I figure it's about time these guys get a positive review for their new album. 1 and 2 stars just don't cut it to be perfectly honest. That said, there are some things on the CD that I really don't like. I will try and write as unbiased a review as possible.
I'm doing it track by track as the songs are all very different and therefore each deserve time spent on them separately.
01. Critical AcclaimThe gothic opening to the song is wonderful, the organs with the guitars winding in over the top. I can't think of a better start to the first song. It lets you know instantly that this album is going to be something pretty epic. The drumline in this song is also pretty immense, very heavy, very noticeable. The guitar riffs are just the way I like 'em, heavy and raw. Yummy. The vocals are incredible. The Rev's voice really adds a demonic sort of edge to this song in keeping with the semi-gothic style. However, the song lags a little in the middle when the instrumentals slow down and lose their edge in favour of a slow, chilled out breakdown. The first guitar solo is a big disappointment, especially to someone like myself who lives for new Syn solo's. The secondary dual harmony solos are a little better but still nothing to write home about. The song is very good but it would have been better if it had kept up the heavy guitars/drumming during the breakdown.
02. Almost Easy
How's this for unbiased? I fucking hated this song when I first heard a studio version. Swear down. The vocals sounded disconnected, the piano intro/solo pissed me off and I just really didn't like it. But it grew on me and now I like it. It's probably the most straight-forward track that A7X have ever done. It's a simple, catchy punk track with a tiny bit of A7X twist. The guitar riffs are pretty catchy when you get into it and the chorus will stick in your head for days. I like the bass-line on this too, when I can hear it. The drumming though is probably my favourite thing about this track. Thanks to a video from the band showing nothing but The Rev's drumming on this, I really learned to appreciate how great it is in this song. The guitar solo's pretty good however the piano playing over the top of it HAS TO GO. It's absolutely disgusting. This was probably the best choice for a first single but really doesn't reflect the rest of the album at all.
03. Scream
This song is like a fucking orgasm for me. I absolutely adore it. The guitar is heavy, nice old school rock and roll. The bassline is also dark and harsh. The drums sound great. The vocals are just brilliant. This song is definitely Shads' best song on the album. The lyrics are about a murderer chasing a woman who's getting off on the chase. You can really envision Shadows' in this role. He's a very intimidating guy and you can just imagine him as the murderer. He really brings the lyrics to life which makes the song even better. And the guitar solo is damn good, DAMN good. Not the best on the album but still very good. The winding, dual solos are very impressive too. This is one of my favourite tracks on the CD.
04. Afterlife.This song's guitars remind me very much of Trivium, which - as a Trivium fan - is always cool to hear. The vocals in the verses are very agressive, almost hip-hoppy. The bassline is quite prominent at points during this track which is always fun to hear. Johnny Christ needs more recognition. He's damn good. I have one massive complaint about this song though. The chorus is just dire. It doesn't fit with the song. So I'm not a big fan of that at all which is a shame because it ruins a song which could have easily been one of the best. The breakdown is great - take note Critical Acclaim. The violins just add to the haunting idea of the song and the random appearance of The Rev's vocals again are a pleasant surprise. The solo is probably the best on the album though. We haven't heard something like this since
Waking the Fallen's Second Heartbeat. The song's worth listening to for this solo alone.
05. GunslingerTo listen to the beginning of this song, it'd probably surprise you to know that it's another of my favourites from the CD. A soft acoustic intro, Shadows' at a low, soft level - no growl. It's slow, simple and almost country in a way. But then it really kicks into gear and turns into a heavy rock/country ballad. The second it becomes heavier, it turns into Pantera, before shifting down a gear and becoming a good Bon Jovi song. It's one of the albums best surprises. The guitars are definitely the main focus of this one and they're fantastic as always. Shads' voice fits surprisingly well with the whole thing. It's simply a beautiful song.
06. Unbound [The Wild Ride]Wild indeed! This track isn't as maniacal as the title would have you believe. That said, it's still really good fun. The drumming is back to the old-school A7X, The Rev going a mile a minute and doing it better than most young drummers out there. The guitars have a great, finger breaking chorus, up and down and up and down. I imagine a live version of this to be even harder on them. The verses have a wonderful little piano section them which I'm pretty certain will be done by Syn on guitar during live performances. If anything, I think the wildest ride in this song is that of the guitarists. They're all over the place and it's a joy to listen to. The lyrics and vocals remind me very much of the Tim Burton/Danny Elfman film collaborations. The best moment in the song comes at the end. A female vocalist singing over some winding guitars. It actually sounds as if they're dancing with one another which is just beautiful.
07. Brompton CocktailNo, you aren't going mad. They are bongos. I think. I love this track. Like my favourite song on
City Of Evil, this track is very sad in an upbeat way. About a man dying from a terminal illness who wants this cocktail of drugs before he dies to end his life in a happier way. It's lyrically very moving while being musically quite soft but frantic. Sort of like a man who knows death is near and is fighting but doesn't have the energy. Like the lyrics suggest. I think it's one of the better songs on the album but is also going to be one of the most overlooked tracks. I love the abrupt ending to it as well, as if the man has just died suddenly. It's morbid but it works and I love it.
08. LostOh dear. I don't think there's any other way for me to describe this track. Out of all the songs on the album, this is the only one I can hear that really is
that bad. Think Dragonforce crossed with Cher. That said, I can't bring myself to hate it. It's one of those songs that you know you should hate but you really can't. Like Europe's 'The Final Countdown'. You know it's awful but you can't hate it. I can't listen to this without picturing Dragonforce performing it to be honest. In fact, when I see Dragonforce in November, I'll probably be disappointed if they don't play this, heh. The chorus vocals are horrible! Shads' has used an auto-tuner to make his voice weird and electrical. It sounds vile. The guitars are probably this songs saving grace. They are very video game-esque and very high compared to normal A7X but Syn and Zacky have pulled it off very well. The final solo is much better, I can live with that. But on the whole, this is a dire song that you should hate but you just can't. It's a guilty pleasure.
09. Little Piece Of HeavenThis is fucking insane. Seriously. There is no way to describe this track short of The Corpse Bride and Pinkly Smooth's love child on crack. It's bonkers, it's
so not A7X but fuck me sideways, it's fantastic. The story in the vocals is wonderful. A man who kills his girlfriend, screws around, then his dead girlfriend comes back to kill him and they get married in hell. Come on, how is that not genius? You'll be giggling throughout this from "I really always knew that my little crime would be cold/That's why I got a heater for your thighs" to Shads actually using the phrase bye-bye. Pure, maniacal brilliance. It really does sound like a Danny Elfman track, you can very rarely hear any of the band short of Shads and The Rev - who's vocals are perfect for this track. It's pretty much a full orchestra with occasional flashes of the rock band that A7X actually are. You'll either love this song or hate it. I'm firmly in the love camp. I think it's amazing.
10. Dear GodAwwwwww. That's probably the best way to describe 'Dear God'. It's just a sweet, little country song. Yes, country. It's a genuinely lovely little track. Again, it's very unlike the A7X that everyone knows and love but it's still a good song. It's not my favourite on the album but is probably the best way to end it. Nice, chilled out with a lovely acoustic-y feel. I love the final few minutes of this, the duelling guitar outro. It's got a bit more of an Avenged Sevenfold feel there but staying in keeping with the rest of the song. It's nice and soft and the kind of song you can listen to around your mum.
OVERALL?I really like
Avenged Sevenfold as an album. I know a lot of people won't and I know a lot of fans will leave them because of it. In the end, they're the ones who are going to miss out. These guys change with every album and that's something I'm personally very glad of. The sound is always fresh and it always opens your mind to new ideas. If you don't like this album, you basically don't like the band. This is their most personal album. This
is Avenged Sevenfold. And I for one, bloody love them. The album isn't without it's faults as I have listed throughout the review but on the whole, this album is downright amazing. I look forward to where they go from here.
8/10