Avenged Sevenfold
Avenged Sevenfold | |
|---|---|
| Background information | |
| Years active | 1999 - present |
| Members | M. Shadows Synyster Gates Zacky Vengeance Johnny Christ The Rev |
Avenged Sevenfold, sometimes abbreviated to A7X, is a band from Huntington Beach, CA, consisting of members M. Shadows, Zacky Vengeance, Synyster Gates, Johnny Christ, and The Rev. Their first album was titled "Sounding the Seventh Trumpet", and was recorded when the band members were 18 years old. Their followup album was entitled Waking the Fallen, and received positive reference in Rolling Stone magazine.
City of Evil, released on June 7, 2005, strays away from metalcore, going back to more hard rock with obvious influences ranging from Pantera and Metallica to Misfits and Guns N' Roses. Although the band has been labeled metal, metalcore and hard rock in many publications, the band themselves claim they are a metal/hard rock band and have no musical similarities to metalcore in any way. Recently M. Shadows' vocal stylings have changed more to focus on melodic singing than on hardcore screaming, due to the band's desire to change the direction of their music. Shadows had a minor throat surgery in 2004 and this did not affect their decision to change musical styles.
Although the band's title and members' stage names make obvious reference to religion, Shadows stated in a recent interview that they're "not really religious at all".
The band's name is an alleged reference to the book of Genesis in the Bible and the story of Cain and Abel, where Cain is punished to live forever in exile, alone and miserable. Anyone who relieved Cain of his misery by killing him would be "avenged sevenfold," or punished in a way that is seven times worse than Cain's punishment. Avenged Sevenfold's song "Chapter Four" has a title reference to Genesis IV, the chapter of the Bible in which the story of Cain and Abel takes place. The song's subject also appears to be this story.
Their song "Blinded In Chains" was used in the Need For Speed: Most Wanted soundtrack. Another song, "Bat Country", was used in the SSX: On Tour soundtrack, and on the Madden '06 soundtrack.
Discography
| Album Cover | Date of Release | Title | Label | US Billboard Peak | US sales |
| August 8, 2001 | Warmness on the Soul EP | Good Life Recordings | |||
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March 19, 2002 | Sounding the Seventh Trumpet | Good Life Recordings | ||
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August 26, 2003 | Waking the Fallen | Hopeless Records | ||
| July 7, 2005 | City of Evil | Warner Brothers Records | #30 |
Compilations
- Plea for Peace / Take Action! Vol. 2 (2002) (Subcity Records)
- "Turn The Other Way"
- Take Action! Vol. 3 (2003) (Subcity Records)
- "Chapter Four"
- Metal=Life CD/DVD (2003) (Subcity Records)
- "Unholy Confessions" & Video
- Operation: Punk Rock Freedom (2003) (Hopeless Records/Subcity Records)
- "Chapter Four" & "Darkness Surrounding"
- Hopelessly Devoted To You Vol. 4 (2004) (Hopeless Records)
- "Second Heartbeat" & "Darkness Surrounding"
- Hopelessly Devoted To You Vol. 5 (2005) (Hopeless Records)
- "Chapter Four" & "Eternal Rest (Live)"
Audio/Video
- Interview with Avenged Sevenfold Includes Music Video
Videography
- March 2001 - Warmness On The Soul (Professional video - Sounding the Seventh Trumpet -(Video)
- March 6, 2004 - Unholy Confessions (Live video w/ dubbed music) - Waking the Fallen - (Video)
- May 4, 2005 - Bat Country (Live video w/ dubbed music) - City of Evil
- May 23, 2005 - Burn It Down (Live video w/ dubbed music) - City of Evil (Video)
- July 28, 2005 - Bat Country - (Professional Video Directed by Marc Klasfeld) - City of Evil (Video from Bedlam Society)
- February 6, 2006 - Beast and the Harlot - (Professional Video Directed by Tony Petrossian) - City of Evil (Video from YouTube)
Management
Larry Jacobson of World Audience Management
Band members
- M. Shadows - Lead Singer
- Synyster Gates - Lead Guitar
- Zacky Vengeance - Rhythm Guitar
- Johnny Christ - Bass
- The Reverend Tholomew Plague - Drums
Former members
- Justin Sane - Bass
- Dameon Ash - Bass