Post by Undead666 on Jul 1, 2006 9:29:46 GMT -5
Abbreviation: A7X
Country: Huntington Beach,CA USA
Genres: Hard Rock,Metalcore,Heavy Metal
Label: Warner Bros. Records
Members: M.Shadows
...................The Rev
...................Synyster Gates
...................Zacky Vengeance
...................Johnny Christ
Avenged Sevenfold, sometimes abbreviated to A7X, is a band from Huntington Beach, California, 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 eighteen years old. Their follow-up album was entitled Waking the Fallen, which received a positive rating in Rolling Stone magazine.
City of Evil, released on June 7, 2005, strays from hardcore/metalcore, and adds a more "metal" sound with obvious influences ranging from Iron Maiden, 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 that they are a metal band and have no musical similarities to metalcore in any way. During the recording of City of Evil, 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 major throat surgery in 2004, but this did not affect their decision to change musical styles.
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 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. The title of Avenged Sevenfold's song "Chapter Four" references 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. Beast and the Harlot, yet another song derived from the Bible, comes from the book of Revelations and refers to the punishment of Babylon and the destruction of Pagan nations. Although the band's title and members' stage names make obvious reference to religion, Shadows stated in a recent interview that they are "not really religious at all."
Their song "Blinded in Chains" was used in the soundtrack for the video game Need for Speed: Most Wanted. Another song, "Bat Country," was used in the soundtracks for SSX on Tour, NHL 06 and Madden 06, following in the footsteps of "Chapter Four" which had also been on the soundtrack for both NHL 2004 and Madden 2004. The song "Beast and the Harlot" was in the soundtrack for Burnout Revenge. All the above games, not coincidentally, are produced by various divisions of Electronic Arts.
Avenged Sevenfold will also be touring on Ozzfest in 2006, alongside Ozzy Osbourne, System of a Down, Black Label Society and Disturbed. They will be opening for Guns N' Roses and Metallica this summer along with playing at European festivals such as the Download Festival and Rock am Ring.
Singles:
Unholy Confessions
Bat Country
The Beast And The Harlot
