http://www.facebook.com/avengedsevenfold
Record Label: Warner Bros. Records
Release Date: August 27th, 2013
Reviewed By: Michael Thomas
Every now and again heavy metal music needs a new generation of superstars, another adrenaline fuelled shot to the arm, another hard kick up the arse. Avenged Sevenfold could well be that shot the industry needs, and if their latest instalment Hail To The King is anything to go by, they are well on their way for world domination.
Recent interviews suggest the band are willing to be as big as their heroes Metallica, Guns N Roses, Iron Maiden, and Pantera. A few years ago many people would have laughed at such a comment, however if record sales are anything to go by, that spotlight on the main stage may not be as far away as they think.
Following 2010′s Nightmare album, Hail To The King sounds absolutely huge. The album opens with the tolling of a church bell not so dissimilar from that on the debut Black Sabbath album. Salutes to Metallica’s black album can be heard in the crushing track This Means War, whilst fans of Megadeth will enjoy familiar musical phrasing in Heretic.
The album ploughs on through the Guns N Roses-esque Doing Time and a song that could be Iron Maiden at the height of their career in Coming Home. The influences are pretty shameful at points, but at least the inspiration is that of heavy metal legends.
The title track takes you on journeys through medieval wastelands and stone clad corridors. Requiem features a slightly dark and all together satanic influence and sounds like a completely new territory for Avenged. Separating the heavy tracks on the album is the power ballad Crimson Day, a song begging to receive music video treatment
OVERALL RATING: 7.0/10
Avenged Sevenfold is:
M. Shadows – lead vocals
Zacky Vengeance – rhythm guitar, backing vocals
Synyster Gates – lead guitar, backing vocals
Johnny Christ – bass guitar, backing vocals
Arin Ilejay – drums
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