Avenged Sevenfold is a popular American rock band that formed in 1999 in Huntington Beach, California. The band’s current lineup consists of lead vocalist M. Shadows, rhythm guitarist Zacky Vengeance, lead guitarist Synyster Gates, bassist Johnny Christ, and drummer Brooks Wackerman. Over their career spanning more than two decades, Avenged Sevenfold has released eight studio albums and sold over 8 million records worldwide. The band is known for their diverse sound that blends elements of heavy metal, hard rock, and progressive metal.
The Early Days of Avenged Sevenfold
Avenged Sevenfold started out as a group of high school friends who shared a love for heavy metal music. The original lineup included M. Shadows, Zacky Vengeance, bassist Matt Wendt, and drummer The Rev. They recorded their first demo in 1999 and played their first live show in February 2000. Lead guitarist Synyster Gates joined the band in 2001, solidifying the core lineup that would go on to achieve massive success.
Avenged Sevenfold’s Breakout with Waking the Fallen and City of Evil
Avenged Sevenfold’s second album, Waking the Fallen, was released in 2003 on Hopeless Records. While it didn’t chart initially, the album was eventually certified gold by the RIAA and helped expand the band’s fanbase. Avenged Sevenfold achieved their mainstream breakthrough with their third album City of Evil in 2005. Released on Warner Bros Records, City of Evil debuted at #30 on the Billboard 200 chart and spawned the hit singles “Bat Country” and “Beast and the Harlot.” The album showcased a more traditional heavy metal sound compared to the metalcore style on their earlier work. City of Evil has since been certified platinum.
Self-Titled Album and the Tragic Death of The Rev
Avenged Sevenfold continued their success with their self-titled fourth album in 2007, which debuted at #4 on the Billboard 200, their highest charting position to date at the time. The album featured the hit singles “Almost Easy” and “Afterlife” and also included the fan favorite “A Little Piece of Heaven.” Tragically, drummer The Rev died from an accidental drug overdose in December 2009 at the age of 28. The band soldiered on to finish their next album Nightmare with drum parts written by The Rev and recorded by Dream Theater drummer Mike Portnoy.
Carrying on with Nightmare and Hail to the King
Released in 2010, Nightmare was a massive success for Avenged Sevenfold, debuting at #1 on the Billboard 200 and featuring their first #1 Mainstream Rock hit with “So Far Away.” Arin Ilejay was announced as the band’s new drummer in 2011.
Avenged Sevenfold followed up with their sixth album Hail to the King in 2013. The album marked a further evolution of the band’s sound into classic heavy metal and hard rock. It became their first album to top the charts in the UK, Canada, and several other countries in addition to the US. However, it would be the only Avenged Sevenfold album to feature Arin Ilejay on drums.
The Stage and Life Is But a Dream…
In late 2014, Avenged Sevenfold parted ways with Arin Ilejay and replaced him with former Bad Religion drummer Brooks Wackerman, but didn’t reveal the lineup change until 2015. With Wackerman on board, the band made an ambitious leap forward with 2016’s The Stage, a progressive metal conceptalbum about artificial intelligence that they surprise released with no prior promotion. The Stage was a commercial and critical success, debuting at #4 on the Billboard 200.
After a seven year break between albums, Avenged Sevenfold unveiled their most eclectic work yet with their eighth studio album Life Is But a Dream… in June 2023. The highly experimental record pushed the boundaries of the band’s sound, incorporating elements of avant-garde metal, progressive rock, and various other styles across its sprawling 70+ minute runtime.
Awards and Accolades for Avenged Sevenfold
Over their career, Avenged Sevenfold has earned numerous accolades, including two consecutive Kerrang! Awards for Best International Band in 2014 and 2015. The band won Most Dedicated Fans at the 2012 Revolver Golden Gods Awards and Best Live Band in 2011. In 2017, Avenged Sevenfold received their first Grammy nomination for Best Rock Song for the title track to The Stage.
The band has had incredible chart success as well, with two #1 albums on the Billboard 200 (Nightmare and Hail to the King). Every one of their albums since 2005’s City of Evil has debuted in the Top 10. Avenged Sevenfold also has eleven Top 10 singles on the Mainstream Rock chart, including five #1 hits. Overall, they’ve sold over 8 million albums worldwide as of 2023.
Avenged Sevenfold’s Musical Style and Influences
Avenged Sevenfold’s music is noted for incorporating a wide variety of styles and influences. According to the band, some of their biggest inspirations include Guns N’ Roses, Iron Maiden, Metallica, Pantera, and Dream Theater. While rooted in heavy metal and hard rock, Avenged Sevenfold’s albums frequently venture into progressive metal, alternative metal, and avant-garde metal.
The band has evolved their sound significantly over their career. Their first two albums had a strong metalcore influence, but they shifted to more of a traditional metal sound on City of Evil. The self-titled album incorporated some experimental elements like a full orchestra on “A Little Piece of Heaven.” Starting with Nightmare, the band began to include more progressive metal into their style, which was pushed to the forefront on The Stage. Their latest album Life Is But a Dream… is their most eclectic work yet.
Despite the shifts in their musical approach, the stellar musicianship, powerful vocals of M. Shadows, and dynamic dual guitar work of Synyster Gates and Zacky Vengeance have remained constants. Avenged Sevenfold has managed to stay relevant and continue to grow their fanbase over 20+ years by balancing innovation and experimentation with their core heavy metal sound. They stand tall as one of the biggest and most influential metal bands of the 21st century.
