Review Summary: This album is a horrific let-down.
Avenged Sevenfold - Avenged Sevenfold 2007 Album Critique
November 2, 2007 written by Dawn Wagner
My name is Dawn Wagner and if anyone knows anything, they know I am the craziest die-hard A7X fan God could ever put on this Earth. I discovered Avenged Sevenfold in 2002 thanks to the Warped Tour Compilation CD; I quickly bought their disc titled, Sounding the Seventh Trumpet released in 2001.
The evolution of this band is far more delicate than any other I have ever listened to. Sounding the Seventh Trumpet is filled with chilling vocals, deep lyrics, outstanding guitars, and tight percussion. It was an average album for an up-and-coming hardcore rock band from Huntington Beach, California. To be honest, no track made them stick out to me, they weren't an instant favorite. But they definitely were holding something no other musician at the time ever possessed. Track favorites include, "Darkness Surrounding," "The Art of Subconscious Illusion," "Warmness on the Soul," and "Shattered by Broken Dreams."
When they released Waking the Fallen in 2003, they showed the world their versatility, style, and the guitarist’s ability to shred for hours. Not to put the bass and drums in the shadows, but they never stood out. I never really heard any of the bass lines pop, probably due to the volumes of the harmonizing guitars. Front man, M. Shadows as always kept writing his clever lyrics with catchy melodies, which can be seen in the tracks, "Unholy Confessions," "Chapter Four," "Eternal Rest" and "Second Heartbeat," in my personal opinion, I believe those four songs are by far Avenged Sevenfold greatest. In between playing ridiculous amounts of gigs across the world and recording, M. Shadows had done a great amount of damage to his vocal chords - the hardcore, deep screams had no choice but to come to an end if the band wanted to continue. After hearing this news, I feared the bands immediate downfall and next album.
In 2005, Avenged Sevenfold released their heavily anticipated third Album City of Evil, fans quickly divided. They felt Avenged Sevenfold was no longer staying true to hardcore/metal, but no fear many new fans joined. The bands knew what they were getting themselves into and were well aware of the repercussions of doing so. The album was a great success, they persevered by writing their face melting guitar solos, heavy riffs, and stunning harmonies seen in tracks "Sieze the Day," "Betrayed," "Bat Country" and "Trashed and Scattered." But could they top the amazing success of this album? Two years later, how do you feel about Avenged Sevenfolds new self-titled, self-produced album?
I am no album critic but this album completely sucks and I am NOT INSANE! I would never dream of blasting this album in my car with all the windows down for the world to hear. Could it really be true? Could this be the end of our ever loved reigning rock Gods?
In my opinion, the two singles "Critical Acclaim" and "Almost Easy" are the same old melodies and guitar riffs that define the band, but what happened to the rest of the album? Didn't they produce it? Shouldn't I expect more cocky lyrics, heavier than heavy riffs, killer bass lines, tight, fast-paced drums, and radiating guitar solos?
M. Shadows vocals became very deep in some songs, I can't imagine how to sing or rock out to them in concert! He resembles melodies from crappy bands like Three Days Grace, Disturbed, Kid Rock, and Uncle Cracker. Backup vocals by who knows are very overplayed and nothing new, there's nothing special to them at all. I also hear absolutely ridiculous amounts of orchestras in the background which give the album an epic element, but also drown out guitars, are they necessary in nearly every song?
I was shocked when listening to the track called, "A Little Piece of Heaven," you hear a full band, no, not rock band, I'm talking high school band - trumpets, trombones, the whole nine yards! On top of that, it has this air that resembles music from the film, The Nightmare Before Christmas, which just reminds me of weird kids who love Hot Topic way too much. According to me, that is NOT what Avenged Sevenfold is about. Honestly, I think that is the worst track! The lyrics are awful, the instruments and his melodies make it sound like a ***ing play! I always loved seeing them live but if I have to sit through Phantom of the Opera on November 14th at Hammerstein Ballroom I will be a very pissed off woman. It worries me, I feel as though between this nonsense of an album they try to redeem themselves by using harmonizing guitars, just so everyone doesn't notice their monstrous metamorphosis.
On almost every track there is a dragged out beginning that consists of organs, violins, screams, African drums, or high pitch squeals. How many intro tracks can you place on one album? Just start the song already! I have to hear that bull*** on every other CD; can't you be different and unique like I thought you were?
Aside from the horrible results of "A Little Piece of Heaven," I'd have to say that track is tied with the awful creation of "Gunslinger." There is an unexpected soulful African American choir in the background, but all put aside, the 1:30 minute introduction is just as boring and obnoxious as an Uncle Cracker single. It is almost saved when Synister and Zacky enter with their thrilling guitars, but the lyrics are ridiculously tacky and I refuse to believe they are written by M. Shadows.
Think about it, does 'A Little Piece of Heaven,' 'Brompton Cocktail,' and 'The Wild Ride' really sound like song titles to an Avenged Sevenfold album after all? Not to me!
One track I was enjoying aside form the singles was a track called, "Lost," all went well with this track, it's pretty catchy, the guitars are wonderful, percussion is keeping up, but I can't help but to notice the drowning computerized techno effects on the background vocals that remind me of an awful song called, "Jesse Buy Nothing.. Go to Prom Anyways!" by Hellogoodbye, a band from a completely different genre of music, if you even want to call it that.
I really hope their record label has absolutely EVERYTHING to do with this nonsense they call an album. Either that, or I hope they became straight-edge and sobered up from drugs and wrote all this ***. Just pretty, pretty please write a good album, and tell Ashton Kutcher to come out of my CD player and tell me I officially got Punk'd already!
God Bless you Avenged Sevenfold, I never thought it would be possible for me to dislike anything you write. Instead of sitting on the shelf with Pantera, Slayer, Metallica, you now sit on a shelf with Disturbed, Daughtry, Good Charlotte, Yellowcard, LFO, and Hinder.
