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Avenged Sevenfold - Avenged Sevenfold review



Reviewer:
9.4

441 users:
7.08
Band: Avenged Sevenfold
Album: Avenged Sevenfold
Style: Alternative metal, Heavy metal
Release date: October 30, 2007
Guest review by: ilicit


01. Critical Acclaim
02. Almost Easy
03. Scream
04. Afterlife
05. Gunslinger
06. Unbound (The Wild Ride)
07. Brompton Cocktail
08. Lost
09. A Little Piece Of Heaven
10. Dear God

This album came to bring even more popularity to this band, and is, in my opinion, their best album so far. "Self-Titled" I guess because it pretty much defines the band, and all their unique music. We can call them a metalcore band with some heavy metal influences, that are more visible in this album. Many people can say they're kind of "emo" nowadays because of their devoted fans, but as far as I'm concerned they are more than that and, above all, great professionals.

Comparing to their previous album City of Evil, it is my opinion that they have improved on production and also originality. Although we have songs with nothing really special about them like "Scream" and "Lost", the album gives us great quality in the variety of instruments and performance of the band elements, comparing to others. The main thing to underline here is their talent to make better and new awesome music.

As we start listening to the album we soon realize the difference between others with a strange organ introduction on "Critical Acclaim", that turned out to be great when you start listening to the electric guitar and then drums. From this early inspired intro, a great album rises and I really felt like every note was where it was supposed to be. In my opinion, they've accomplished almost perfection on "A Little Piece Of Heaven" which is in every aspect a brilliant work from a team composed by, not only the band members, but a small orchestra who was invited to play trumpets, violins, flutes, and also a great female singer was a part of this excellent 8 minute song.

In another point of view, we have to look also for the more commercial aspect of this album. "Afterlife" is the personification of what I'm saying: a song that has an enormous popularity even from people who are not into A7x, or even metal. Don't get me wrong; the song is actually pretty good and pleasant to hear, so I'm not taking this aspect as a negative part of the album.

To sum up, I conclude that this is an awesome, complex and unique album. Above any other thing, their variety and creativity rises to the top. They are famous, and hopefully that won't bring them down in times to come, so they can keep on doing great music.


Rating breakdown
Performance: 9
Songwriting: 9
Originality: 10
Production: 9

Written by ilicit | 29.06.2009




Guest review disclaimer:
This is a guest review, which means it does not necessarily represent the point of view of the MS Staff.


Comments

Comments: 25   Visited by: 240 users
29.06.2009 - 22:03
Uirapuru
Liver Failure
It is ok. I liked a couple of songs a lot: ''Gunslinger'' is awesome. ''A little piece of heaven'' and ''Dear God''.

But I don't know. City of Evil was way fun to listen, despite the performance kinda average. This one seem kinda forced, too much calculated, not enough feeling. At least to me..

I got to say that they ARE very EMO! But they seem to have a problem to admit that. Don't know why, since their music is very good.
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member of the true crusade against old school heavy metal, early 80s thrash, NWOBHM, traditional doom, first and second wave black metal, old school death metal, US power metal, 70s prog rock and atmospheric doomsludgestoner. o/
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02.07.2009 - 03:22
Rating: 10
Syn Gates
It's a great album. Critical Acclaim, Almost Easy, Afterlife, Gunslinger, A Little Peice of Heaven; excellent peices of work. but their best album is Waking the Fallen
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25.07.2009 - 00:04
Nosurper
Stinky Lips
This is actually a solid band, most people like to trash them, probably due to their commercial appeal among younger kids...eh, i dunno. I liked City of Evil, it incorporated elements of thrash, nwobhm, and injected a great deal of melody with some catchy harmonies. The guitars and drums are excellent, and the occasional acoustic guitar and orchestral interludes add some atmosphere. The lyrics aren't too bad either. Often they are simple and recycled, but they have their moments on songs like "Bat Country," where they pay tribute to a lost friend.

As for this album, I appreciate that they experimented and attempted to push their sound further. This is something that most mainstream bands rarely seem to do, especially after coming off their most popular album to date. However, this album is way too hit and miss for me. "Dear God" is a TERRIBLE song IMO, and I find "A Little Piece of Heaven," just silly. It tries waaayyyy to hard to be original with its random orchestral interludes and goofy sound-effects. It just comes off as The Nightmare Before Christmas...except worse. Some songs are solid though. "Brompton Cocktail" isn't bad, and "Afterlife" is strong with a fantastic guitar solo. "Gunslinger" is also a highlight. I would probably rate this album a 5, but I appreciate the effort to try and experiment, so I go with a 6/10.

It's definitely not a 9.4/10 album.
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11.08.2009 - 17:22
Panterica
Good album, but 9.4? Overated. I think that 7.5 or 8 will suite this album.
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Li'ed - Prog-Metal from Jerusalem
https://open.spotify.com/artist/7aZWDrAAvDSLMaSmDSE8zA
https://www.facebook.com/LiedBandMusic
http://lied-band.bandcamp.com/
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11.08.2009 - 18:58
Valentin B
Iconoclast
It's cool that many people don't just shut up and take shit from the TRVE metalheads. how would this compare to Bullet For My Valentine's last album? is it heavier, proggier, what-ier?
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15.08.2009 - 02:33
Nosurper
Stinky Lips
Written by Valentin B on 11.08.2009 at 18:58

It's cool that many people don't just shut up and take shit from the TRVE metalheads. how would this compare to Bullet For My Valentine's last album? is it heavier, proggier, what-ier?

Much better than Bullet IMO, in the sense that it's not a blatant 80's thrash re-visit...or rip-off. That new Bullet for my Valentine sounded like it came right off the assembly line; no heart, no passion, no soul. Just a bunch of overproduced thrash based bologna with even worse lyrical content.
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15.08.2009 - 04:40
Sunioj
The vocals completely ruin this band for me.
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15.08.2009 - 13:27
Valentin B
Iconoclast
Written by Nosurper on 15.08.2009 at 02:33

Written by Valentin B on 11.08.2009 at 18:58

It's cool that many people don't just shut up and take shit from the TRVE metalheads. how would this compare to Bullet For My Valentine's last album? is it heavier, proggier, what-ier?

Much better than Bullet IMO, in the sense that it's not a blatant 80's thrash re-visit...or rip-off. That new Bullet for my Valentine sounded like it came right off the assembly line; no heart, no passion, no soul. Just a bunch of overproduced thrash based bologna with even worse lyrical content.

wat


out of all the tracks on the album, the only one which is clearly thrash-inspired is Scream Aim Fire and it's not even a ripoff, maybe you just enjoy the metalcore version of BFMV..
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22.08.2009 - 17:28
Nosurper
Stinky Lips
Written by Valentin B on 15.08.2009 at 13:27

Written by Nosurper on 15.08.2009 at 02:33

Written by Valentin B on 11.08.2009 at 18:58

It's cool that many people don't just shut up and take shit from the TRVE metalheads. how would this compare to Bullet For My Valentine's last album? is it heavier, proggier, what-ier?

Much better than Bullet IMO, in the sense that it's not a blatant 80's thrash re-visit...or rip-off. That new Bullet for my Valentine sounded like it came right off the assembly line; no heart, no passion, no soul. Just a bunch of overproduced thrash based bologna with even worse lyrical content.

wat


out of all the tracks on the album, the only one which is clearly thrash-inspired is Scream Aim Fire and it's not even a ripoff, maybe you just enjoy the metalcore version of BFMV..

haha, well not so much enjoy as i do appreciate wat little more originality it has to offer. as far as which songs are and aren't thrash inspired on that album, i would re-visit the album to see if you are right but I really don't have that much time to waste. I would definitely say it's pretty clear that they were attempting to find a place for themselves more along that vein, but hey thats just me.
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23.10.2009 - 20:27
Rating: 2
sbgmetal
I think these kids need to learn "a lesson in violence"
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24.10.2009 - 08:13
DoomGuard
Written by sbgmetal on 23.10.2009 at 20:27

I think these kids need to learn "a lesson in violence"

Exactly, I'm actually pretty surprised A7X was added on here before Dethklok or at least Brendon Small. A7X is the epitome of what I hate people have done with metal.
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26.10.2009 - 13:31
Deigrinder
Avenged Sevenfold is da most overrated band i have ever seen!!!!!!
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31.10.2009 - 06:14
dEAthB3D
Agreed
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the ultimate use of treason is the treacherous use of reason
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21.12.2009 - 00:00
vikingman369
All this shit against them coming from people who like Burzum, Megadeth, Slayer, Iron Maiden, Tarja, Anal Cunt, Mayhem and master of puppets no doubt...

Seriously, someone tries to be unique and you fags bash on them!

A7x is NOT, NEVER was and NEVER will be emo. FallOut Boy, Coheed & Cambria, Green Day, Good Charlotte, Framing Hanley... THAT is emo. Avenged Sevenfold is NOT!

B---
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"God it feels
Like it only rains on me" -- My World
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21.12.2009 - 09:16
Uirapuru
Liver Failure
I like them... but they ARE emo... cmon... look at Seize the Day, Dear God... and specially the ''I wont see you tonight Pt.1''. Even the name of the song is emo as hell. The picture of the band is emo also.

And so what? They make good music... the way the band act, feel or dress should not matter so much.
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member of the true crusade against old school heavy metal, early 80s thrash, NWOBHM, traditional doom, first and second wave black metal, old school death metal, US power metal, 70s prog rock and atmospheric doomsludgestoner. o/
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18.01.2010 - 18:25
Rating: 5
Fat & Sassy!
Elite
Written by vikingman369 on 21.12.2009 at 00:00

All this shit against them coming from people who like Burzum, Megadeth, Slayer, Iron Maiden, Tarja, Anal Cunt, Mayhem and master of puppets no doubt...

Seriously, someone tries to be unique and you fags bash on them!

A7x is NOT, NEVER was and NEVER will be emo. FallOut Boy, Coheed & Cambria, Green Day, Good Charlotte, Framing Hanley... THAT is emo. Avenged Sevenfold is NOT!

B---

Do you EVER read the posts you post or think before you type up a response to something? Every post I've read by you on this site convinces me more and more that you're a complete asshat. :/

Anyway, the argument of something being "emo" or not is not worth discussing. Being EMO has nothing to do with the music, seeing as how it is really just a fashion statement that hopefully (finger-crossed) will go away in celebration of this new decade.

I don't think this album is really original at all... but if it is, that doesn't count for much seeing as how this album's songs are poor AT BEST. For being music that is "emotional", I can't help but find it hollow, manufactured and flat-out fake.
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18.03.2010 - 09:07
Rating: 2
Builtforsin88
This band is pure shit, in my opinion.
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09.09.2010 - 09:43
Rating: 5
Aetherius
Agree @ Builtforsin88. I have tried to listen to some of it and, well, you just cant dress a turd.
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09.09.2010 - 22:22
Rating: 5
Fat & Sassy!
Elite
Written by Aetherius on 09.09.2010 at 09:43

Agree @ Builtforsin88. I have tried to listen to some of it and, well, you just cant dress a turd.

Well, you can put a dress on a turd... and then make-out with it... But then you just feel guilty and gross afterward. :/
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09.09.2010 - 22:34
Insineratehymn
Account deleted
Written by Fat & Sassy! on 09.09.2010 at 22:22

Written by Aetherius on 09.09.2010 at 09:43

Agree @ Builtforsin88. I have tried to listen to some of it and, well, you just cant dress a turd.

Well, you can put a dress on a turd... and then make-out with it... But then you just feel guilty and gross afterward. :/

That is, unless you have coprophilia.
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27.05.2011 - 18:41
stormchaserD
Well its not their best album so a 7.9 or a 8.5 sounds more reasonable but 9.4 no.
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27.05.2012 - 18:09
ruiaqf
Account deleted
Written by sbgmetal on 23.10.2009 at 20:27

I think these kids need to learn "a lesson in violence"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ypbScMwdf4
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29.05.2012 - 04:19
Rating: 2
sbgmetal
Written by [user id=130576] on 27.05.2012 at 18:09

Written by sbgmetal on 23.10.2009 at 20:27

I think these kids need to learn "a lesson in violence"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ypbScMwdf4

\m/ +1
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23.01.2013 - 19:11
Rating: 2
Passenger
Lost To Apathy
It's been a while since I heard a song as one-dimensional and bland as Dear God.
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You don't make up for your sins in church. You do it in the streets. You do it at home. The rest is bullshit and you know it ~ Mean Streets
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12.06.2017 - 03:56
shigechii
Honestly i would have to disagree with you personally saying that waking the fallen was a7x's best album. though this album had many great songs on it includiing afterlife and LPOH waking the fallen or even the stage had better "deeper lyrics" that i search for in metal songs/bands. i agree w you that this is a great album though.
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