One thing I'd never want to get into with every album is its genre. In this age, everyone seems to have elements of different genres fused into one song. Or that's the case with music I'd listen to anyway.
On with the album, just a little background. Avenged Sevenfold's drummer, fondly known as The Rev, passed away last year of under the counter drug complications. Quite unfortunate for someone of such potential and youth to die as tragically. May he Rest In Peace.
The question of carrying on with a band after one member is deceased has always been very controversial. It has been done before with varying degrees of success. The Doors carried on without Jim Morrison, yet this was short lived. However, there have been the occasional band like AC/DC, who have enjoyed a successful career with Brian Johnson after Bon Scott's death.
Mike Portnoy, The Rev's favourite drummer, was brought in as a session drummer, and at the moment, he's signed on to tour with them as well. Portnoy certainly has a very different style than The Rev, and I feel that it is clear from the album that Portnoy has tried his best in making sure his perspective doesn't take over the record, and has tried keeping it as close to The Rev's own skills.
Down to the actual review. Overall, I wasn't quite impressed. I am a casual fan of the band, back in their City of Evil days, and to be honest, it was Portnoy's guest appearance that prompted me to, err, pick up a copy :)
In that regard, as I have said before, I was disappointed. I feel he was trying to play as The Rev would, keeping his memory alive.
It's quite ironic that the album title is a description of the album itself. Aside from "Victim," the other tracks don't even reach mediocrity lyrically. And M. Shadows is the vocal equivalent of a three month experienced guitarist, who plays the same old lick over and over again. Vocal phrasing is between monotonous and horrible.
Synyster Gates is the only reason I got to the end of the album. A very promising guitarist, but I feel he is being held back by the musical inadequacy of Avenged Sevenfold. As a songwriter, he has a long way to go, as you can hear from "So Far Away."
I really would like to say good things about this album, but its all I can do to keep things amicable. After much deliberation, I thought I might as well be honest about what I feel about the album solely as a work of a art instead of a tribute to a deceased band mate. Much focus has been given to what James Sullivan might feel about the album from beyond the grave. I feel that if the band wasn't up to the task, they should have respected his memory and stopped recording instead of using this death as publicity.
All in all, I solemnly disturbed album reflecting the harsh times the band have been through of late.
Track Listing:
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"
Personnel
Avenged Sevenfold
M. Shadows – lead vocals
Synyster Gates – lead guitar, backing vocals
Zacky Vengeance – rhythm guitar, backing vocals
Johnny Christ – bass
The Rev - vocals, drum arrangements, drums on demo
Session musicians
Mike Portnoy – drums, percussions
Brian Haner, Sr. – guitar
Sharlotte Gibson – backing vocals
Jessi Collins - backing vocals
David Palmer - piano, keyboards
Stevie Blacke - Strings, string arrangement
Stewart Cole - trumpet
Mike Elizondo - keyboards
The Whistler - Whistling
Producer: Mike Elizondo
Rating: Three whiskers
Timelessness: I would be surprised if fans of real music [automatically excludes those who get goosebumps listening to the awesomeness of the Backstreets Boys] remembered this album by Christmas. No lives.
For the lazy:
Bad. Don't buy it.
aurocella
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