Rating:
Genre:
Rock
Release Date: 10/30/2007
Coming off a Best New Artist Award at the 2006
MTV Video Music Awards, the members of
Avenged Sevenfold returned to the studio, ambitious to create an exciting follow-up to
City of Evil -- perhaps overly so, as their self-titled release focuses entirely too hard on pushing the songs into non-
metal territory. Their signature, blistering
Yngwie Malmsteen guitar arpeggios and lightning fast double-kick drums are still evident, but the overall
heavy metal thunder is diluted by their everything-but-the-kitchen-sink approach. Left alone in the studio to record the album on their own,
AS show their unbridled enthusiasm to be as inventive as possible as they run through a staggering amount of production enhancements: four songs have string arrangements; violinists, pianists, and vocalists make guest appearances here and there;
"A Little Piece of Heaven" is a strange
Mr. Bungle type number with sax, clarinet, trombone, and trumpet, and
"Unbound (The Wild Ride)" throws in the most un-
metal addition of all -- a children's choir. Some of these enhancements help take the songs to the next level but most detract, and give the sensation of inappropriately mashed-up styles, like listening to a
Dream Theater album on a boom box while a nearby clock radio plays
Charlie FM. Vocalist
M. Shadows, who required surgery on his vocal cords after
Waking the Fallen shows that his training with
Ron Anderson (vocal coach for
Layne Staley,
Axl Rose, and
Chris Cornell) has been for the greater good. Rather than screaming or doing the
metal growl, he sings in a few gritty voices, showing an obvious
Mike Patton influence, and actually sounds pitch-perfect. His skills, and the entire band's technical ferocity, is flawless as ever, but just gets lost in a cluttered vision. Perhaps the worst culprit of their excessive studio trickery is when a
Cher-esque
"Believe" pitch corrector/vocoder is introduced to the chorus of
"Lost," essentially stomping out a fiery '80s
speed-metal jam into lukewarm embers of passé
electro. While their willingness to experiment is admirable, despite the fact that they've gone overboard with their overdubs, the overabundance of studio polish leaves one to wonder if it's not because the songs just aren't as strong this time around.
~Jason Lymangrover, All Music Guide
Average Review:
Number of reviews: 4
Write an online review and share your thoughts with others!
Shannon Thomas
from New York
Amazing!!!
Avenged Sevenfold I'll have to say in this new album have advanced greatly instrumentaly. Fresh and original. This album is amazing both lyricly along with the amazing guitar solos. I love them live as well. Definitly an album to own. I love A7X!!!!
A7X-4eva
from Eureka, CA
This album is their best yet !!!!!!!!!!!!
I love Avenged Sevenfold !! This band is what I wake up to in the morning. These songs keep you dancing or headbanging to them the entire time. thia is a must-buy for any metal fan!! Synyster Gate's guitar solos are . . . AMAZING!!! Zacky Vengeance does great harmonies with him which just peices together the songs. A7X will live forever in my stereo and my chocolate.
Rachael
from Sciotoville, Ohio
Definately the BEST EVER!!!
I absolutely love it. I think that they out did theirselves. Personally my favorite song is a tie between Dear God and A Little Piece of Heaven. I would recommend this to any fan who likes something different. BEST ALBUM OF THEIRS TO DATE!!!
Cart 0 items
Listen
