Hard Talk

Lurking with Shadows

Interview with Avenged Sevenfold
by Don Sill
October/November 2003

Using assumed names such as M. Shadows, Synyster Gates, Johnny Christ, Zacky Vengeance and The Reverend may lead one to think of Avenged Sevenfold as some kind of cheesy gimmick outfit, a Slipknot without the masks, a Sex Pistols without the controversy, a Marylyn Manson without the assless chaps. But truth is Avenged Sevenfold aren't trying to emulate any of those bands nor any other bands for that matter. In fact Avenged Sevenfold used their alias' as a means to stand alone and separate themselves from the barrage of average Xerox bands within the rock scene today. "We wanted to use those names because when we got on stage we wanted to be unique instead of just four normal guys playing regular," said singer M. Shadows, "we just wanted to make it a little more special…Some kids don't like it, but f**k em'."

Avenged Sevenfold certainly have the heavy metal attitude and it bleeds through right into their sound. The Orange County natives have disjoined themselves from all of their punker and nu-metal colleagues not only with their illusive name change but by reviving the heavy metal spirit of old and introducing a little thing called the "guitar solo" to a whole new generation of little young spikey-haired bucks. With big blaring guitars and balls out drum beats Avenged Sevenfold are luring audiences into a distinct mind frame where before you know it you're head-banging like it was 1986 all over again.

Don't be mistaken, Avenged Sevenfold is not some throw-back '80s metal band, these guys have the legs to stand up in today's market as well. Shadows and his mates have created there own defining sound complete with a raucous edge by blending different styles including metal, punk, hardcore and goth into one extreme sound. "Our music is an over the edge fantasy," Shadows said, "we bring a real different aspect to the scene other than what normal punk bands are playing."

There latest album off Hopeless Records, "Waking The Fallen," will certainly stand out amongst the Blink clones and Korn knock-offs with it's tricky riffs, constant time changes, and the throaty screams to melodic singing technique of M. Shadows. Inspired by many heavy metal hero's such as Iron Maiden and Judas Priest, Avenged Sevenfold bring back the tight vibrato and epic rock stylings of there elders and incorporate a few tricks of there own into the mix.

For instance, the song "Chapter Four" is a heavy thrashing track that was written about Kane and Able, the songs of Adam and Eve which focus' on a brothers jealous murder. "We're not a religious band," Shadows made clear, "but like Iron Maiden we're really into telling cool stories and this is an epic story and we decided to put epic lyrics with it and it just fit perfectly." "Chapter Four" fires off as if Iron Maiden actually met the beast with a combo of deathly screams with melodic guitars mixing up to create an eerie, evil ambiance.

It seems clear that this is the perfect time for a band like this to emerge before us. While nu-metal and pop punk has seen it's peak the market is opening up its platform for something new, yet not so new. "We play hard," says Shadows, "we have the imagery and we just have a real solid live show, we bring more to the table than just our music and I don't think there's a lot of bands doing that anymore."

So that said, don't judge Avenged Sevenfold by the names they use on stage but by the content of their music in which I have to say simply ROCKS!