Avenged Sevenfold - Nightmare

Artist: Avenged Sevenfold
Title: Nightmare
Genre: Metal
Release Date: 27th August 2010
Label: Roadrunner Records



Album Review

AVENGED SEVENFOLD is an American rock band from Huntington Beach, California, formed in 1999. They emerged with a Metalcore sound on their debut ‘Sounding the Seventh Trumpet’ which included primarily screaming vocals. The band changed their style on their third album and first major label release, ‘City of Evil’, which features more melodic vocals and power ballads. The band continued to explore new sounds with their self titled release and enjoyed continued mainstream success before their drummer, James Sullivan "The Rev" died of heart decease and combining effects of a few chemicals in his body in 2009. Despite his death, the band continued on with help of then DREAM THEATRE drummer Mike Portnoy and released their fifth album ‘Nightmare’ in 2010.

Already the title points out that the band is treating the death of their friend and fellow musician, but the general mood of the album appears to be rather dark and some lyrics convey all the sadness and despair they had to endure. From a musical point of view, ‘Nightmare’ is combining all elements that made previous records successful: Metalcore-orientated riffs combined with screamed and distorted vocals, at times catchy melodies along with certain heavy elements and also characteristic guitar solos. Yet no song sounds like the other: whilst the title and opening track, ‘Nightmare’ is not too fast and defined by the remarkable chorus, ‘Welcome to the Family’ gains up more speed and groove.

In general, the band possesses a very modern attitude and also adds their own identity to their genre, having a self-contained sound. Yet one surely has to like modern heavy metal / Metalcore to fully enjoy this album, since especially the vocals at times are not as harsh as one might imagine.


Tracklist

01. Nightmare
02. Welcome to the Family
03. Danger Line
04. Buried Alive
05. Natural Born Killer
06. So Far Away
07. God Hates Us
08. Victim
09. Tonight the World Dies
10. Fiction
11. Save Me


Line-up

M. Shadows – Vocals, Keyboards
Synyster Gates – Guitar, Keyboards
Zacky Vengeance – Guitar
Johnny Christ – Bass
Mike Portnoy – Drums


Website

http://www.avengedsevenfold.com/ / www.myspace.com/avengedsevenfold


Cover Picture




Rating

Music: 6
Sound: 9
Extras: -
Total: 7.5 / 10


{jos_sb_discuss:19}