avenged sevenfold
Real metal is making a comeback, and Avenged Sevenfold, a quintet from Orange Country, California, is providing a breath of fresh air in a genre still recovering from the horrors of the Korn revolution. By integrating elements of new school punk rock and melodic hardcore into an unabashedly and uncompromising metal sound, this band has successfully broken out of the metal clichés of generations past and is completely devoid of any "mallcore" posturing. Avenged Sevenfold has set itself up to be the new gun and roses of a new generation. Not only does their music feel just as unrestrained as the late 80s/early 90s explosion of thrash metal, but their image and attitude
is refreshingly contemporary - put simply, they aren't your typical cheesy metal band. Synester Gates, the lead guitarist whose propensity for virtuosity helps set A7X even further above metal's current status quo, could single-handedly revitalize the "guitar hero" in an era of rock music where proficiency with one's instrument has all but disappeared. The band liberally employs catchy, melodic hooks and soaring vocal harmonies, and dives headlong into writing amazing songs that often sail past the six
minute mark. However, A7X maintains many hardcore elements showcased by the smattering of double-bass drum blast beats and lead singer M. Shadow's hardcore screaming..