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Editorials

FIRST IMPRESSIONS OF THE NEW AVENGED SEVENFOLD RECORD

 Tuesday, October 23rd, 2007 at 9:58am by

Avenged Sevenfold

Boy is there a lot on this record — thick production, strings, slide guitar, vocal harmonies, awesome riffs, scorching solos… and it’s a lot to digest. But your uncles Vince and Axl got together last night for the first “official” listen — that is to say with bong in one hand and lighter in the other, speakers cranked — and good lord. Avenged Sevenfold is easily a candidate for best record of the year — it’s definitely in the Top 5. “Scream,” “Afterlife,” and “Brompton Cocktail ” are absolute facemelters, while “Dear God” is nearly a country ballad. No it’s not their heaviest, and no they haven’t sold out — but it is by far the most creative A7X record to date. This record is going to be good for many, many, many spins.

Dame To Kill For has a detailed song-by-song review of the record. It’s a fan-girl point of view, but for a description of what’s physically happening on each track it’s spot on.

-VN

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  • Wayne

    Sigh.

    I hope you guys take it as a compliment that your recommendation is the sole reason why I’m even thinking about giving this one a spin.

  • Retrograde

    Avenged Sevenfold were cool for like 10 minutes when Waking The Fallen came out.
    I remember first hearing the vocals on the last one- utterly terrible, like a cat being strangled or something. Just cause you blew out your voice and can can’t do heavy vocals anymore doesn’t mean you should resort to sounding like Axel Rose on helium.
    Ever since then they’ve totally become sell outs. Do a google image search for photos of the Waken The Fall era and before. Then went from stereotypical “post-hardcore look” tight jeans and black eyeliner to faux badass 80s wank rock.
    Seriously, why are you jocking this band so hard?

  • http://countshockula.blogspot.com ezra

    I’ll never understand why you guys with your usual good taste, like this douch-crew of a band.

  • http://countshockula.blogspot.com ezra

    sorry, i mean “douche-crew”

  • Retrograde

    forgive the typos, i get worked up about terrible music

  • http://www.metalsucks.net Vince Neilstein

    @ Retrograde: Actually the vocal change was his idea, having nothing to do with blown vocal chords. On the “All Excess” DVD, the producer Mudrock explains the whole thing, addressing dudes like you as “rumors on the Internet.” It was a conscious decision beginning with Waking the Fallen that Shadows chose himself — he came to Mudrock and said “On this record I want to do some screaming and some singing, and on the next one only singing.” And that is what happened. And can you blame the guy? Screaming is so played.

  • Retrograde

    I have no problem with melodic vocals in my metal. However, I do have a problem with bad melodic vocals comblined with a drastic style and attitude change that seem to come out of nowhere. Seems to me the changes came about for commerical gain.
    Not that change is bad. The classic example being Pantera’s growth from the Power Metal era to CFH, but this just reeks of false metal.

    When City of Evil came out, I was involved in radio and the Promotions guy at Warner said they they weren’t even gonna bother trying to push it to commerical stations. Cue to the end of the summer/fall 05 and they were on TRL.

  • http://www.metalsucks.net Vince Neilstein

    @ Retrograde: In the case of A7X, I really believe it was a genuine change. You don’t just wake up and decide you love Use Your Illusion. Also, your radio story further helps my point: that sounds like a genuine success story to me, not a commercial pandering to the record label’s wishes!

  • Kye

    In reference to what Vince is saying, I saw A7X live back before they were big, and then, right before the release of City of Evil, I saw them at Warped Tour again, honestly, the whole metalcore and wearing makeup thing seemed less genuine than what they’re doing now. The first I saw them, they looked more static, less comfortable, and more like they were trying too hard to look tough and scary rather than have fun.

    As another side note to everyone that hates Matt’s voice, it’s not the same as it was on City of Evil. Rather than sounding like he sings strictly from his nose(and come on, give the guy a break, he had to relearn how to fucking sing) he sounds more raspy and has greater control over his voice.

    As for selling out, people have said that ever since they recorded Waking the Fallen. Get the fuck over it, a band doesn’t add in more guitar wankery, extensive double bass, and faster speeds to gain more fans. Focus on more than the vocals.

  • http://www.myspace.com/freaksystemband Sammy

    I have come to the conclusion that the idea IS to sell out. Either you want to make a living SELLING your music or you don’t. The term “sell out” was invented by people (bands, musicians) who CAN’T sell the music they create.

    Now, if you’re already selling your albums in one style and then make a conscious effort (see Def Leppard) to change your style to a poppier sound to sell even more records, yeah, I’d call that a sell out.

  • Factor

    A post about Avenged always brings on the comments. I love the fact that you like them, because really, they are that good.

    “I used to be in a death metal band.
    People either liked us or hated us.
    Or thought we were ok.”
    -Mitch Hedberg (don’t know why I just thought of that)

  • Wayne

    One should always think of Mitch Hedberg at least once a day. No explanation necessary.

  • http://www.myspace.com/freaksystemband Sammy

    Even though I’m sure Hetfield’s name is now mud around these parts, he once was asked when they’d make another album like “Fill in the Blank”. His response, “We already made that album.”

  • Tag

    I gotta say this album is pretty damn good so far from what I’ve heard. And Retrograde…this whole ‘faux 80′s’ thing you’re referring two, well, it pretty much is the next incarnation of metal. Well, the start of the next incarnation at least…

  • http://last.fm/user/cooperaa Aaron Cooper

    If I hear this album praised once more from this site as one of 2007′s best… I will need to find a new metal news site! You’re more than welcome to have your own preferences, but our tastes do not align!

  • Jethro_Knight

    quit the bitching, this album fucking pwns and it is number 3 or 2 on the list of best albums of the year. megadeth wins imo, but this one definitely gave it a run for its fucking money.

    and again, what the fuck is wrong with changing your style of music when it is fucking awesome?? this isn’t like St.Anger, changing to a shitty music style. This album is mature, with greater depth and thats a GOOD thing. STFU motherfuckers.

  • TTquick

    To me, I can’t get past the image of the band. That’s shallow and closed minded I know. But they look like they try to fucking hard to look the way they do. Every hair is in place and they seem to be masters of accessorising. I can accept it from Crue or anyone from that or similar genres, but their look doesn’t fit the music and it bothers me.

  • Hegster90

    Listen to “A Little Piece of Heaven” and tell me your thesis on “faux 80s metal” again. Duh, they like 80s metal, it’s what they grew up on. Some of the stuff on the new album (“Scream” anyone?) does sound 80s-ish, but so the fuck what? It’s a great innovative album and if they really cared that much about selling records they would probably write a cross beteen City of Evil and Waking the Fallen to please both fan bases and make millions. But no, they went in a direction no one saw coming and combined Danny Elfman, Country, Electronica, and moderate political ranting (if there is such a thing) with full on hard rock/metal/whatever the fuck you want to label it as. They went out of their way to create an album no one else before them had and succeeded beyond all measures except vocals. Lyrics seem to get worse with every album…and shadows’ voice still isn’t as good as it was on Wtf IMO. It’s a damn fine album and if you people have too much of a stick up your ass to listen to a successful metal band then I really feel sorry for you. You may accuse them of changing their look to make more people listen, but is it not you who refuses to listen to them, soley because of the way they look??? Come off it.

  • http://www.myspace.com/freaksystemband Sammy

    So Aaron will get NEWS elsewhere because he doesn’t like your OPINIONS?? Pull out the tampon, dude.

  • Retrograde

    I guess I didn’t like the “guitar wankery, extensive double bass, and faster speeds” cause it was just done piss poor. Those lengthy tracks on City of Evil are just tiresome and boring to me.

    I suppose you guys consider imitating your influences as innovation, but i don’t seen them bringing anything new to the table that hasn’t been done before….or done better. Same thing goes for another terrible band, Trivium. Wow, you guys like Metallica. Great. Now use that to make something of your own.

    It doesn’t surprise me if this fake 80s cock rock attitude is the next big trend in metal. Lowest common denominator always sells.

  • Jethro_Knight

    I listen to a shit load of 80s metal. I don’t see it in a7x.

  • Joshua

    you must not listen to enough then buddy