The Avenged Sevenfold Thread (merged)

[Heretic]

heh heh, reviews are saying "Heretic" is the most progressive/old-a7x-sounding song on the album.

[ZKX-2099]

heh heh, reviews are saying "Heretic" is the most progressive/old-a7x-sounding song on the album.

Yes and I'm sure it's... all for you... Heretic.

Anyway track lengths for the songs are out now.

1.    "Shepherd of Fire"      5:22
2.    "Hail to the King"      5:04
3.    "Doing Time"      3:27
4.    "This Means War"      6:09
5.    "Requiem"      4:23
6.    "Crimson Day"      4:57
7.    "Heretic"      4:55
8.    "Coming Home"      6:26
9.    "Planets"      5:56
10.    "Acid Rain"      6:38

I was hoping for a song as long as Save Me again... eh.

[Anguyen92]

Question?  How long do their shows normally go for in length?  I'm seeing their recent setlists and it appears that they have only 12 songs.  Do they put some of their longer songs in this setlist and do things like an extended bits of instrumentals or something?

[RuRoRul]

heh heh, reviews are saying "Heretic" is the most progressive/old-a7x-sounding song on the album.

Yes and I'm sure it's... all for you... Heretic.

Anyway track lengths for the songs are out now.

1.    "Shepherd of Fire"      5:22
2.    "Hail to the King"      5:04
3.    "Doing Time"      3:27
4.    "This Means War"      6:09
5.    "Requiem"      4:23
6.    "Crimson Day"      4:57
7.    "Heretic"      4:55
8.    "Coming Home"      6:26
9.    "Planets"      5:56
10.    "Acid Rain"      6:38

I was hoping for a song as long as Save Me again... eh.

I thought we'd have heard if there was a 10+ minute song on it but I was hoping to see one or two 7+ minute ones since they have some great longer songs. But then again the two longest songs on Avenged Sevenfold are by far the worst for me.

https://www.musicradar.com/news/guitars/synyster-gates-talks-avenged-sevenfolds-hail-to-the-king-track-by-track-582256#!1

Most looking forward to the last four from the track by track descriptions.

[Mosh]

Album is up for streaming in a lot of places, including iTunes. I'll post my thoughts when I finish, only one song in.

[Heretic]

man this is... better than I expected. will update as I listen

Requiem is legit.

EDIT1: Crimson Day is SO good holy crap

EDIT2: HERETIC LIVES UP TO MY NAME.

EDIT3: Coming Home is outstanding... this album's second half > the first half by far

EDIT4: yep Planets and Acid Rain are just fantastic, I can't believe I ever doubted this album.

[RuRoRul]

Half a song in and already much better than the single so far...

[Dark Castle]

Just started listening now, will report back.
EDIT: Hail To the King works SOOOOOOOOOOO much better in an album context.
23 minutes in, this album is radular, gonna say that now.

[RuRoRul]

Listened once in full now - looks like I was right in thinking the second half of the album would be the best! Coming Home and Heretic especially are awesome. City Of Evil era sounding, with a MIA type solo section in Coming Home.

Not going to knock City Of Evil from its perch but on first listen it seems they have definitely delivered again.

[wolfking]

I'm gonna pick this album up on the weekend.

[Dark Castle]

Finished the album, god damn that album was killer.

[Mosh]

Well it wasn't bad. Not loving it like others, but much better than I expected. It does harken to City Of Evil, but I've never been a huge fan of that album. I felt that it was missing their more melodic side, which is what I mostly like.

I dunno though, it wasn't bad but it feels like a different band, one that I'm not really keen on following. Maybe they were just cooler when I was 13, but I was much more into Nightmare and the S/T when those were new. I'll listen to it a few more times though, maybe it'll grow on me.

[wolfking]

Is the bonus track worth getting the deluxe edition?

[chrisbDTM]

checking it out on itunes now. hopefully the song HTTK was just a fluke

[RuRoRul]

Is the bonus track worth getting the deluxe edition?

I don't think the bonus track is available yet (I haven't heard it yet anyway).

[Heretic]

nah bonus track isn't available in the stream.

only got one listen in to the album, now the stream buffers every five freaking seconds so I can't listen to anything. oh well. at least what I heard was awesome.

[chrisbDTM]

random, unorganized first thoughts

Shepherd of Fire: very straight forward. nothing really memorable. drums aren't much more advanced than HTTK
HTTK: no thanks
Doing Time: this song is what Axl wishes guns n' roses could still sound like
This Means War: sick riff, slow and powerful. this is a song where the simple drum beat doesn't bother me.
Requiem: intro sounds like Star Wars ep 1 lightsaber fight song. another slow banger.
Crimson Day: Gotta get that ballad in there. nothing really sticking on first listen. but it's nice to listen to
Heretic: Another rocker. im getting too focused on the drums, doesn't seem like they will ever be more than straightforward rock beats. this song reminds me the most of older A7X material
Coming Home: i like this chorus, soaring. im hearing maiden while listening to this one.
Planets: symphony x intro. not bad, was hoping to hear something on a 'save me' level, maybe acid rain will have that, but it's still very progressive (at least compared to what i've heard so far)
Acid Rain: not what i was expecting at all. But it's very nice to listen to

final thoughts: they HAD to tell Arin to simplify everything on drums or he was too scared to spice things up. anyway, most of the songs you can sit back and headbang to.

There wasn't any HOLY SHIT moments for me at all. I still remember hearing the Fiction/Save Me 1-2 punch and going crazy, or hearing a little piece of heaven and admiring how quirky it was for them to make that song, or City of Evil nonstop awesomeness, or even Waking the Fallen which was one of the only 'screaming' bands i listened to at the time.

but no moments for me to latch onto after 1 listen. i will try again though

[Heretic]

gotta disagree, the chorus on Coming Home was definitely a WOAHHHH moment for me, as were the entirety of both Planets and Acid Rain.

[Mosh]

There wasn't any HOLY SHIT moments for me at all. I still remember hearing the Fiction/Save Me 1-2 punch and going crazy, or hearing a little piece of heaven and admiring how quirky it was for them to make that song,

Yea, this. It's really missing that element. I really liked the last song though, I thought that was a pretty good end.

The Fiction/Save Me 1-2 punch has to be their best moment, IMO.

[FourthHorseman]

The album is good, better than I thought.

I don't think I will ever get past the drumming though.

R.I.P. Percussion 

[Anguyen92]

Listening to it now.  6th rock album released in 2013, I've listened to.  I'm on This Means War.  Does anyone get that feeling that there are certain parts that sounds like Metallica's Sad But True?  Not knocking on it, just observing, it is pretty good.

As for the album, so far, I'm enjoying this very much.  I don't know why I'm 50/50 with these guys at times.  Chris Jericho loves them and there's not really too much to gripe about.  It appears they have a clear intent on what to do and wants to follow through heavily on that.

[Groundhog]

First listen impressions... This is a really strong album. The second half is definitely better and the song that really stood out for me was Heretic. Some of the songs sound like what Metallica should sound nowadays.  I would like more intricate drumming but the simplicity of the drums doesn't really bother me. I got used to them on the single so as for the rest of the album it should be no problem.

As for the sound quality based on the iTunes stream....

I've been waiting for to be able to say this about a new metal album for very long time. This album sounds huge when listened loud. Hail to the dynamics!

It has all the sonic characteristics that I find DT's TEI lacking. The bass has good definition and punch. The low end is there. The drums sound good and every instrument has their own place and are easily heard without having to strain your ears. Nothing gets drowned in the mix because there is room for the music to breath. That also allows for the individual songs to have a slightly different sonic feel as opposed to overcompressed album where every song sound more or less the same. In the end it makes listening to the whole album so much more interesting. Can't wait to hear this in CD quality.

[Mosh]

Yea I have to say, the production was awesome. Heavy and aggressive, but lots of breathing space. Something TEI doesn't have at all.

[SomeoneLikeHim]

How do I listen to it? I've never used iTunes in my life and I am very confused.

[adace]

After my first listen, I'm not really feeling this album.

The drums and song structures are just too simple/generic and it's painfully obvious that they're ripping off parts songs by GnR, Metallica, AC/DC etc. The songs just don't sound that original.

It's not a bad album. It's just not something I can see myself listening to 50 times over.

On the bright side the production is pretty much flawless. A lot of bands could learn from it.
 

[Kotowboy]

Yea I have to say, the production was awesome. Heavy and aggressive, but lots of breathing space. Something TEI doesn't have at all.

Don't shoot me - but i've always thought Aveneged were like a pop rock band. And as such had more poppy production.

[Groundhog]

I've only heard this album and Nightmare... As far as those albums go I don't really get how those can be considered having poppy production?

[SomeoneLikeHim]

Listening now, liked the first song.

[ZKX-2099]

Where are you guys finding the stream on itunes? Not showing up for me.

[Kotowboy]

I've only heard this album and Nightmare... As far as those albums go I don't really get how those can be considered having poppy production?

Maybe it's the earlier stuff. Some of their choruses to me sound like a boy band song just with guitars.

[SomeoneLikeHim]

Where are you guys finding the stream on itunes? Not showing up for me.

I didn't find it either so I gave up and found it.... elsewhere......

[ZKX-2099]

Yeah I'm not having much luck with that.

[ZKX-2099]

FUCK YOU STEVE JOBS IM GLAD YOU'RE DEAD

[RuRoRul]

Where are you guys finding the stream on itunes? Not showing up for me.

I couldn't see it either, I think you may need the newest version of iTunes. It is on the Avenged Sevenfold band page on iTunes (where you can select album etc.).

[ZKX-2099]

Ok... i've acquired it by other means... ones I did not want to use.