandon the metalcore genre, developing a more hard rock
Hard rock
Hard rock is a loosely defined genre of rock music which has its earliest roots in mid-1960s garage rock, blues rock and psychedelic rock...
style. Avenged Sevenfold's self-titled album, again, consists of several deviations to less consistent genres and styles from the album's main hard rock and heavy metal
Heavy metal music
Heavy metal is a genre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s, largely in the Midlands of the United Kingdom and the United States...
songs, most notably in "Dear God", which adopts a country
Country rock
Country rock is sub-genre of popular music, formed from the fusion of rock with country. The term is generally used to refer to the wave of rock musicians who began to record country-flavored records in the late 1960s and early 1970s, beginning with Bob Dylan and The Byrds; reaching its greatest...
style and "A Little Piece of Heaven", which is circled within the influence of Broadway show tunes, using primarily brass instruments and stringed orchestra to take over most of the role of the lead and rhythm guitar. Nightmare
Nightmare (Avenged Sevenfold album)
Nightmare is the fifth studio album by American rock band Avenged Sevenfold, released on July 27, 2010 through Warner Bros. Records. It was produced by Mike Elizondo and mixed in New York City by noted engineer Andy Wallace...
contains further deviations, including a piano ballad called "Fiction" and a brief return to their metalcore roots on "God Hates Us". The band has changed considerably since their first album, in which during that time they have been characterized as a heavy band with a screamed
Screaming (music)
Screaming is a vocal technique that is most popular in subgenres of heavy metal, punk and hard rock, including metalcore, deathcore, post-hardcore, groove metal, black metal, and grindcore...
and growled
Death growl
A death growl, also known as death metal vocals, guttural vocals, death grunts, and harsh vocals among other names, is a vocalisation style usually employed by vocalists of the death metal and black metal music genre, but also used in a variety of heavy metal and hardcore punk subgenres.Death...
vocal style combined with clean vocals, chugging guitar riffs and breakdowns
Break (music)
In popular music, a break is an instrumental or percussion section or interlude during a song derived from or related to stop-time – being a "break" from the main parts of the song or piece....
that one can expect from the metalcore genre.
Band members
The band members occasionally play instruments other than their primary instruments listed below.Current members
- M. ShadowsM. ShadowsMatthew Charles Sanders , better known by his stage name M. Shadows, is the lead vocalist, songwriter, and founding member for the American metal band Avenged Sevenfold.-Early life and musical beginnings:...
– lead vocals (1999–present) - Zacky VengeanceZacky VengeanceZachary James Baker, better known by his stage name Zacky Vengeance, is the rhythm guitarist and backing vocalist for the American metal/rock band Avenged Sevenfold.-Biography:...
– rhythm guitar, backing vocals (1999–present) - Synyster GatesSynyster GatesBrian Elwin Haner, Jr. , better known by his stage name Synyster Gates or simply Syn, is an American musician, best known for being the lead guitarist of the American heavy metal band Avenged Sevenfold.-Early life:...
– lead guitar, piano, backing vocals (2000–present) - Johnny ChristJohnny ChristJonathan Lewis Seward, , better known by his stage name Johnny Christ, is the bassist of the American heavy metal band Avenged Sevenfold. Johnny was the fourth bassist to join Avenged Sevenfold in 2002, replacing former members Matt Wendt, Justin Sane, and Dameon Ash...
– bass, backing vocals (2003–present)
Former members
- The RevThe RevJames Owen Sullivan , more commonly known by his stage name The Reverend Tholomew Plague, often shortened to The Rev, was an American musician, best known as the drummer for the American heavy metal band Avenged Sevenfold...
– drums, piano, backing vocals (1999–2009) - Matt Wendt – bass (1999–2000)
- Justin Sane – bass (2000–2002)
- Dameon Ash – bass (2002–2003)
Session and touring members
- Mike PortnoyMike PortnoyMichael Stephen "Mike" Portnoy is an American drummer primarily known as the former drummer, backing vocalist, and a co-founder of the progressive metal band Dream Theater, as well as the temporary drummer for the hard rock band Avenged Sevenfold. Known for his drumming prowess and technical...
– drums (2010) - Arin IlejayArin IlejayArin Ilejay is a drummer who is currently playing for the American metal band Avenged Sevenfold as their new supporting drummer...
– drums (2011-present)
Discography
Studio albums- Sounding the Seventh TrumpetSounding the Seventh Trumpet-Personnel:Avenged Sevenfold* M. Shadows — lead vocals, keyboard, acoustic guitar* Zacky Vengeance - Lead guitar and rhythm guitar* Jimmy "The Rev" Sullivan — drums, backing vocals, piano* Justin Sane - bass guitar, pianoProduction...
(2001) - Waking the FallenWaking the FallenWaking the Fallen is the second album by Avenged Sevenfold, released on August 26, 2003 through Hopeless Records. It is the last release by the band to feature their metalcore sound, although more clean vocals are featured on the album than their debut album, Sounding the Seventh Trumpet. It is...
(2003) - City of EvilCity of EvilCity of Evil is the third studio album and first major label release by American metal band Avenged Sevenfold. The album was released on June 7, 2005 under the Warner Bros. Records label. Co-produced by Andrew Murdock, City of Evil contains a more hard rock and classic heavy metal sound than...
(2005) - Avenged SevenfoldAvenged Sevenfold (album)Avenged Sevenfold is the fourth studio album by American metal band Avenged Sevenfold, released on October 30, 2007 through Warner Bros. Records...
(2007) - NightmareNightmare (Avenged Sevenfold album)Nightmare is the fifth studio album by American rock band Avenged Sevenfold, released on July 27, 2010 through Warner Bros. Records. It was produced by Mike Elizondo and mixed in New York City by noted engineer Andy Wallace...
(2010)