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“They’re cheesy. They sing nowadays; they should scream like they used to. They’re sellouts.”

They fight. They fuck. They destroy hotel rooms.

They’re misunderstood.

They are warm. They are loyal. They are brave. They are authentic.

They are disciplined.

As musicians, the members of Avenged Sevenfold are definite virtuosos in a time when being accomplished artists seemingly means so little. They are inquisitive and never fully satisfied with their own work. They seek to grow and improve every day, regardless of the obstacles or costs involved.

They are a rock band. They are rock stars. They are Avenged Sevenfold.

Avenged Sevenfold, the album, is a self-produced effort. While the band shared co-production credit on 2005’s million-selling City Of Evil with Mudrock, this new album is solely their responsibility — and they’re primed to accept it.

But attaining such stature didn’t arrive in an overnight jaunt. To the contrary, Avenged Sevenfold had been an integral part of the independent, underground rock scene years before breaking through on commercial radio. In fact, the Orange County, California-based act launched its career several years ago (they were barely out of high school) with the release of its debut in July 2001 of Sounding The Seventh Trumpet.

Miles of van touring ensued, performing in tightly packed clubs, and sweating shoulder-to-shoulder on both national and international levels. Despite the truly D.I.Y. affair (which still found the fledgling act putting on an eye-opening, elaborate stage show), Avenged Sevenfold never offered anything less than a full-throttle set. The band released its second independent full-length in August 2003, Waking The Fallen, a couple years later, greatly expanding on its metal-based foundation and giving us a not-so-subtle nudge that something exciting was in the imminent forecast.

Our suspicions were confirmed a couple years later, with Avenged Sevenfold’s breakthrough 2005 Warner Bros. debut, City Of Evil, featuring the wildly popular single “Bat Country.” That was the turning point for the fearless, genre-bending quintet that, after years of clocking in on the independent level, had finally advanced towards a milestone they had been seeking throughout their careers. A7X wrapped 18 months of relentless touring in October 2006 and immediately began writing Avenged Sevenfold. After the success of City Of Evil — where they proved they had truly captured the imagination of music fans of all shapes and sizes — they became the only band to headline Warped Tour and Ozzfest while simultaneously hitting Number One on MTV’s TRL. The natural question was whether the band would continue its creative odyssey or return to the formula that brought them such success on the last go-around. Thankfully, they continued their musical exploration without caving in to any outside influences.

For this self-titled release, the act returned to the garage at M. Shadows’ parents’ home where these high-school friends had penned every other song in their discography. The band sought to delve into genres and recording techniques they had discovered on the road. For instance, they wanted to incorporate the narrative lyrics and biting guitar tones they’d admired in country music, as well as the powerful bottom end of hip-hop they felt would only add to the power of their music and message.

“All those months on the bus we really weren’t finding new rock that was moving us,” says frontman M. Shadows. “Instead, we were listening to everything from Toby Keith to T.I., and finding elements we could incorporate into what we were doing to make our next record more interesting to us.”

In the studio, Avenged Sevenfold enlisted engineers Fred Archambault and Dave Schiffman (System Of A Down, Johnny Cash, Red Hot Chili Peppers), and the team went to work.

The resulting sound and rhythm of Avenged Sevenfold is, in a word, eclectic. Yet it’s still trademark A7X. “‘Scream’ has a groove we really wanted to inject into this record,” says guitarist Synyster Gates. “And on ‘Lost,’ you can hear the influence melodic bands like NOFX have always had on our band.”

A7X composed the string sections, including the individual instrument orchestration, with the assistance of Marc Mann and Steve Bartek from Oingo Boingo (and who currently orchestrate for Danny Elfman). With the soaring strings in “Afterlife,” the haunting and theatrical performance of “A Little Piece Of Heaven,” or the gentle vocals of a child in “Unbound,” the band’s creative and varied approach is surprising. Percussionist Lenny Castro brought a dynamic to “Brompton Cocktail,” and noted pedal steel and banjo player Greg Leisz added a country flair to the song “Dear God.” Yet as Gates adds, “it’s the dueling guitars, Shadows’ voice and the Rev’s brutality that make every one of the songs sound like Avenged Sevenfold.”

Lyrically, Shadows was striving for something more personal on the new album. “I feel we all experience a certain inner conflict, the push and pull between how we think we should act, or want to act, and the temptations and human instincts that we often blame when we don’t end up being the person we want to be.”

In fact, the album’s first single, “Almost Easy,” focuses on more similar temptations. “Afterlife” addresses the notion of “memento mori,” or the need to remember that death may intervene before we have reconciled differences with friends or loved ones.

These guys worked their asses off making Avenged Sevenfold (enlisting studio legend Andy Wallace to mix the record), literally sweating every detail with the same (if not stronger) conviction they had years earlier in trying to prove themselves to the masses. But it’s best you understand what was really going on during the three months these five best friends were holed up making Avenged Sevenfold.

They were having the time of their lives.

Stage Name: M.Shadows
First Name: Matthew
Middle Name: Charles
Last Name: Sanders
Bio : In his youth, Matthew Charles Sanders was notorious for his disorderly conduct and misbehavior. He was kicked out of two different Huntington Beach schools, one for smashing a woman's car windows after a sixth-grade pizza party and another for defacing campus property, which ended with the death of the school principal over a heart attack. This latter event earned him the nickname "the kid that killed the principal."[1]

On the A7X DVD, while all of the members were talking about how they got their stage names, M. Shadows said that he got his name because when he attended El Modena High School and the band was just starting out, he was a darker kid (hence the name "Shadows") but he also wanted to incorporate his name, Matt, into his stage name. Matt was reduced to M and since has been known as M. Shadows.[2]

Matt and long time girlfriend Valary Dibenedetto got engaged in August 2007,as said by Matt in the August issue of Revolver magazine.

Stage Name: Zacky Vengeance
First Name: Zachary
Middle Name: James
Last Name: Baker
Zacky has played guitar since he was around thirteen years old, and is self taught.

In the Avenged Sevenfold DVD "All Excess" he recalls that before Avenged Sevenfold, he played in a one time punk band called MPA*, which stood for "Mad Porno Action". He implies that they were not successful, and was arrested after their concert for supposedly "stealing all the mics." He and M. Shadows (the band's lead vocalist) formed Avenged Sevenfold. He took the name Zacky Vengeance, stating that he had grudges against many people who doubted his success. He was also responsible for the creation of the acronym "A7X". Stating that the 'A' stood for avenged, and then the 7X was seven times.[1] He is also left handed. He taught himself how to play the guitar when he was thirteen. The guitar he first learned on was actually his dad's, and was a right-handed model that he played upside-down.

Baker has stated that there are many bands that influence him. "I still love the heavy bands. I love... Danny Elfman and Elvis Costello. [It's] all over the place - I think that's the best way to be."[2]

Baker has been sponsored by Schecter Guitar Research since 2004, and has custom S-1 models out. He uses Seymour Duncan Pickups in all of his guitars and is currently a featured artist on the company's website along with Synyster Gates.

His brother, Matt Baker, is a member of the band The Dear & Departed. He also has a sister named Zina Baker.

Contrary to popular belief, Zacky's middle name is not Jonathan, he stated this himself on a Vengeance University MySpace blog. His middle name is James.

Stage Name: Synyster Gates
First Name: Brian
Middle Name: Elwin
Last Name: Haner
Bio : Synyster Gates attended Ocean View High School in Huntington Beach,California and Mayfair High School in Lakewood, California as a teenager, and then the Musicians Institute in Hollywood as part of the GIT program, studying jazz guitar. His father Brian Haner Sr., is a musician and is often called Avenged Sevenfold's official acoustic guitar player for his appearances on their albums, such as the acoustic solo on City of Evil 's "Sidewinder" and "MIA".

Gates joined Avenged Sevenfold (A7X) when he was 18 at the end of 1999, right before the recording of the band's first album, Sounding the Seventh Trumpet. He was featured on their EP, "Warmness on the Soul," and on the reissue of their first album. He also plays piano for the band on songs such as "The Beast and the Harlot" and "Sidewinder," though a former member of the band, bassist Justin Sane, played the piano on Warmness on the Soul.

In the Avenged Sevenfold DVD "All Excess," to emphasize the seemingly random placing of names, Gates stated that his name was thought of on a drunken drive through the park with The Rev. His exact words were, "I am Synyster Gates, and I am fucking awesome!".[1]

Gates cites Django Reinhardt, Adam Aparicio, Dimebag Darrell, Slash, and Roddy as his favorite guitarists and major influences. He has won numerous awards, including the "Young Shredder" award of the year in the Metal Hammer awards in 2006 and the "Guitarist of the Year" Award for Total Guitar Magazine in 2006.

Synyster Gates was also a member of the "Goblin Metal" side-project Pinkly Smooth with The Rev and Justin Sane. Pinkly Smooth was disbanded because Gates and The Rev wished to focus full-time on Avenged Sevenfold, although when asked recently, they both revealed there is a new side project being planned, featuring the two playing older Pinkly Smooth tunes.

Gates is currently dating Michelle DiBenedetto, twin sister of M. Shadows's fiance, Val DiBenedetto.

Stage Name: The Reverend Tholomew Plague - The Rev
First Name: James
Middle Name: Owen
Last Name: Sullivan
Bio : At the age of 10, The Rev got his own drum set. The Rev attended a Catholic school with M. Shadows, and was expelled in the 2nd grade. The Rev was also expelled from Huntington Beach High School, and was then expelled from the reform school resulting in his dropping out. His first record was released with the band Suburban Legends at the age of 18.

He was also formerly the drummer for third-wave ska band Suburban Legends, and drummer/vocalist for Avenged Sevenfold side project Pinkly Smooth. The Rev took part in the band Ballistico as their guitarist and vocalist. On the Avenged Sevenfold DVD, All Excess, while discussing how each member got their stage names, it was stated that Sullivan attained his name via a shortened version of The Reverend Tholomew Plague. The decision was seemingly random, as there were no specific reasons stated as to the inspiration for the name. He had a tendency to wear eccentric outfits such as outrageously colored kimonos or bath robes, baggy shorts, and flourescent socks. In the DVD, he terrorized people on his campus while wearing the eccentric outfits , and rode around in a golf cart.[1]

Some of his favorite bands are Rancid, The Transplants, Slayer, and Organized Riot. Sullivan cites his influences as being Vinnie Paul of Pantera, Dave Lombardo and Paul Bostaph of Slayer, Mike Portnoy of Dream Theater, and Terry Bozzio

Sullivan uses and is sponsored by DW Drums, although he appears in advertisements for DW's budget company, PDP, his old tour set was a PDP. He is also sponsored by Sabian cymbals, Pro-Mark sticks and Evans drum heads. [2]

Recognized for vocals in side project Pinkly Smooth, Sullivan is utilized as a back-up vocalist in Avenged Sevenfold. Besides screaming with M. Shadows in songs Chapter Four and Eternal Rest, the single from the band's eponymous album, Critical Acclaim features Sullivan at lead vocals during the chorus of the song, both singing and screaming. His vocals are also featured in other songs from the Avenged Sevenfold eponymous album.

The Rev is featured singing in the songs he wrote, "A Little Piece of Heaven", "Brompton Cocktail", "Afterlife", and "Almost Easy". He also sings in "Critical Acclaim","Scream" and "Lost", both from the eponymous album.

Stage Name: Johnny Christ
First Name: Jonathan
Middle Name: Lewis
Last Name: Seward
Bio : He is the third bassist for Avenged Sevenfold, following the departures of Dameon Ash and Justin Meacham. He dropped out of Marina High School before his senior year to tour with the band. He first recorded on their second CD Waking the Fallen. He used to write only Johnny on his autographs until Zacky came up with the name 'Johnny Christ', and in All Excess he said It sounded kind of ballsy and it would piss some people off....so everyone's going to hate that. He resides in Huntington Beach, Orange County DEAR GOD- International

Avenged Sevenfold posted a new blog in regards to the video for “Dear God”, just because you couldn’t attend the Florida or Long Beach shows doesn’t mean you can’t be a part of the video! THEIR LINK TO THE RELEASE FORM DOESN’T WORK BUT YOU CAN FIND THE WORKING LINK BELOW.

“We filmed in Florida… we filmed in Long Beach… but it doesn’t stop there.

Now it’s time for our fans ALL ACROSS THE GLOBE to be in our music video for “Dear God”!

Show us your country’s pride with an A7X vibe. We want to see your flags, your monuments or anything that makes you proud of your country.

Also, don’t forget to sport your A7X gear while you’re filming!

You all know this video is going to be high quality, so please no camera phone videos. Also, we need to keep it at HD (High Definition) or HDV so it blends with the rest of the video. You also have to fill out a release form to allow us to use your video.

Keep your clips to 30 seconds long and upload it to yousendit.com.

ALL RELEASE FORMS AND VIDEOS ARE TO BE SENT TO [email protected] NO LATER THAN APRIL 30, 2008

Download the release form HERE! ”

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