Since 1999 Avenged Sevenfold has been making waves within the modern Heavy Metal and Hard Rock scene. Sustaining the tragic loss of their original Drummer Jimmy “The Rev” Sullivan, while it was extremely hard on the surviving members, it did not stop them. Taking the heartache and harnessing it, in the wake of The Rev’s passing they delivered one of their biggest albums, 2010’s Nightmare. From here it seems as if they only continued to find success, and in total the band crafted seven albums to their name, and thanks to unwavering fan support, they return in 2023 with album number eight.
Calling the album Life Is But a Dream…, and releasing it on June 2nd through Warner Records, it marks their first album in seven very long years. The absolute longest span of time they have ever gone without releasing a studio album, it is said that work began for this new effort all the way back in 2018, before it was finally finished up in 2022. Another interesting fact, this the first album since The Rev’s passing to actually feature some recordings of his playing… so watch out for that. This all-in mind, the current lineup of Vocalist M. Shadows, Bassist Johnny Christ, Drummer Brooks Wackerman, as well as Guitarists Zacky Vengeance and Synyster Gates deliver eleven new tracks that mix everything up.
Beginning with “Game Over,” you are led by a beautiful acoustic guitar which is then lost to thrashy guitars and a fast pace drum session. Ending much like it starts, it gets shuffled around with M. Shadows voice for a solid start. Now, an opening song usually almost always sets the tone for any album. However, in this case the opening does nothing of the sort. In fact, the entire album is different… very different.
A prime example of this is the album’s lead single “Nobody” which incorporates more of an Electronic sound all while continuously using Shadows darker hums throughout. Overlay this with highly melodic guitars, and you have got a song that is quite eclectic. Speaking of which, “We Love You” is another interesting one with a flow that is largely spoken word, opposed to singing. At times sounding somewhat synthetic, it should be noted it also includes a good hardcore breakdown; and this is something for those who want to be taken back to the ‘2000s era of Avenged Sevenfold.
Beyond this, other standouts include “(O)rdinary” and “(D)eath.” Tracks that are back-to-back, “(O)rdinary” utilizes more synth and the effect utilized on Shadows’ voice gives it all of more of a Tame Impala vibe. This is while “(D)eath” takes on a more classical sound; opening up with violin and piano led music. Feeling much like something from Dean Martin or Tony Bennett, with Shadow singing “In my dreams I awake as daylight breaks,” you feel you are stuck somewhere in a classic film. Which leads us to the finale, the title-track, which is also strictly instrumental. Something ‘synyster,’ pun intended, the feeling lingers behind, making for a good ending for a pretty cool intricate album.
Avenged Sevenfold has quite a story to tell. Losing The Rev, they triumphed forward and have seemingly shifted from genre to genre without hesitation. Never really sticking to one particular spot, this album is entirely different from 2001’s Sounding the Seventh Trumpet, but then again, so has most of what this band has produced since. And with that in mind, they will be partaking in some 2024 touring alongside DJ Sullivan King and Alternative Pop artist Poppy starting in March. Unique and interesting to say the least, Cryptic Rock has to give Avenged Sevenfold credit, scoring Life is But a Dream… with 5 out of 5 stars.
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