AVENGED SEVENFOLD – Avenged Sevenfold

Avenged Sevenfold – Avenged Sevenfold (2007, Warner Bros. Records)

Track Listing:
1. “Critical Acclaim” … 5:15
2. “Almost Easy” … 3:55
3. “Scream” … 4:50
4. “Afterlife” … 5:55
5. “Gunslinger” … 4:11
6. “Unbound (The Wild Ride)” … 5:11
7. “Brompton Cocktail” … 4:13
8. “Lost” … 5:02
9. “A Little Piece of Heaven” … 8:02
10. “Dear God” … 6:36

Band:
M. Shadows — Lead Vocals, Keyboard
Synyster Gates — Guitar, Backing Vocals
Zacky Vengeance — Guitar, Backing Vocals
Johnny Christ — Bass, Backing Vocals
The Rev — Drums, Backing Vocals

Produced by: Avenged Sevenfold

I first noticed Avenged Sevenfold thanks to their hit song “Bat Country” from 2005’s City of Evil. The album was an okay mix of modern metal and 80s metal, but I had trouble getting into it fully.

Knowing that I was planning on seeing this band in concert soon, I decided to pick up this 2007 self-titled release to get familiar with some more of their songs. I have to say, I really love this album. It’s very ambitious and the band tries to spread their wings a bit with songs like “Lost” (which uses auto-tune to a very poppy effect) and “Dear God”, a country rocker, which funny enough was originally titled “Country Rocker”.

I’ve seen some reviews knock the band for going in this more layered and polished direction (tons of orchestration is used, so much I didn’t even bother adding them in the Additional Musicians credits) but I love it. I really enjoy the lyrics as well.

I’ve definitely become a fan of this band and now I need to go find City of Evil and give that another listen…

Highlights: “Almost Easy”, “Scream”, “Afterlife”, “Unbound (The Wild Ride)”, “Lost”, “A Little Piece of Heaven”, “Dear God”

www.avengedsevenfold.com
www.myspace.com/avengedsevenfold