Avenged Sevenfold

It is amazing how much some bands will do to be different. *Avenged Sevenfold *are one of those bands that have made an exceptional effort of late. Breaking through with some decidedly goth-influenced, OC metalcore roots in 2003 with the majestic Waking The Fallen, the muscle-bound Californians have seemingly turned a corner with their recent album _City Of Evil _resembling the sleazy, Hollywood hard rock of the 1980s. Make no bones about it, this was an odd career move. Abandoning one scene for another is not something to be taken lightly. You tend to lose a fanbase or two with these actions.

The problem when a band tries too hard is that it is patently obvious that what they’re doing is not natural. The fly-by-night tendency of this new pantomime act just tends to grate after a while. True, the showmanship is plain to be seen and the quality of musicianship is admirable; plus, the songs are pretty damn good on occasion. But goddamnit, it’s just all so fake. I wish I could believe it. Maybe I’m just sorely mistaken and this is the most natural thing that Synyster Gates, M. Shadows, Johnny Christ, *The Rev *and *Zacky Vengeance *could possibly ever do. This is doubtful.

A7X has shifted many, many thousands of copies of their latest record but, interestingly, tonight's show only really comes alive when older material is played. Hiding behind his sunglasses, M. Shadows looks like a more ridiculous version of Rob Halford for the entirety of the set, but when they play songs like ‘I Won’t See You Tonight’ _and _‘Unholy Confessions’, the rapturous applause of the crowd is telling. With a greater ability to play these songs now than when they released the material originally, A7X are able to liberate these sub-goth masterpieces into the wild yet brooding anthems that they always threatened to be. These songs almost come close to redeeming the performance.

But, maybe it isn’t all a lie. Maybe the shift in subject matter from self-pity in epic proportions, played with a sound of epic proportions, has given way to a more vacuous party lifestyle, mirrored in both delivery and scope. Maybe Avenged Sevenfold are not quite as contrived as I’ve accused them of being. Maybe their music just reflects what they’re doing in life. If so, the age-old argument that no quality art comes from happiness is ringing true here tonight.