Avenged Sevenfold

For their third release, Avenged Sevenfold create a bizarre amalgamation of Iron Maiden, Metallica and blink-182. The harmonized guitar leads are direct descendents of the school of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal; mid-sections descend into pure thrash before delivering choruses that beg for radio airplay.

Though they dress like goth punks and are currently one of the hottest acts on the Warped
Tour, Avenged Sevenfold have evolved since 2001 from a hardcore-influenced screamo
outfit into straight-up metalheads. Fiery twin-guitar assaults and complex rhythms dominate
their major-label debut, but where City of Evil marks a departure from Avenged's past is its
vocals: Frontman M. Shadows can now properly be called a singer, having hone... More >