"Nightmare" is the newest album to have been created by the band "Avenged Sevenfold". In December 2009 the band took the loss of James Owen Sullivan (The Rev) in their stride and decided to complete the album in his honour. They asked the drummer from Dream Theatre, Mike Portnoy, to complete the drum tracks for the album.
Soon after completing the album they released the opening song of the album: "Nightmare". The song was met with mixed reviews. Despite the mass split of opinions, the song captured all the best bits of Avenged Sevenfold's unique sound. It kept the dark, ominous feeling that surrounds most of Avenged's newer work and in captures the crunching guitar tone that is present in "City Of Evil."
The vocals were somewhat disappointing however, as a lot of Matt's singing becomes throaty and groggy at parts. The absence of Matt's screaming in "Waking the fallen" is also disappointing as the anticipation for this album has been growing increasingly since the release of their last album "Avenged Sevenfold", and alot of fans were hoping that Matt would go back to his roots at some point and scream in some form.
Many could accuse Mike Portnoy of not following the Rev's style of drumming, but this could just be the fact that fans are just wanting to pick holes in the style of his drumming, simply because they miss the rev.
Overall, the opening song definitely sets the mood for the rest of the album.=9/10
"Welcome To The Family" is the second song on the album, which is reminiscent of the "Waking The Fallen song", Remenissions and also of "Avenged Sevenfold's", critical acclaim. A very riff driven verse and a melodic chorus and a very dark and harbouring bridge. The solo kicks in at 2.14, and is once again very reminiscent of "Critical acclaim". A harmonising phrase followed by a very fast alternative picked phrase.
After the first two songs you can tell this album is a compilation of Avenged's best parts. = 9/10
"Danger Line" is the third song on the album. The opening is a military style drum and guitar line. The chorus is somewhat similar to the kind they incorporated in "Waking The Fallen" and "City Of Evil", fast paced with guitars playing melodically in the background. The true highlight of this song takes place from 2:40, where the softer side of the album is first explored. With meaningful lyrics and a strong guitar part to accompany, the song then goes into a soft piano interlude, which is sure to give you goosebumps. The military theme present in the song unveils itself again with a military drum beat which is followed by a melodic solo. The song is finished by again the military style drums, and a peculiar "whistle" solo. =7/10
"Buried alive" is the fourth song and is the second single to have been released. A clear influence from early Metallica is established throughout, starting off with a soft harmonising solo. The chorus is the best part of the whole song, with a strong guitar riff which heavily emphasises the lyrics of the chorus, which is altogether further emphasised by the softness of the verses. This song is the most reminiscent of "City Of Evil", due to the tone of the vocals and overall tone of the song. A very Metallica sounding riff is present in the bridge after the solo. You can almost put Kirk Hammets famous grunts and "yeahs" on the track. But this is split up by an Avenged sounding build up of octaves, but is once again hindered by a Metallica sounding solo from Gates. The outro is definitely Metallica influenced. Overall this song is disappointing, but they should get appraisal for the fact that they tried something new. =5/10
"Natural born killer" is one of the best songs on the album, beginning with a riff that is definitely influenced by Waking The Fallen. The chorus is a clear highlight of the song, with a powerful meaning behind the lyrics and a very tasteful riff played by the guitar. Both solos are also highlights, with both being similar to the kind played in the CD/DVD "Diamonds in the rough". Worth listening to. =10/10
"So Far Away" is yet another shining diamond in the album. Similar to seize the day from "City Of Evil", this song is worth listening to. With a solo that will make the hair on your neck stand on end, a soft guitar part in the background that compliments the clean vocals and meaningful lyrics this is Avenged at their best. =9/10
"God hates us" is the heaviest song Avenged have ever released. Starting off with soft guitars you think this is yet again another slow song, but you couldnt be more wrong. The song immediately goes into a heavy riff with Lamb of god style drums. This whole song is clearly influenced by Lamb of god, as all guitar tones and vocal tones sound incredibly similar. The only riff that doesn't resemble Lamb of god is the chorus riff, which is more similar to the groove orientated song "Scream" from the previous album. This signals a welcomed return to "Waking the fallen" style vocals, but with much deeper, darker, growling vocals. The heavy bridge signals an return to the even earlier album "Sounding the seventh trumpet", with a somewhat slow, heavily palm muted guitar part, which the drums and vocals compliment well. The solo is one of the best on the album that goes incredibly well with the rhythm guitar and with the song as a whole. 9/10
"Victim" begins with another soft guitar phrase which is backed by a scat singer. You can tell from the start that this is yet again another good attempt at something different for Avenged Sevenfold. Given the loss of the Rev before the album was completed, you could say this song is about the Rev, with Matt feeling as though James being taken away from him is a crime, and a crime to everyone who knew him, as a fan or personally. You can truly feel the emotional state of mind in which Avenged wrote the whole album. However, the only downside is the tone of the vocals, which remains a problem throughout the whole album. At parts Matt's voice seems hoarse and throaty, which is disappointing given the potential quality of the song.= 7/10
"Tonight the world dies" starts off with another acoustic guitar part, such as in "City of Evil." This is another song which could be considered to be about the Rev, as though the band regrets the choices made in their earlier days which they feel lead to The revs overdoes in present days. A certain empathy is created whilst listening to this song, and you can feel the evident atmosphere of regret and sorrow that the band clearly wished to define. The downside to this song is once again the tone of the vocals, and also the lyrics to the chorus. They don't seem as strong as the rest of the choruses in the album, and clearly falls away from the normal large, epic choruses that is common to Avenged Sevenfold songs.=6/10
"Fiction" is the only song Avenged Sevenfold have ever created that doesn't have any guitar part to it. And they don't need it for this song either, I'd like to point out. A truly melodic song, with a surprising presence of The Rev's singing throughout. A lot of anticipation was created for this song after The Rev claimed it was his masterpiece. The song does not fail to live up to this claim, and if you're a fan of Avenged Sevenfold, i suggest listening to this song. =10/10
"Save Me" is the longest song Avenged Sevenfold have ever created, unless you count "I won't see you tonight" part 1&2 as one entity. A good song to end an exceptional album on. Despite the frightening length, the song seems much shorter in reality, as everything is broken down into easy parts for us audiences. The guitar tone is perfect, and the backing vocals and lead vocals are balanced correctly. The drums could perhaps be different, such as in the verses where the other instruments are all playing something slow and mournful, but the drums pound ahead fearlessly. The song overall clearly shows all aspects of Avenged Sevenfold at their maximum potential. =10/10 // 8
Lyrics and Singing: Given that they lost The Rev before the album was fully completed, it is no surprise that Avenged Sevenfold have incorporated this loss into their songs. It is evident in both Victim and so So Far Away that this is exactly what they've done. The lyrics show both regret and remorse at the loss of someone close to the band. The mentality of the band whilst writing the album can clearly be seen within these two songs, they are both meaningful and deep, with the same dark unique sound that has been with Avenged Sevenfold since their beginning. The lyrics will surely appeal to both new and older fans of Avenged, as they can be applied to any loss that anyone has ever suffered, but also because older fans can relate to the loss the band has felt as they have lost a role model in the loss of The Rev.
However, incongruous to these meaningful, deep and heartfelt lyrics is the vocals themselves. The tone has regressed back to the tone heard in City Of Evil, which is all well and good given that this was the album that gave them mainstream success, but it still does not compliment the other instruments and their styles. In "Nightmare" the vocals become throaty and hoarse at parts throughout the song, and this seems to continue throughout the album. This is the major downside to the entire album. The only reprisal from these vocals is in the song "God Hates Us." The entire song is the heaviest song Avenged have ever produced, with screaming, deep vocals. Even within this song when Matt sings cleanly, the disappointing tone of the vocals can be heard. Overall, the singers skills do not compliment the quality of the songs on the album, which is sad given the potential that they could reach with a good tone = 7/10 // 7
Impression: Overall the album is a definitive statement within Avenged Sevenfold's career. It takes influences from all of Avenged's earlier albums, but unfortunately they take influence from some of the bad aspects present in their previous work. The main downside is the vocals, and some disappointing, flimsy guitar riffs, such as the verse riff for "Welcome To The Family." Even though the riff does go with the vocals and the song overall, it is still not what Avenged normally produces.
The album explores the emotional side of the band, combining meaningful lyrics to a good few slow songs. It is truly a journey throughout the album, going from the semi-heavy opener "Nightmare" to the dark melody that is "Save me." In between you have an assortment of different styles, ranging from Metallica to Lamb Of God. The softer side of Avenged can clearly be seen within this album.
Audiences can appraise the new styles attempted by Avenged, although they don't necessarily work out well with their dark hearted fare. The album clearly demonstrates their fearlessness at attempting new things whilst retaining their unique sound; their large melodic choruses and darker sounding vocals and atmosphere. There is some very impressive guitar solos, none quite holding a candle to their previous single "Afterlife", but still mind numbingly skill full all the same.
The album is good despite a few let downs, and I would definitely recommend this album to anyone.
Song to avoid = Buried Alive
Song to listen to = Fiction
Sound: As many people are aware, Avenged Sevenfold's Drummer The Reverend Tholemew Plague (AKA Jimmy Sullivan) died a year ago.
From that sad day for music in general Avenged have seemingly decided to mention the death at every possible opportunity in order to increase album sales (it seems). Even drafting in Mike Portnoy (one of The Rev's favourite drummers) to lay down the drum tracks on the album in question.
What does this have to do with the album itself? I'm sure you're asking this, well.
In short the album is nothing more than fairly average, it's a A7X album, end of, you could listen to the darker songs on previous albums and get roughly the same result.
The whole album is dark, very dark, centred around death, its a concept that flows throughout the entire record. As for musicality there's nothing your typical Avenged listener won't have heard before. Unless you look more into the songs themselves.
The title track Nightmare is simplistic in itself, but does what it sets out to do, set the album up, and it does so perfectly, the chromatic intro gives the song a darker feel, whilst in the bridges the guitars use minor intervals in their harmonies of this descending line to create even more unease in the song. Lyrically it seems to centre around a feeling that you can't escape. guilt possibly with the lyric (you should have known the price of evil)
The second track 'Welcome To The Family' is started with a simpler version of Dream Theatre's 'Honor Thy Father' drum fill, followed by a equally similar ossinato pattern in the guitar. (Portnoy influence maybe). After this DT reference, it follows a similar pattern to majority of the City Of Evil album, catchy vocals, pleasing guitar patterns, and a drum beat that seeks to impress as well as keep a pulse. The solo is a typical Synyster solo, fast, chromatic at times and flashy, shred in its purest form. This track is 100% radio friendly A7X.
The third track is Danger Line, the track starts with a Bolero style snare pattern (also a marching band style pattern), followed by a intro solo. the main part of the song has a very similar melody to Nothing to Say from Slash's Solo effort (which M Shadows did vocals for). The chorus has a feel of Lost from the self titled album (minus the Vocoder), the song is very reminiscent of the mainstream Avenged.
Track 4 is Buried Alive which is Avenged going back to something I personally think they do rather well, clean intro and verses and overdriven chorus' (I.E a grunge style of song). this song is obviously about how the band felt about the passing of The Rev, and there is a quiver in Shadow's voice throughout, which is understandable and also very sentimental, and adds a different side to the rather thug like persona of the Waking The Fallen Avenged Sevenfold.
Natural Born Killer, is a thrash metal style track made to fit Avenged, Shadows vocals start with a low growl, then its back to business with his shouted style of vocal from City of Evil and Avenged Sevenfold (no real screams yet). the song flows into a slower pre chorus and chorus, then back into the fast paced verse. Song works well for Shadow's style of vocal, and sounds like something Avenged should write more of, even though the mini bridge riffs are reminiscent of Almost Easy from the self titled.
So Far Away, This is another lighter song, flows rather similarly to Dear God in style, instrumentation. nothing special but a nice song nonetheless.
God Hates Us, this is the song Shadows promised screaming on, and he barely delivers, a mid growl is what you get, so unfortunately for the fans of his high pitched screams (as on Sounding The Seventh Trumpet and Waking The Fallen) you won't be disappointed in what you hear, yet you'll want him to go higher, and where it sounds as though it should. it just doesn't which is a shame. The rest of this song is filled with a fast riffs, double kick all for most and a rather impressive dual solo, which based purely on tone seems to be being lead by Zacky (who did all solos on Sounding the Seventh Trumpet [except To End The Rapture]) then Synyster takes over with some Divebombs and various other techniques.
Victim, This song is the final song that The Rev wrote (3 days after finishing this he passed away). The song is seemingly Shadow's hardest song to sing, his voice is throwing deep sadness throughout, and in the first chorus a sniff is audible. This adds to the song's nature and also allows for the song to breathe and reminisce about the band and to allow the listener to think about the various aspects of the band, which are all apparent within this one song.
Tonight The World Dies, it's one of those songs you listen to but don't really notice it, it's good but its not one you can actively listen to.
Fiction, This song has no Guitar whatsoever (shock horror) however it does have piano/strings (synthed)/drums and ... for the best part... The Rev doing the main vocal, doubled by Shadows, It's the only song on the album that seems to come from the heart. The Rev evidently wrote the song, and it seems to have been written from beyond the grave, 'I've found a place to rest my head' 'though I may be hard to find', the lyrics lend itself to the eeriness of the instrumentation. and also the voice you hear. almost a year after his death you find him singing on a track.
Save Me. This song for me is totally different from Avenged Sevenfold, and personally sounds like a track Portnoy has written for DT, everything would fit perfectly in DT's song catalogue. There is not a single part that sounds detracted from DT, with exception to the vocals.
Overall I give the Album 8, it's good but not quite as good as the previous albums. // 8
Lyrics and Singing: Shadow's has the unique ability to make anything work with anything. its amazing to listen to how he can manipulate his voice, words and melodies to make them fit over the harmony underneath.
In Fiction, The Rev having seemingly written the song, has a very good understanding of the melody, Shadows seems to be hanging back and allowing The Rev's voice to be heard over his, opting to play a backing role rather than his usual powerful style.
The lyrics all centre in some way or another to death, as was the original concept to the album, even before The Rev's passing, it was his idea to do a concept album based on that.
there is no fault with the lyrical content or the vocals. So I give it 10. // 10
Impression: If you compare the album to the past 5 albums from Avenged ( Sounding The Seventh Trumpet, Waking The Fallen, City Of Evil, Avenged Sevenfold, Diamonds in The Rough) it sits somewhere between DITR and COF in my opinion, in some respects it's different and slightly progressive of them, but every song is radio friendly and there's nothing to offend.
The best songs on this particular album are (in my opinion), Welcome To The Family, Buried Alive, Nightmare, Save Me.
If the album was stolen I probably would buy it again, not on the strength of the album, but purely because if it's not there my A7X CD's would have one missing.
Overall the album gets 9/10. its good, regardless of the bad points.
Sabtu, 31 Juli 2010
Avenged Sevenfold - Nightmare I
December 28, 2009 - The lives of four men and countless others were forever changed when Jimmy 'The Rev' Sullivan passed away in his home in California. Avenged Sevenfold has come together through this tragedy to cement the Rev's legacy with their latest release, 'Nightmare.' This album is a pure roller coaster ride, going up and down between the radio A7X sound ('Nightmare'), the sorrowful A7X in the loss of a brother ("So Far Away"), and everything between.
The sound of this album is a very sorrowful tone. While the Rev contributed a lot to the songwriting of this album, his passing shows in the lyrics. A7X has created an album full of hard hitting songs that hearken back to the old sound ('God Hates Us') as well as creating a new, somber mood with their ballads. Songs such as 'So Far Awa,' 'Victim,' and 'Tonight the World Dies' all have a new tone to them. While there is no doubt that it is an A7X song, they have a new feel. They have a mood altering tone to them. One of grief, and of loss. The strongest ballad on this album, as far as sound and musical prose are concerned, is 'Buried Alive.' This song delves deep into the writing styles of every band member, finding new creative outlets. The angry bridge of the song brings back thoughts of an old Metallica styled angst.
Another song that will be a fan pleaser with this album is 'God Hates Us.' Shadows cites that bands such as Pantera helped inspire this song. Upon listening, any die hard Avenged Sevenfold fan will recognize the sound. The screaming, the heavy riffs; they all point back to Waking the Fallen's signature sound that has since disappeared.
The sound of this album is beyond measure. Avenged Sevenfold have truly outdone themselves with this heart-felt approach to song writing. One listen shows that without the Rev, the band is more passionate than ever with this album, and the sorrow from losing their brother is evident in every track. // 9
Lyrics and Singing: The lyrics on this album deviate from the past few albums. Mostly due to the Rev's passing, the lyrics take a dark tone. While he did write roughly 60% of the album, Johnny Christ stated in an interview that the lyrics for the album took a dark turn when the Rev died. 'God Hates Us' is a clear cut example of how angry the lyrics can get on this album. Shadows is still at the top of his game vocally, and delivers on every song. From their signature sound on 'Nightmare' to the emotional performances on 'So Far Away' and 'Fiction,' Avenged Sevenfold's lyrics are strong, and invoke many different emotions throughout the album.
One song in particular with extraordinary storytelling is 'Danger Line.' This song touches on the life of a soldier, and how he deals with the perils of war. The song tells the story of the soldier, and how he will miss his family in death. The lyrics are brought to life with Shadows' melody.
One major song to note on this album is 'Fiction.' Originally titled 'Death,' the Rev handed this song to the band 3 days before his death, and submitted it as his final song for the album. The lyrics are a haunting call, wishing everyone the best as the narrator passes on, hoping not to hurt or displace anyone who is affected by his death. The lyrics take on a controversial meaning to some, whether it was a suicide note or merely a narration conceived by Jimmy, but regardless, it is the most original track on the album. Featuring Jimmy's voice on the chorus, the song is a piano laden track using dissonance and perfect harmonies together to create a unique sound. Listening to the Rev sing his heart out and scream on this track is one of the hardest things for an A7X fan to hear, knowing it's the last track that they will ever hear his beautiful voice on ever again.
Overall, the lyrics and singing on this album are better than past attempts, and they even will please the old school fans with 'God Hates Us.' A7X have truly stepped up their game in order to honor their fallen brother. // 10
Impression: Overall, this album is the strongest outing yet from Avenged Sevenfold. While many fans may notice their are more ballads than previous albums, this is only natural due to their situation. This album was released in order to permanently set the Rev's legacy, and to allow fans to hear his final work. With Mike Portnoy of Dream Theater stepping in to record Jimmy's tracks, the album will get every fan's approval, and will keep the Rev forever in their hearts...
James Owen Sullivan, "The Rev"
February 9, 1981 – December 28, 2009
Life may fade, but the memories never will. A7X has lost a brother. The fans lost a legend. Rest in Peace, until that day when we all meet in the afterlife.
Avenged Sevenfold is back but looking a little different. Their newest record "Nightmare" is the first one not to feature Jimmy "The Rev" Sullivan on drums due to his very tragic death in December of last year. In his place, Avenged Sevenfold recruited Dream Theatre drummer Mike Portnoy to fill in on a temporary basis.
Musically this is definitely A7Xs heaviest album and under these tragic circumstances by far their most emotional.
Tracklist:
01. Nightmare: the title track begins with what sounds like bells and then explodes into a heavy intro complete with guitar, bass, and drums which is followed by M Shadows screaming NIGHTMARE. Personally, I think this was the perfect song to start off the allbum because it really gets you pumped up for the rest of the album and it is sure to be a crowd pleaser live. 10/10
02. Welcome to the Family: one of the lighter songs on the album but still a fantastic song, it sounds slightly like Blinded in Chains from their City of Evil CD. The guitar solo by Synyster is also fantastic. 9/10
03. Danger Line: the first few seconds of this song sounds almost identical to Blinded in Chains from City of Evil. Personally I think its a pretty good song but I just can't help but feel it is a little misplaced I think it sounds more like a song you would find on City of Evil. 8/10
04. Buried Alive: an interesting song, the intro is somewhat unconventional but once the drums kick in Synyster blesses us with a wonderful melodic solo that is sure to get emotions running. M Shadows really shows off his emotional side in this song with his vocal performance it really makes you want to tear up a little bit. The Solo while it is good went a little downhill for me at about 4:25, something about it just doesn't seem to fit well with the song but thats just my opinion. 9/10
05. Natural Born Killer: A7X jumps right back into heaviness with this song, its a very catchy tune that is both heavy and melodic at the same time. Synyster also shows off his shredding skills on the solo which kind of reminded me of Alexi Laiho's playing. 9/10
06. So Far Away: the first song on the album that really shows how much this band misses their fallen brother. this song was written by Synyster and really pulls on your heart strings especially the part in the chorus that goes
How do I live without the ones I love?
Time still turns the pages of the book it's burned.
Place and time always on my mind.
I have so much to say but you're so far away.
the song is made even better with the very emotional yet short solo by Gates. 10/10
07. God Hates Us: by far the heaviest and angriest track on the album this song is about wondering how such evil and pain exist if there really is a God somewhere. 10/10
08. Victim: starts off with church bells and some guitar work before a high pitched wail kicks in but don't let it put you off, this song is another emotional roller coaster that is sure to draw a few tears when listening to it. It is truly a song that expresses how the band felt emotionally after losing their drummer. 10/10
09. Tonight the World Dies: yet another fantastic and emotional song that begins with a blues like lick from gates but eventually moves into a soft ballad type song with blues licks spread out between Shadows' singing. 9/10
10. Fiction: the last song Jimmy handed in before his death and the only one to feature his vocals aside from his small part in "Save Me". Now a lot of people have criticized this song as being the worst on the album and while it may be different and unconventional I think its is the one of the best songs on the album and I think that the band did Jimmy a great honour by keeping his vocals on the track. 10/10
11. Save Me: the final and longest song on the record clocking in at just under 11 minutes, to me this was the perfect song to close off the album. its a song that says that the band is nowhere near over the loss of their drummer but can have solace knowing that they have done him a great honour by releasing this record as a tribute to his memory. 10/10 // 10
Lyrics and Singing: Lyrically this album is the darkest and most emotional of any of A7X's previous records and singer M Shadows does a wonderful job of expressing these emotions through his singing. // 10
Impression: Nightmare is a wonderful album and A7X should be commended for working though their heartbreaking loss and putting out this record in Honour of The Rev. Long-time fans of the band will really enjoy this album and will really get an emotional rush from some of the songs because of the subject matter they revolve around. If your not a hardcore fan then you may not get wrapped up in all the emotion that surrounds this album.
Well to start off I think this CD expands on Sevenfold's sound a lot, I think it combines all their previous stuff such as God hates us which sounds more like something off of Sounding the Seventh trumpet with the screaming M. Shadows does but also has it's softer sides such as So Far Away which is a song written specificly to Jimmy "The Rev" Sullivan after his death this past year (2009). I think the biggest departure is Fiction which is a song Jimmy wrote three days before his death, his vocals are still in the song which I think fit perfectly and it's really kind of a farewell song to Jimmy, which fits very well. Synyster Gates also returns to his kind of trademark awesome guitar solos like the ones he had in City of Evil, the most notable guitar solo in my eyes is in the song Buried Alive, which starts out slow with sort of a Led Zepplin vibe then halfway through the song the guitar solo kicks in and kicks major ass, which then makes a smooth transfer to a more Metallica sounding second half. Overall I love the way the album sounds. // 10
Lyrics and Singing: The lyrics to most songs are written as a memorial for Jimmy so most of the songs have to do with metaphors about death and pain and I think it fits since they lost one of their brothers and this is their way of showing him respect. M. Shadows singing skills are basiclly the same as they were on the self titled album, which isn't a bad thing at all but he does make one big departure he hasn't made since Waking The Fallen... Yes, the album has a song with screaming vocals. On the song God Hates Us M. Shadows decides to use screaming vocals to show his emotion but they aren't his usual screaming style, instead of going with a higher-pitched scream he uses a lower-pitched scream, almost like a Bullet For my Vallentine type scream, which I think suits the song very well. The lyrics are a good tribute to Jimmy and if you wanna relive the good old days listen to God Hates Us and take in all the glory. // 10
Impression: This CD doesn't really compare to their other albums, I think they were in a much darker place after the death of Jimmy which shows itself in songs like God Hates Us and Natural Borl Killers which results in it being much heavier. The songs I like the most from the disk are Nightmare, Buried Alive, Natural Born Killer, God Hates Us, Fiction, and Save Me, though I give all the songs a 10 those songs stick out the most to me. If this CD was lost or stolen I would definately buy another copy and hurt whoever stole it from me. There is nothing bad about this CD in my eyes, the A7X guys definately do Jimmy justice in this CD, if you are an A7X fan you have to get this to keep Jimmy's memory alive, and even if your not get this CD and give these guys a chance, I guarentee you will not be disappointed. // 10
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overall: 8.3
Reviewed by: maiden7x, on july 31, 2010
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Sound: When the passing of Jimmy "The Rev" Sullivan was announced back in December of 2009, I was one of the many Avenged Sevenfold fans who spent hours on end searching for news of the situation; i.e., how Sulivan passed, the status of their unfinished record, and even whether or not they would continue on as a band and finish said record. After many weeks of tense waiting, the band announced that they would, in fact, complete the album (with the help of Sullivan's favorite drummer, Mike Portnoy of Dream Theater), but that the band's future remained in question.
While the future of the band is still somewhat uncertain, their new album, Nightmare, is not. It clearly embraces the shock and sorrow felt after Sullivan's death, with a darker sound and much more personal lyrics. While the effort put forth by the band to complete this album in Sullivan's memory is commendable, the end result was, for me, a little dissapointing.
Now, my dissapointment mainly comes from the album's production. The guitar sounds a bit too generic, especially in songs like "Buried Alive" and the beginning of "Danger Line". Johnny Christ's bass sounds very muddy in the title track "Nightmare", and in "Natural Born Killer". Drums are spot on; Mike Portnoy does an excellent job replicating Sullivan's drumming style, preserving one of the cornerstones of Avenged Sevenfold's signature sound. Vocals are also very good; the biggest complaints I have are the sections of "Fiction" (Sullivan's last song; his vocals are also in the song) where M. Shadows' voice is made to sound more like that of Sullivan, and the Death metal-like vocals in "God Hates Us", which also sound very doctored; however, this is still probably the best vocal performance by M. Shadows to date.
Because the band decided to rewrite the lyrics of some songs after Sullivan's death, but retain the ones they felt he liked most, the lyrical themes may be confusing to some; however, this is hardly noticable. What IS noticable, however, is the trauma felt by the band in rewriting these lyrics; these are some of the most heartfelt lyrics the band has ever put out. Things get very personal in these lyrics; everything from the loss of a best friend, to waking up feeling forever alone, even anger and hostility towards God himself. Very raw, very personal, very impressive. // 10
Impression: Overall, this album is very well done and will make a very good addition to any Avenged Sevenfold fan's collection. Some of the band's best work is present here. Synyster Gates and Zacky Vengeance have clearly worked for hours on these guitar licks, Johnny Christ holds down a solid bass line, Mike Portnoy does incredibly on the drums, and M. Shadows wows once again vocally and lyrically. I only wish it had been produced better; perhaps next time (if indeed there is a "next time"), the band should bring back Andrew Mudrock, producer from their 2005 breakout "City of Evil" (my personal favorite album of theirs), or even self-produce, as they did on their 2007 self-titled ablum.
The sound of this album is a very sorrowful tone. While the Rev contributed a lot to the songwriting of this album, his passing shows in the lyrics. A7X has created an album full of hard hitting songs that hearken back to the old sound ('God Hates Us') as well as creating a new, somber mood with their ballads. Songs such as 'So Far Awa,' 'Victim,' and 'Tonight the World Dies' all have a new tone to them. While there is no doubt that it is an A7X song, they have a new feel. They have a mood altering tone to them. One of grief, and of loss. The strongest ballad on this album, as far as sound and musical prose are concerned, is 'Buried Alive.' This song delves deep into the writing styles of every band member, finding new creative outlets. The angry bridge of the song brings back thoughts of an old Metallica styled angst.
Another song that will be a fan pleaser with this album is 'God Hates Us.' Shadows cites that bands such as Pantera helped inspire this song. Upon listening, any die hard Avenged Sevenfold fan will recognize the sound. The screaming, the heavy riffs; they all point back to Waking the Fallen's signature sound that has since disappeared.
The sound of this album is beyond measure. Avenged Sevenfold have truly outdone themselves with this heart-felt approach to song writing. One listen shows that without the Rev, the band is more passionate than ever with this album, and the sorrow from losing their brother is evident in every track. // 9
Lyrics and Singing: The lyrics on this album deviate from the past few albums. Mostly due to the Rev's passing, the lyrics take a dark tone. While he did write roughly 60% of the album, Johnny Christ stated in an interview that the lyrics for the album took a dark turn when the Rev died. 'God Hates Us' is a clear cut example of how angry the lyrics can get on this album. Shadows is still at the top of his game vocally, and delivers on every song. From their signature sound on 'Nightmare' to the emotional performances on 'So Far Away' and 'Fiction,' Avenged Sevenfold's lyrics are strong, and invoke many different emotions throughout the album.
One song in particular with extraordinary storytelling is 'Danger Line.' This song touches on the life of a soldier, and how he deals with the perils of war. The song tells the story of the soldier, and how he will miss his family in death. The lyrics are brought to life with Shadows' melody.
One major song to note on this album is 'Fiction.' Originally titled 'Death,' the Rev handed this song to the band 3 days before his death, and submitted it as his final song for the album. The lyrics are a haunting call, wishing everyone the best as the narrator passes on, hoping not to hurt or displace anyone who is affected by his death. The lyrics take on a controversial meaning to some, whether it was a suicide note or merely a narration conceived by Jimmy, but regardless, it is the most original track on the album. Featuring Jimmy's voice on the chorus, the song is a piano laden track using dissonance and perfect harmonies together to create a unique sound. Listening to the Rev sing his heart out and scream on this track is one of the hardest things for an A7X fan to hear, knowing it's the last track that they will ever hear his beautiful voice on ever again.
Overall, the lyrics and singing on this album are better than past attempts, and they even will please the old school fans with 'God Hates Us.' A7X have truly stepped up their game in order to honor their fallen brother. // 10
Impression: Overall, this album is the strongest outing yet from Avenged Sevenfold. While many fans may notice their are more ballads than previous albums, this is only natural due to their situation. This album was released in order to permanently set the Rev's legacy, and to allow fans to hear his final work. With Mike Portnoy of Dream Theater stepping in to record Jimmy's tracks, the album will get every fan's approval, and will keep the Rev forever in their hearts...
James Owen Sullivan, "The Rev"
February 9, 1981 – December 28, 2009
Life may fade, but the memories never will. A7X has lost a brother. The fans lost a legend. Rest in Peace, until that day when we all meet in the afterlife.
Avenged Sevenfold is back but looking a little different. Their newest record "Nightmare" is the first one not to feature Jimmy "The Rev" Sullivan on drums due to his very tragic death in December of last year. In his place, Avenged Sevenfold recruited Dream Theatre drummer Mike Portnoy to fill in on a temporary basis.
Musically this is definitely A7Xs heaviest album and under these tragic circumstances by far their most emotional.
Tracklist:
01. Nightmare: the title track begins with what sounds like bells and then explodes into a heavy intro complete with guitar, bass, and drums which is followed by M Shadows screaming NIGHTMARE. Personally, I think this was the perfect song to start off the allbum because it really gets you pumped up for the rest of the album and it is sure to be a crowd pleaser live. 10/10
02. Welcome to the Family: one of the lighter songs on the album but still a fantastic song, it sounds slightly like Blinded in Chains from their City of Evil CD. The guitar solo by Synyster is also fantastic. 9/10
03. Danger Line: the first few seconds of this song sounds almost identical to Blinded in Chains from City of Evil. Personally I think its a pretty good song but I just can't help but feel it is a little misplaced I think it sounds more like a song you would find on City of Evil. 8/10
04. Buried Alive: an interesting song, the intro is somewhat unconventional but once the drums kick in Synyster blesses us with a wonderful melodic solo that is sure to get emotions running. M Shadows really shows off his emotional side in this song with his vocal performance it really makes you want to tear up a little bit. The Solo while it is good went a little downhill for me at about 4:25, something about it just doesn't seem to fit well with the song but thats just my opinion. 9/10
05. Natural Born Killer: A7X jumps right back into heaviness with this song, its a very catchy tune that is both heavy and melodic at the same time. Synyster also shows off his shredding skills on the solo which kind of reminded me of Alexi Laiho's playing. 9/10
06. So Far Away: the first song on the album that really shows how much this band misses their fallen brother. this song was written by Synyster and really pulls on your heart strings especially the part in the chorus that goes
How do I live without the ones I love?
Time still turns the pages of the book it's burned.
Place and time always on my mind.
I have so much to say but you're so far away.
the song is made even better with the very emotional yet short solo by Gates. 10/10
07. God Hates Us: by far the heaviest and angriest track on the album this song is about wondering how such evil and pain exist if there really is a God somewhere. 10/10
08. Victim: starts off with church bells and some guitar work before a high pitched wail kicks in but don't let it put you off, this song is another emotional roller coaster that is sure to draw a few tears when listening to it. It is truly a song that expresses how the band felt emotionally after losing their drummer. 10/10
09. Tonight the World Dies: yet another fantastic and emotional song that begins with a blues like lick from gates but eventually moves into a soft ballad type song with blues licks spread out between Shadows' singing. 9/10
10. Fiction: the last song Jimmy handed in before his death and the only one to feature his vocals aside from his small part in "Save Me". Now a lot of people have criticized this song as being the worst on the album and while it may be different and unconventional I think its is the one of the best songs on the album and I think that the band did Jimmy a great honour by keeping his vocals on the track. 10/10
11. Save Me: the final and longest song on the record clocking in at just under 11 minutes, to me this was the perfect song to close off the album. its a song that says that the band is nowhere near over the loss of their drummer but can have solace knowing that they have done him a great honour by releasing this record as a tribute to his memory. 10/10 // 10
Lyrics and Singing: Lyrically this album is the darkest and most emotional of any of A7X's previous records and singer M Shadows does a wonderful job of expressing these emotions through his singing. // 10
Impression: Nightmare is a wonderful album and A7X should be commended for working though their heartbreaking loss and putting out this record in Honour of The Rev. Long-time fans of the band will really enjoy this album and will really get an emotional rush from some of the songs because of the subject matter they revolve around. If your not a hardcore fan then you may not get wrapped up in all the emotion that surrounds this album.
Well to start off I think this CD expands on Sevenfold's sound a lot, I think it combines all their previous stuff such as God hates us which sounds more like something off of Sounding the Seventh trumpet with the screaming M. Shadows does but also has it's softer sides such as So Far Away which is a song written specificly to Jimmy "The Rev" Sullivan after his death this past year (2009). I think the biggest departure is Fiction which is a song Jimmy wrote three days before his death, his vocals are still in the song which I think fit perfectly and it's really kind of a farewell song to Jimmy, which fits very well. Synyster Gates also returns to his kind of trademark awesome guitar solos like the ones he had in City of Evil, the most notable guitar solo in my eyes is in the song Buried Alive, which starts out slow with sort of a Led Zepplin vibe then halfway through the song the guitar solo kicks in and kicks major ass, which then makes a smooth transfer to a more Metallica sounding second half. Overall I love the way the album sounds. // 10
Lyrics and Singing: The lyrics to most songs are written as a memorial for Jimmy so most of the songs have to do with metaphors about death and pain and I think it fits since they lost one of their brothers and this is their way of showing him respect. M. Shadows singing skills are basiclly the same as they were on the self titled album, which isn't a bad thing at all but he does make one big departure he hasn't made since Waking The Fallen... Yes, the album has a song with screaming vocals. On the song God Hates Us M. Shadows decides to use screaming vocals to show his emotion but they aren't his usual screaming style, instead of going with a higher-pitched scream he uses a lower-pitched scream, almost like a Bullet For my Vallentine type scream, which I think suits the song very well. The lyrics are a good tribute to Jimmy and if you wanna relive the good old days listen to God Hates Us and take in all the glory. // 10
Impression: This CD doesn't really compare to their other albums, I think they were in a much darker place after the death of Jimmy which shows itself in songs like God Hates Us and Natural Borl Killers which results in it being much heavier. The songs I like the most from the disk are Nightmare, Buried Alive, Natural Born Killer, God Hates Us, Fiction, and Save Me, though I give all the songs a 10 those songs stick out the most to me. If this CD was lost or stolen I would definately buy another copy and hurt whoever stole it from me. There is nothing bad about this CD in my eyes, the A7X guys definately do Jimmy justice in this CD, if you are an A7X fan you have to get this to keep Jimmy's memory alive, and even if your not get this CD and give these guys a chance, I guarentee you will not be disappointed. // 10
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overall: 8.3
Reviewed by: maiden7x, on july 31, 2010
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Sound: When the passing of Jimmy "The Rev" Sullivan was announced back in December of 2009, I was one of the many Avenged Sevenfold fans who spent hours on end searching for news of the situation; i.e., how Sulivan passed, the status of their unfinished record, and even whether or not they would continue on as a band and finish said record. After many weeks of tense waiting, the band announced that they would, in fact, complete the album (with the help of Sullivan's favorite drummer, Mike Portnoy of Dream Theater), but that the band's future remained in question.
While the future of the band is still somewhat uncertain, their new album, Nightmare, is not. It clearly embraces the shock and sorrow felt after Sullivan's death, with a darker sound and much more personal lyrics. While the effort put forth by the band to complete this album in Sullivan's memory is commendable, the end result was, for me, a little dissapointing.
Now, my dissapointment mainly comes from the album's production. The guitar sounds a bit too generic, especially in songs like "Buried Alive" and the beginning of "Danger Line". Johnny Christ's bass sounds very muddy in the title track "Nightmare", and in "Natural Born Killer". Drums are spot on; Mike Portnoy does an excellent job replicating Sullivan's drumming style, preserving one of the cornerstones of Avenged Sevenfold's signature sound. Vocals are also very good; the biggest complaints I have are the sections of "Fiction" (Sullivan's last song; his vocals are also in the song) where M. Shadows' voice is made to sound more like that of Sullivan, and the Death metal-like vocals in "God Hates Us", which also sound very doctored; however, this is still probably the best vocal performance by M. Shadows to date.
Because the band decided to rewrite the lyrics of some songs after Sullivan's death, but retain the ones they felt he liked most, the lyrical themes may be confusing to some; however, this is hardly noticable. What IS noticable, however, is the trauma felt by the band in rewriting these lyrics; these are some of the most heartfelt lyrics the band has ever put out. Things get very personal in these lyrics; everything from the loss of a best friend, to waking up feeling forever alone, even anger and hostility towards God himself. Very raw, very personal, very impressive. // 10
Impression: Overall, this album is very well done and will make a very good addition to any Avenged Sevenfold fan's collection. Some of the band's best work is present here. Synyster Gates and Zacky Vengeance have clearly worked for hours on these guitar licks, Johnny Christ holds down a solid bass line, Mike Portnoy does incredibly on the drums, and M. Shadows wows once again vocally and lyrically. I only wish it had been produced better; perhaps next time (if indeed there is a "next time"), the band should bring back Andrew Mudrock, producer from their 2005 breakout "City of Evil" (my personal favorite album of theirs), or even self-produce, as they did on their 2007 self-titled ablum.
Avenged Sevenfold - Nightmare
Released: Jul 27, 2010
Genre: Heavy metal, alternative metal, hard rock
Label: Warner Bros.
Number Of Tracks: 11
In the wake of their drummer's tragic and untimely passing, Avenged Sevenfold rise to the occasion and make one of their strongest albums in one of the most vulnerable periods in their history.
Sound: Let’s get this out of the way first: Nightmare is Avenged Sevenfold’s first record since the tragic death of their drummer, Jimmy “The Rev” Sullivan. The band recruited Dream Theater’s Mike Portnoy to fill in on the record (and for their upcoming tour dates.) Given the fact that A7X were always some of the most skilled players who came up in an era when metal bands didn’t know how to play their instruments, much less solo or pull off intricate parts, Portnoy fits the band perfectly and the band stays true to the same sound they’ve been crafting since the early ‘00s. Throughout their career (and their successes), many have taken to hating on the band, as they were dangerous in their image, proudly not givin’ a f--k like a modern Guns N’ Roses or, well, Eminem! Many people, namely early fans or those who like to shit talk and care about concepts more than reality, felt the band was abandoning some imagined hardcore roots, when in reality, A7X were never a hardcore band that pledged any allegiance to that scene; they were taking Iron Maiden-riffs and in turn screaming and singing over them, coming up with a modern and unheard of sound from the very beginning, so no one I quite sure how “hardcore” got thrown into the mix! That said, Nightmare reminds me of a mix of Waking the Fallen, which is my favorite A7X record, and City of Evil, their commercial breakthrough which allowed them to graduate to the next level of success. Nightmare is crisp and clean; you could perform surgery using this record since it’s so clean-sounding. But it’s not sterile. Their is so much emotion coursing through the album and follows the A7X formula of noodly riffs and longer-than-normally-radio-friendly-songs with a melodically accessible bend. The title track is spooky and creepy with its key opening and it could easily have been used in the reboot of the Nightmare on Elm Street franchise, while “Buried Alive” and “Welcome the Family” will remind one of Metallica and/or Guns N’ Roses. The band mixes ballads with ragers and “God Hates Us” feels like a bit of a nod to Slayer, who have an album named God Hates Us All and it’s easily one of the album’s most gnarly tracks which feel like a series of kicks to the taint. A7X haven’t sounded this angry in quite some time and they have reason and right to use the vehicle of their music for that catharsis. Go ahead, guys. You deserve it. “Natural Born Killer” also kicked my ass to the curb and left me in a heaving pile with its bluster. // 9
Lyrics and Singing: Vocalist M Shadows is a triple threat and he certainly positions himself like a young, hungry James Hetfield. He can sing, scream and employ the mid-level growl that shows just enough teeth to elicit a fleeting “fight or flight” response, but in the end, you’ll stick around and listen, because while his voice asserts itself, it’s not intimidating. This quality is what made Metallica songs great – to straddle the line between aggressive and appealing without sacrificing any of the song’s heft and ferocity- and A7X have found a way to do just that. They take that formula and shape it to their sound. Shadows can sing and scream, and he mostly sings, but he’s got enough power in his voice so the heaviness is never sacrificed even when he lets his voice soar. When he sings, “God save us” and then “God hates us” in the same chorus on “God Hates Us,” I can practically feel his spit hitting me in the face. He’s getting the red out and he’s never sounded stronger. All the “kids” who thought A7X were “selling out” when they chose to sing more need to be knocked off their soapboxes with a swift kick. Rare is the band that can scream less and sound heavier, but A7X does that with Nightmare. // 9
Impression: The Tim Burton-style artwork. The darkly romantic imagery. The element of danger. The squalling guitars. The Iron Maiden influence. The groundswell of emotion from losing their drummer while writing the album. Those are all the batteries that power up Nightmare. Much of the album reminds me of the best parts of Waking the Fallen, which in my opinion, was all great parts! It’s heavy. It’s melodic. It mixes the two without any sort of detraction from the other. It’s seamless. It’s like a modern version of Metallica and Guns N’ Roses. And those are never bad things. But lest we forget: it’s still Avenged Sevenfold doing what they’ve always done and sticking to their own musical vision.
Genre: Heavy metal, alternative metal, hard rock
Label: Warner Bros.
Number Of Tracks: 11
In the wake of their drummer's tragic and untimely passing, Avenged Sevenfold rise to the occasion and make one of their strongest albums in one of the most vulnerable periods in their history.
Sound: Let’s get this out of the way first: Nightmare is Avenged Sevenfold’s first record since the tragic death of their drummer, Jimmy “The Rev” Sullivan. The band recruited Dream Theater’s Mike Portnoy to fill in on the record (and for their upcoming tour dates.) Given the fact that A7X were always some of the most skilled players who came up in an era when metal bands didn’t know how to play their instruments, much less solo or pull off intricate parts, Portnoy fits the band perfectly and the band stays true to the same sound they’ve been crafting since the early ‘00s. Throughout their career (and their successes), many have taken to hating on the band, as they were dangerous in their image, proudly not givin’ a f--k like a modern Guns N’ Roses or, well, Eminem! Many people, namely early fans or those who like to shit talk and care about concepts more than reality, felt the band was abandoning some imagined hardcore roots, when in reality, A7X were never a hardcore band that pledged any allegiance to that scene; they were taking Iron Maiden-riffs and in turn screaming and singing over them, coming up with a modern and unheard of sound from the very beginning, so no one I quite sure how “hardcore” got thrown into the mix! That said, Nightmare reminds me of a mix of Waking the Fallen, which is my favorite A7X record, and City of Evil, their commercial breakthrough which allowed them to graduate to the next level of success. Nightmare is crisp and clean; you could perform surgery using this record since it’s so clean-sounding. But it’s not sterile. Their is so much emotion coursing through the album and follows the A7X formula of noodly riffs and longer-than-normally-radio-friendly-songs with a melodically accessible bend. The title track is spooky and creepy with its key opening and it could easily have been used in the reboot of the Nightmare on Elm Street franchise, while “Buried Alive” and “Welcome the Family” will remind one of Metallica and/or Guns N’ Roses. The band mixes ballads with ragers and “God Hates Us” feels like a bit of a nod to Slayer, who have an album named God Hates Us All and it’s easily one of the album’s most gnarly tracks which feel like a series of kicks to the taint. A7X haven’t sounded this angry in quite some time and they have reason and right to use the vehicle of their music for that catharsis. Go ahead, guys. You deserve it. “Natural Born Killer” also kicked my ass to the curb and left me in a heaving pile with its bluster. // 9
Lyrics and Singing: Vocalist M Shadows is a triple threat and he certainly positions himself like a young, hungry James Hetfield. He can sing, scream and employ the mid-level growl that shows just enough teeth to elicit a fleeting “fight or flight” response, but in the end, you’ll stick around and listen, because while his voice asserts itself, it’s not intimidating. This quality is what made Metallica songs great – to straddle the line between aggressive and appealing without sacrificing any of the song’s heft and ferocity- and A7X have found a way to do just that. They take that formula and shape it to their sound. Shadows can sing and scream, and he mostly sings, but he’s got enough power in his voice so the heaviness is never sacrificed even when he lets his voice soar. When he sings, “God save us” and then “God hates us” in the same chorus on “God Hates Us,” I can practically feel his spit hitting me in the face. He’s getting the red out and he’s never sounded stronger. All the “kids” who thought A7X were “selling out” when they chose to sing more need to be knocked off their soapboxes with a swift kick. Rare is the band that can scream less and sound heavier, but A7X does that with Nightmare. // 9
Impression: The Tim Burton-style artwork. The darkly romantic imagery. The element of danger. The squalling guitars. The Iron Maiden influence. The groundswell of emotion from losing their drummer while writing the album. Those are all the batteries that power up Nightmare. Much of the album reminds me of the best parts of Waking the Fallen, which in my opinion, was all great parts! It’s heavy. It’s melodic. It mixes the two without any sort of detraction from the other. It’s seamless. It’s like a modern version of Metallica and Guns N’ Roses. And those are never bad things. But lest we forget: it’s still Avenged Sevenfold doing what they’ve always done and sticking to their own musical vision.
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