Avenged Sevenfold (A7X)

Members: M. Shadows, Synyster Gates, Zacky Vengeance, Johnny Christ, The Rev

Active: 1999 - present

HISTORY

The band formed when the members were in high school. 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 a decision by the band to change directions.

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 Revelation 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 an 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, Madden 2004 and NASCAR Thunder 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 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.

ALBUMS:

2001 - Warmness on the Soul EP

2002 - Sounding the Seventh Trumpet EP

2003 - Waking the Fallen

2005 - City of Evil

SINGLES:

2003 - Unholy Confessions

2005 - Bat Country

2006 - Beast and the Harlot

2006 - Seize the Day