Biography

Early years

The band was formed in 1999. Avenged Sevenfold's first album, Sounding the Seventh Trumpet, was recorded when the band members were eighteen years old and in high school. It was originally released on their first label, Good Life Recordings. After lead guitarist Synyster Gates joined the band, the introductory track "To End The Rapture" was re-recorded with Gates playing, and the album was re-released on Hopeless Records. Their follow-up album, entitled Waking the Fallen, was also purchased on Hopeless Records. Shortly after its release, Avenged Sevenfold were signed to Warner Bros. Records.

Mainstream success

City of Evil, the band's third album, was released on 7 June 2005. Propelled by the success of the first single "Bat Country" and its accompanying music video, the album sold well and became Avenged Sevenfold's first gold record. City of Evil strayed away from the band's previous metalcore sound and M. Shadows chose to abandon the screaming vocals from the first two albums. Although Shadows acknowledges that he sustained throat and vocal cord damage after Waking the Fallen and later required surgery to help correct the problem, he states that the change in vocal style was not a result of this issue. In their DVD All Excess, Mudrock, producer of Avenged's second and third albums, said prior to Waking the Fallen, Shadows had stated that he wanted a CD with half-screaming, then one with no screaming, which was achieved in City of Evil. Shadows maintains that he's since been able to scream even better than before the surgery and training with vocal coach Ron Anderson, who worked with various artists, such as Axl Rose, Kylie Minogue, and Chris Cornell.[1]

Recent events

A7X's mainstream success got them an invitation to 2006's Ozzfest tour on the main stage, alongside other well known hard rock and heavy metal acts DragonForce, Lacuna Coil, Hatebreed, Disturbed, and System of a Down. That same year they also completed a worldwide tour, including the US, England, Europe, Japan, Australia and New Zealand. After canceling Fall and Winter 2006 tour dates, the band announced that they were planning their fourth studio album, a self-titled album. M. Shadows has stated that it would not be a City of Evil Part 2 or Waking the Fallen Part 2, but he says it will attract fans of both original albums while still being a surprise.[2] They played their first tour dates of 2007 on an Asian tour with stops in Indonesia, Singapore, and Japan. To "tide fans over" until the release of the new album, Avenged Sevenfold released their first DVD, All Excess, on 17 July 2007. All Excess debuted as the #1 DVD in the USA which included a documentary and live footage dating back to 1999 along with music videos and the making of the Seize the Day music video.

The self titled album was released out on October 30, 2007 to early success, debuting at #4 on the Billboard 200 with approximately 94,000 copies sold.[3] Two singles, "Critical Acclaim" and "Almost Easy" along with its music video, were released prior to the album. An animated video was made for "A Little Piece of Heaven" and was going to be included on the MVI, but due to the song's subject matter (i.e. Necrophilia), Warner Brothers released it to registered MVI users over the internet in December of 2007. The third single, "Afterlife" and its video was released in January 2008. Avenged Sevenfold has confirmed that their fourth single is the country rock style song "Dear God".

They recently headlined the Taste of Chaos tour with Atreyu, Bullet for My Valentine, Blessthefall and Idiot Pilot. On the tour, they have recorded a live DVD which will also have 6 unreleased studio songs from the most recent album.[4]

Guitarist Zacky Vengeance confirmed in an interview that the band had recently entered the studio to record two new cover songs from metal giants Iron Maiden and Black Sabbath.

On July 16 (Issue 1219), Kerrang! released a free CD, Maiden Heaven: A Tribute to Iron Maiden as a tribute album to Iron Maiden and it features Avenged Sevenfold covering the song Flash of the Blade. "Maiden are by far the best live band in the world and their music is timeless," says vocalist M Shadows. "This also gives us a chance to expose this great song to some of our younger fans who maybe aren't as familiar with Iron Maiden." [5]

Avenged Sevenfold announced that Live in the LBC & Diamonds in the Rough would be released on September 16th. It has also been rumored that their 5th and final single from their self-titled album will be "Lost" or "Scream".

Avenged Sevenfold was awarded "Album Of The Year" at the Kerrang! Awards. M. Shadows said this to the fans: "Receiving such an honor in the United Kingdom means so much to us because England has become like a second home. This summer has been the best of our career. We've seen so many of you in so many countries and you've all touched us. We're so proud of how much love our fans in the US have always shown us. And now it means the world to us to know how many of you around the globe have been touched by our music. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts"

During a recent festival performance in Leeds & Reading, UK, of which was completely sold out, the band were forced to shorten the Leeds performance and cancelled the Reading performance altogether due to M. Shadows being told by his doctors in Los Angeles and the U.K. to rest his voice due to vocal strain.[6]

Musical characteristics

Band name and lyrical content

The band's name is a reference to the Book of Genesis in the Bible - specifically Genesis 4:24, where Cain is sentenced to live in exile for murdering his brother. God marked him so that none would kill him on account of his sin; the man who dared to kill Cain would suffer "vengeance seven times over" (KJV). The abbreviation for Avenged Sevenfold came from Zacky Vengeance as A7X, in which the 'A' stands for 'Avenged', the '7' stands for 'seven', and the 'X' stands for 'fold' because of the X forming a "folding" formation and "sevenfold" is 7 multiplied (represented by 'X' in mathematical terms). The title of Avenged Sevenfold's song "Chapter Four" references the fourth chapter of Genesis, 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 only it is written in the first person and refers to the punishment of Babylon the Great, world empire and seat of false religion. Another biblical reference occurs in the song "The Wicked End". In this song, several times it is said "dust the apple off, savor each bite, and deep inside you know Adam was right." making reference to Eve eating the forbidden fruit. Although the band's title and members' stage names make references to religion, Shadows stated in an interview that they are not a religious band. "Anyone that reads the lyrics and really knew anything about us, they would know we're not promoting either," he said. "That's one thing about this band that I love is that we never really shove any kind of, like, political or religious beliefs on people. We just, the music's there to entertain and maybe thought-provoking on both sides, but we don't try to, like, really shove anything down anyone's throat. There's too many bands that do that nowadays, I think."[7] The band has a few songs that are somewhat political in nature like "Critical Acclaim" and "Blinded In Chains".

'The Deathbat'

The band sports a logo known as the "Deathbat". It has appeared on all of the band's album covers , as well as the covers of a number of singles such as "Bat Country" and "Critical Acclaim." The logo itself is a skull with a pair of bat wings. The Logo itself has been a huge part of the band and is now one of the most recognisable Icons in the music industry.

Genre

Avenged Sevenfold's material ranges across many genres, often leaving the concept of genres altogether (especially in their most recent album). For example, Avenged Sevenfold's debut Sounding the Seventh Trumpet consisted almost entirely of a metalcore or post-hardcore sound, however consisted of several deviations to these genres, most notably in "Streets" which adopts a punk style, and "Warmness on the Soul", which consists of mainly piano, and could be considered soft rock. Avenged Sevenfold's self-titled album, again, consists of several deviations to less consistent genres and styles from the album's main hard rock and heavy metal songs, most notably in "Dear God", which adopts a country style, and "A Little Piece of Heaven", which includes elements of Broadway show tunes, using primarily brass instruments and stringed orchestra to take over most of the role of the lead and rhythm guitar, and "Gunslinger", which has a Louisiana blues feel. The band has, though, changed considerably since its first album, which was characterized as very heavy, to being more of a hard rock type band.

Band members

Current members

* M. Shadows - lead vocals (1999–present)
* Synyster Gates - lead guitar, keyboards, backing vocals (2000–present)
* Zacky Vengeance - rhythm guitar, piano, backing vocals (1999–present)
* Johnny Christ - bass (2002 - present)
* The Reverend Tholomew Plague - drums, percussion, backing vocals (1999–present)

Former Members

* Matt Wendt - bass (1999–2000)
* Justin Meacham - bass, piano (2000–2001)
* Dameon Ash - bass (2001–2002)

Other Members

* Brian Haner Sr. - Additional guitars and pedal steel on City of Evil. He is also known as "The Official Acoustic Guitarist" for Avenged Sevenfold. He is Synyster's father, and is sometimes referred to as 'Papa Gates' because of this.

Discography

Main article: Avenged Sevenfold discography

* Sounding the Seventh Trumpet (2001)
* Waking the Fallen (2003)
* City of Evil (2005)
* Avenged Sevenfold (2007)
* Diamonds in the Rough (2008)

"SOUNDING THE SEVENTH TRUMPET" (2001)
1.To End The Rapture
2.Turn The Other Way
3.Darkness Surrounding
4.The Art Of Subconscious Illusion
5.We Come Out At Night
6.Lips Of Deceit
7.Warmness On The Soul
8.An Epic Of Time Wasted
9.Breaking Their Hold
10.Forgotten Faces
11.Thick And Thin
12.Streets
13.Shattered By Broken Dreams

"WAKING THE FALLEN" (2003)
1.Waking The Fallen
2.Unholy Confessions
3.Chapter Four
4.Remenissions
5.Desecrate Through Reverance
6.Eternal Rest
7.Second Heartbeat
8.Radiant Eclipse
9.I Won't See You Tonight Part 1
10.I Won't See You Tonight Part 2
11.Clairvoyant Disease
12.And All Things Will End

"CITY OF EVIL" (2005)
1.Beast And The Harlot
2.Burn It Down
3.Blinded In Chains
4.Bat Country
5.Trashed And Scattered
6.Seize The Day
7.Sidewinder
8.The Wicked End
9.Strength Of The World
10.Betrayed
11.M.I.A.

"AVENGED SEVENFOLD" (2007)
1.Critical Acclaim
2.Almost Easy
3.Scream
4.Afterlife
5.Gunslinger
6.Unbound (The Wild Ride)
7.Brompton Cocktail
8.Lost
9.A Little Piece Of Heaven
10.Dear God

"DIAMONDS IN THE ROUGH" (2008)
01. Demons
02. Girl I Know
03. Crossroads
04. Flash of The Blade (Iron Maiden Cover)
05. Until The End
06. Tension
07. Walk (Pantera Cover)
08. The Fight
09. Dancing Dead
10. Almost Easy (Remix)
11. Afterlife (Alternate Version)
12. Almost Easy (Live From Seattle) (Bonus)
13. Bat Country (Live From Fresno) (Bonus)

Stage Name:M.Shadows
First Name: Matthew
Middle Name: Charles
Last Name: Sanders
Bio : In his youth, Matthew Charles Sanders was notorious for his disorderly conduct and misbehavior. He was kicked out of two different Huntington Beach schools, one for smashing a woman's car windows after a sixth-grade pizza party and another for defacing campus property, which ended with the death of the school principal over a heart attack. This latter event earned him the nickname "the kid that killed the principal."[1]

On the A7X DVD, while all of the members were talking about how they got their stage names, M. Shadows said that he got his name because when he attended El Modena High School and the band was just starting out, he was a darker kid (hence the name "Shadows") but he also wanted to incorporate his name, Matt, into his stage name. Matt was reduced to M and since has been known as M. Shadows.[2]

Matt and long time girlfriend Valary Dibenedetto got engaged in August 2007,as said by Matt in the August issue of Revolver magazine.

Stage Name: Synyster Gates
First Name: Brian
Middle Name: Elwin
Last Name: Haner
Bio : Synyster Gates attended Ocean View High School in Huntington Beach,California and Mayfair High School in Lakewood, California as a teenager, and then the Musicians Institute in Hollywood as part of the GIT program, studying jazz guitar. His father Brian Haner Sr., is a musician and is often called Avenged Sevenfold's official acoustic guitar player for his appearances on their albums, such as the acoustic solo on City of Evil 's "Sidewinder" and "MIA".

Gates joined Avenged Sevenfold (A7X) when he was 18 at the end of 1999, right before the recording of the band's first album, Sounding the Seventh Trumpet. He was featured on their EP, "Warmness on the Soul," and on the reissue of their first album. He also plays piano for the band on songs such as "The Beast and the Harlot" and "Sidewinder," though a former member of the band, bassist Justin Sane, played the piano on Warmness on the Soul.

In the Avenged Sevenfold DVD "All Excess," to emphasize the seemingly random placing of names, Gates stated that his name was thought of on a drunken drive through the park with The Rev. His exact words were, "I am Synyster Gates, and I am fucking awesome!".[1]

Gates cites Django Reinhardt, Adam Aparicio, Dimebag Darrell, Slash, and Roddy as his favorite guitarists and major influences. He has won numerous awards, including the "Young Shredder" award of the year in the Metal Hammer awards in 2006 and the "Guitarist of the Year" Award for Total Guitar Magazine in 2006.

Synyster Gates was also a member of the "Goblin Metal" side-project Pinkly Smooth with The Rev and Justin Sane. Pinkly Smooth was disbanded because Gates and The Rev wished to focus full-time on Avenged Sevenfold, although when asked recently, they both revealed there is a new side project being planned, featuring the two playing older Pinkly Smooth tunes.

Gates is currently dating Michelle DiBenedetto, twin sister of M. Shadows's fiance, Val DiBenedetto.

First Name: Zachary
Middle Name: James
Last Name: Baker
Zacky has played guitar since he was around thirteen years old, and is self taught.

In the Avenged Sevenfold DVD "All Excess" he recalls that before Avenged Sevenfold, he played in a one time punk band called MPA*, which stood for "Mad Porno Action". He implies that they were not successful, and was arrested after their concert for supposedly "stealing all the mics." He and M. Shadows (the band's lead vocalist) formed Avenged Sevenfold. He took the name Zacky Vengeance, stating that he had grudges against many people who doubted his success. He was also responsible for the creation of the acronym "A7X". Stating that the 'A' stood for avenged, and then the 7X was seven times.[1] He is also left handed. He taught himself how to play the guitar when he was thirteen. The guitar he first learned on was actually his dad's, and was a right-handed model that he played upside-down.

Baker has stated that there are many bands that influence him. "I still love the heavy bands. I love... Danny Elfman and Elvis Costello. [It's] all over the place - I think that's the best way to be."[2]

Baker has been sponsored by Schecter Guitar Research since 2004, and has custom S-1 models out. He uses Seymour Duncan Pickups in all of his guitars and is currently a featured artist on the company's website along with Synyster Gates.

His brother, Matt Baker, is a member of the band The Dear & Departed. He also has a sister named Zina Baker.

Contrary to popular belief, Zacky's middle name is not Jonathan, he stated this himself on a Vengeance University MySpace blog. His middle name is James.

Stage Name: The Reverend Tholomew Plague - The Rev
First Name: James
Middle Name: Owen
Last Name: Sullivan
Bio : At the age of 10, The Rev got his own drum set. The Rev attended a Catholic school with M. Shadows, and was expelled in the 2nd grade. The Rev was also expelled from Huntington Beach High School, and was then expelled from the reform school resulting in his dropping out. His first record was released with the band Suburban Legends at the age of 18.

He was also formerly the drummer for third-wave ska band Suburban Legends, and drummer/vocalist for Avenged Sevenfold side project Pinkly Smooth. The Rev took part in the band Ballistico as their guitarist and vocalist. On the Avenged Sevenfold DVD, All Excess, while discussing how each member got their stage names, it was stated that Sullivan attained his name via a shortened version of The Reverend Tholomew Plague. The decision was seemingly random, as there were no specific reasons stated as to the inspiration for the name. He had a tendency to wear eccentric outfits such as outrageously colored kimonos or bath robes, baggy shorts, and flourescent socks. In the DVD, he terrorized people on his campus while wearing the eccentric outfits , and rode around in a golf cart.[1]

Some of his favorite bands are Rancid, The Transplants, Slayer, and Organized Riot. Sullivan cites his influences as being Vinnie Paul of Pantera, Dave Lombardo and Paul Bostaph of Slayer, Mike Portnoy of Dream Theater, and Terry Bozzio

Sullivan uses and is sponsored by DW Drums, although he appears in advertisements for DW's budget company, PDP, his old tour set was a PDP. He is also sponsored by Sabian cymbals, Pro-Mark sticks and Evans drum heads. [2]

Recognized for vocals in side project Pinkly Smooth, Sullivan is utilized as a back-up vocalist in Avenged Sevenfold. Besides screaming with M. Shadows in songs Chapter Four and Eternal Rest, the single from the band's eponymous album, Critical Acclaim features Sullivan at lead vocals during the chorus of the song, both singing and screaming. His vocals are also featured in other songs from the Avenged Sevenfold eponymous album.

The Rev is featured singing in the songs he wrote, "A Little Piece of Heaven", "Brompton Cocktail", "Afterlife", and "Almost Easy". He also sings in "Critical Acclaim","Scream" and "Lost", both from the eponymous album.

Stage Name: Johnny Christ
First Name: Jonathan
Middle Name: Lewis
Last Name: Seward
Bio : He is the third bassist for Avenged Sevenfold, following the departures of Dameon Ash and Justin Meacham. He dropped out of Marina High School before his senior year to tour with the band. He first recorded on their second CD Waking the Fallen. He used to write only Johnny on his autographs until Zacky came up with the name 'Johnny Christ', and in All Excess he said It sounded kind of ballsy and it would piss some people off...so everyone's going to hate that. He resides in Huntington Beach, Orange County

BAD BOYZ FOR LIFE...!!!

View more pictures of Avenged Sevenfold and M. Shadows!
Add Avenged Sevenfold pictures to your blog or myspace page



View more pictures of Avenged Sevenfold and Synyster Gates!
Add Avenged Sevenfold pictures to your blog or myspace page



View more pictures of Avenged Sevenfold and Zacky Vengeance!
Add Avenged Sevenfold pictures to your blog or myspace page

SCREAM


Caught up in this madness too blind to see
Woke animal feelings in me
Took over my sense and I lost control
I'll taste your blood tonight

You know I make you wanna scream
You know I make you wanna run from me baby
but know it's too late you've wasted all your time

Relax while you're closing your eyes to me
So warm as I'm setting you free
With your arms by your side there's no struggling
Pleasure's all mine this time

You know I make you wanna scream
You know I make you wanna run from me baby
but know it's too late you've wasted all your time

Cherishing, those feelings pleasuring
Cover me, unwanted clemency
Scream till there's silence
Scream while there's life left, vanishing
Scream from the pleasure unmask your desire
perishing

We've all had a time where we've lost control
We've all had our time to grow
I'm hoping I'm wrong but I know I'm right
I'll hunt again one night

You know I make you wanna scream
You know I make you wanna run from me baby
but know it's too late you've wasted all your time

Cherishing, those feelings pleasuring
Cover me, unwanted clemency
Scream till there's silence
Scream while there's life left, vanishing
Scream from the pleasure unmask your desire
perishing

Some live repressing their instinctive feelings
Protest the way we're built don't point the blame on me

Scream, Scream, Scream the way you would
if I ravaged your body
Scream, Scream, Scream the way you would
if I ravaged your mind

Cherishing, those feelings pleasuring
Cover me, unwanted clemency
Scream till there's silence
Scream while there's life left, vanishing
Scream from the pleasure unmask your desire
perishing

M.I.A


Staring at the carnage, praying that the sun would never rise.
Living another day in disguise.
These feelings can't be right, lend me your courage to stand up and fight, on tonight.

Ooooo....
Stand up and fight.

The fighting rages on and on, to challenge me you must be strong.
I walk your land but don't belong, two million soldiers can't be wrong.

It's no fun but I've been here before
I'm far from home and I'm fighting your war.
(Not the way I pictured this, I wanted better things)
Some are scared others killing for fun, I shot a mother right in front of her son.
(Take this from my consciousness, and please erase my dreams)

Fight for honor, fight for your life.
Pray to God that our side is right.
Even though we won, I still may lose
Until I make it home to you
I see our mothers filled with tears,
grew up so fast where did those years go?
Memories wont let you cry
unless I don't return tonight.

So many soldiers on the other side, I take their lives so they can't take mine.
(Scared to make it out alive now murder's all I know.)
Nobody tells me all the reasons we're here. I have my weapons so there's nothing to fear.
(Another day, another life, but nothing real to show for)

Fight for honor, fight for your life.
Pray to God that our side is right.
Even though we won, I still may lose
Until I make it home to you
I see our mothers filled with tears,
grew up so fast where did those years go?
Memories wont let you cry
unless I don't return tonight.

Staring at the carnage, praying that the sun would never rise.
Living another day in disguise.
These feelings can't be right, lend me your courage to stand up and fight.

Watching the death toll rise wondering how I'm alive.
Stranger's blood on my hands, I've shot all I can
There are no silent nights, watching your brothers all die
To destroy all their plans with no thought of me
No thought of me, no thought of me

Ohhhhh.....

Walk the city lonely
Memories that haunt are passing by
A murderer walks your street tonight
Forgive me for my crimes; don't forget that I was so young
Fought so scared in the name of God and country

UNHOLY CONFESSIONS


"I'll try," she said as he walked away.
"Try not to lose you."
Two vibrant hearts could change.
Nothing tears the being more than deception,
unmasked fear.
"I'll be here waiting" tested and secure.

Nothing hurts my world,
just affects the ones around me
When sin's deep in my blood,
you'll be the one to fall.

"I wish I could be the one,
the one who won't care at all
But being the one on the stand,
I know the way to go, no one's guiding me.
When time soaked with blood turns its back,
I know it's hard to fall.
Confided in me was your heart
I know it's hurting you, but it's killing me."

Nothing will last in this life,
our time is spent constructing,
now you're perfecting a world... meant to sin.
Constrict your hands around me,
squeeze till I cannot breathe,
this air tastes dead inside me,
contribute to our plague.
Break all your promises,
tear down this steadfast wall,
restraints are useless here,
tasting salvation's near.

Nothing hurts my world,
just affects the ones around me
When sin's deep in my blood,
you'll be the one to fall.

"I wish I could be the one,
the one who won't care at all
But being the one on the stand,
I know the way to go, no one's guiding me.
When time soaked with blood turns its back,
I know it's hard to fall.
Confided in me was your heart
I know it's hurting you, but it's killing me."

"Shattered By Broken Dreams"

I see you fading away from us.
I'll miss you very much.
Room with empty bottles, broken dreams,
and pride still running high, always on your side.

But I wanted more for you.
You can't go on this way.
And now I see it all fall through.
We pray for better days.

Stuck alone and scared.
Throw your life away
and now choking on your pride
may be the only way.

I don't want to see you like this.
We all tried to save you but missed.
I still feel the hope on your road.
Now come back to us like the days of the old.

I still feel you there, trying to get on top.
You'll always have my support, in my heart.
People you've hurt.
Friends that you've lied to.
But we understand, and that's not (you) can see the end of the road,
I can see it too, for you, I'm scared, if I lose you, I'm not prepared.
This time, if you die.
I watch you, right before my eyes.
Just trust me, and listen.
You have no self control.

This will take your life.

Overdose and then indulge until you die.
Pondering, we all ask the question why.
Broken home, and then abandoned by your dad.
And we are left the only family that you've ever had.
[x2]

I wanted more for you.
You can't go on this way.
And now I see it all fall through.
We pray for better days.

Stuck alone and scared.
Throw your life away
and now choking on your pride
may be the only way.

Help you see it through.
Fight this me and you.
Reaching deep inside.
Problems not just you is what we find.
Our friendship makes it mine.