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Coming off a Best New Artist Award at the 2006 MTV Video Music Awards, the members of Avenged Sevenfold returned to the studio, ambitious to create an exciting follow-up to City of Evil -- perhaps overly so, as their self-titled release focuses entirely too hard on pushing the songs into non-metal territory. Their signature, blistering Yngwie Malmsteen guitar arpeggios and lightning fast double-kick drums are still evident, but the overall heavy metal thunder is diluted by their everything-but-the-kitchen-sink approach. Left alone in the studio to record the album on their own, AS show their unbridled enthusiasm to be as inventive as possible as they run through a staggering amount of production enhancements: four songs have string arrangements; violinists, pianists, and vocalists make guest appearances here and there; "A Little Piece of Heaven" is a strange Mr. Bungle type number with sax, clarinet, trombone, and trumpet, and "Unbound (The Wild Ride)" throws in the most un-metal addition of all -- a children's choir. Some of these enhancements help take the songs to the next level but most detract, and give the sensation of inappropriately mashed-up styles, like listening to a Dream Theater album on a boom box while a nearby clock radio plays Charlie FM. Vocalist M. Shadows, who required surgery on his vocal cords after Waking the Fallen shows that his training with Ron Anderson (vocal coach for Layne Staley, Axl Rose, and Chris Cornell) has been for the greater good. Rather than screaming or doing the metal growl, he sings in a few gritty voices, showing an obvious Mike Patton influence, and actually sounds pitch-perfect. His skills, and the entire band's technical ferocity, is flawless as ever, but just gets lost in a cluttered vision. Perhaps the worst culprit of their excessive studio trickery is when a Cher-esque "Believe" pitch corrector/vocoder is introduced to the chorus of "Lost," essentially stomping out a fiery '80s speed-metal jam into lukewarm embers of passé electro. While their willingness to experiment is admirable, despite the fact that they've gone overboard with their overdubs, the overabundance of studio polish leaves one to wonder if it's not because the songs just aren't as strong this time around.
© Jason Lymangrover /TiVo
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Jamie Muhoberac, Organ, Piano - Brian Gardner, MasteringEngineer - Avenged Sevenfold, MainArtist - ANDY WALLACE, MixingEngineer - Johnny Christ, Bass Guitar - M. Shadows, Vocals - Synyster Gates, Lead Guitar - The Rev, Drums, Vocals - Zacky Vengeance, Guitar - Matthew Sanders, Writer - James Sullivan, Writer - Jonathan Seward, Writer - Zachary Baker, Writer - Jaime Ochoa, Additional Vocals - Brian Elwin Haner, Jr., Writer
© 2007 Warner Records Inc. ℗ 2007 Warner Records Inc.
Brian Gardner, MasteringEngineer - Avenged Sevenfold, MainArtist - ANDY WALLACE, MixingEngineer - Johnny Christ, Bass Guitar - M. Shadows, Vocals - Synyster Gates, Lead Guitar - The Rev, Drums - Zacky Vengeance, Guitar - Greg Kusten, Piano - James Sullivan, Writer
© 2007 Warner Records Inc. ℗ 2007 Warner Records Inc.
Brian Gardner, MasteringEngineer - Avenged Sevenfold, MainArtist - ANDY WALLACE, MixingEngineer - Johnny Christ, Bass Guitar - M. Shadows, Vocals - Synyster Gates, Lead Guitar - The Rev, Drums, Vocals - Zacky Vengeance, Guitar - Matthew Sanders, Writer - Zachary Baker, Writer - Brian Elwin Haner, Jr., Writer - Valary Sanders, Screams Vocals
© 2007 Warner Records Inc. ℗ 2007 Warner Records Inc.
Miles Mosley, Upright Bass - Brian Gardner, MasteringEngineer - Cameron Stone, Cello - Caroline Campbell, Violin - Neel Hammond, Violin - Avenged Sevenfold, MainArtist - ANDY WALLACE, MixingEngineer - Andrew Duckles, Viola - Johnny Christ, Bass Guitar - M. Shadows, Vocals - Synyster Gates, Lead Guitar - The Rev, Drums - Zacky Vengeance, Guitar - James Sullivan, Writer
© 2007 Warner Records Inc. ℗ 2007 Warner Records Inc.
Brian Gardner, MasteringEngineer - Greg Leisz, Banjo - Avenged Sevenfold, MainArtist - ANDY WALLACE, MixingEngineer - Johnny Christ, Bass Guitar - M. Shadows, Vocals - Synyster Gates, Lead Guitar - The Rev, Drums - Zacky Vengeance, Guitar - Matthew Sanders, Writer - Shanna Crooks, Additional Vocals - Brian Elwin Haner, Jr., Writer
© 2007 Warner Records Inc. ℗ 2007 Warner Records Inc.
Jamie Muhoberac, Organ, Piano - Brian Gardner, MasteringEngineer - Arnold McCuller, Choir - Avenged Sevenfold, MainArtist - ANDY WALLACE, MixingEngineer - Johnny Christ, Bass Guitar - M. Shadows, Vocals - Synyster Gates, Lead Guitar - The Rev, Drums - Zacky Vengeance, Guitar - Bob Joyce, Choir - Matthew Sanders, Writer - Monique Donnelly, Choir - Scottie Haskell, Choir - Luana Jackman, Choir - Beth Andersen, Choir - Annmarie Rizzo, Backing Vocals - Debbie Hall, Choir - Ed Zajack, Choir - Gabriel Mann, Choir - Rob Giles, Choir - Rock Logan, Choir - Zander Ayeroff, Backing Vocals - Susie Stevens Logan, Choir - Zachary Baker, Writer - Brian Elwin Haner, Jr., Writer
© 2007 Warner Records Inc. ℗ 2007 Warner Records Inc.
Miles Mosley, Upright Bass - Brian Gardner, MasteringEngineer - Lenny Castro, Percussion - Cameron Stone, Cello - Caroline Campbell, Violin - Neel Hammond, Violin - Avenged Sevenfold, MainArtist - ANDY WALLACE, MixingEngineer - Andrew Duckles, Viola - Johnny Christ, Bass Guitar - M. Shadows, Vocals - Synyster Gates, Lead Guitar - The Rev, Drums - Zacky Vengeance, Guitar - Matthew Sanders, Writer - James Sullivan, Writer
© 2007 Warner Records Inc. ℗ 2007 Warner Records Inc.
Jamie Muhoberac, Organ, Piano - Brian Gardner, MasteringEngineer - Avenged Sevenfold, MainArtist - ANDY WALLACE, MixingEngineer - Johnny Christ, Bass Guitar - M. Shadows, Vocals - Synyster Gates, Lead Guitar - The Rev, Drums, Vocals - Zacky Vengeance, Guitar - Matthew Sanders, Writer
© 2007 Warner Records Inc. ℗ 2007 Warner Records Inc.
Miles Mosley, Upright Bass - Jamie Muhoberac, Organ, Piano - Brian Gardner, MasteringEngineer - Joel Peskin, Baritone Saxophone - Cameron Stone, Cello - Arnold McCuller, Choir - Caroline Campbell, Violin - Neel Hammond, Violin - Avenged Sevenfold, MainArtist - ANDY WALLACE, MixingEngineer - Andrew Duckles, Viola - Johnny Christ, Bass Guitar - M. Shadows, Vocals - Synyster Gates, Lead Guitar - The Rev, Drums, Vocals - Zacky Vengeance, Guitar - Wayne Bergeron, Trumpet - Bob Joyce, Choir - Bill Liston, Clarinet, Alto Saxophone - Bruce Fowler, Trombone - Monique Donnelly, Choir - Scottie Haskell, Choir - Luana Jackman, Choir - Juliette Commagere, Additional Vocals - Brandon Fields, Alto Saxophone - Beth Andersen, Choir - Debbie Hall, Choir - Ed Zajack, Choir - Gabriel Mann, Choir - Rob Giles, Choir - Rock Logan, Choir - Dan Foreno, Trumpet - Dave Boruff, Tenor Saxophone - Rusty Higgins, Clarinet, Tenor Saxophone - Susie Stevens Logan, Choir - James Sullivan, Writer - Alex Iies, Trombone
© 2007 Warner Records Inc. ℗ 2007 Warner Records Inc.
Brian Gardner, MasteringEngineer - Greg Leisz, Banjo - Avenged Sevenfold, MainArtist - ANDY WALLACE, MixingEngineer - Johnny Christ, Bass Guitar - M. Shadows, Vocals - Synyster Gates, Lead Guitar - The Rev, Drums - Zacky Vengeance, Acoustic Guitar - Matthew Sanders, Writer - Shanna Crooks, Additional Vocals - Jonathan Seward, Writer - Brian Elwin Haner, Jr., Writer
© 2007 Warner Records Inc. ℗ 2007 Warner Records Inc.
Album review
Coming off a Best New Artist Award at the 2006 MTV Video Music Awards, the members of Avenged Sevenfold returned to the studio, ambitious to create an exciting follow-up to City of Evil -- perhaps overly so, as their self-titled release focuses entirely too hard on pushing the songs into non-metal territory. Their signature, blistering Yngwie Malmsteen guitar arpeggios and lightning fast double-kick drums are still evident, but the overall heavy metal thunder is diluted by their everything-but-the-kitchen-sink approach. Left alone in the studio to record the album on their own, AS show their unbridled enthusiasm to be as inventive as possible as they run through a staggering amount of production enhancements: four songs have string arrangements; violinists, pianists, and vocalists make guest appearances here and there; "A Little Piece of Heaven" is a strange Mr. Bungle type number with sax, clarinet, trombone, and trumpet, and "Unbound (The Wild Ride)" throws in the most un-metal addition of all -- a children's choir. Some of these enhancements help take the songs to the next level but most detract, and give the sensation of inappropriately mashed-up styles, like listening to a Dream Theater album on a boom box while a nearby clock radio plays Charlie FM. Vocalist M. Shadows, who required surgery on his vocal cords after Waking the Fallen shows that his training with Ron Anderson (vocal coach for Layne Staley, Axl Rose, and Chris Cornell) has been for the greater good. Rather than screaming or doing the metal growl, he sings in a few gritty voices, showing an obvious Mike Patton influence, and actually sounds pitch-perfect. His skills, and the entire band's technical ferocity, is flawless as ever, but just gets lost in a cluttered vision. Perhaps the worst culprit of their excessive studio trickery is when a Cher-esque "Believe" pitch corrector/vocoder is introduced to the chorus of "Lost," essentially stomping out a fiery '80s speed-metal jam into lukewarm embers of passé electro. While their willingness to experiment is admirable, despite the fact that they've gone overboard with their overdubs, the overabundance of studio polish leaves one to wonder if it's not because the songs just aren't as strong this time around.
© Jason Lymangrover /TiVo
About the album
- 1 disc(s) - 10 track(s)
- Total length: 00:52:57
- Main artists: Avenged Sevenfold
- Label: Warner Records
- Genre: Metal Hard Rock
© 2007 Warner Records Inc. ℗ 2007 Warner Records Inc.
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