Moroni's Review of Avenged Sevenfold's "Hail To The King"

I have already talked about here about how Avenged Sevenfold is one of my favorite bands.  I have greatly anticipated their sixth record, "Hail to the King".

In December of 2009, the tragic and untimely death of drummer James "The Rev" Sullivan was a huge blow to me.  There was a part of me that thought, "Man, this band is finished!"

The Rev was one of the principal songwriters.  His influence on the band was undeniable.  Arguably, he was the creative force that made it all work.  All of my favorite songs - like the dark and quirky "A Little Piece of Heaven" - were written by the Rev.  So I wondered how they were going to survive.  I have seen it with other bands - their songwriter dies, their creative muse dies, and the band withers, like with Gin Blossoms.

Avenged Sevenfold went into the studio without the Rev and finished their fifth album, "Nightmare", recruiting the Rev's favorite drummer, Mike Portnoy from Dream Theater, (also one of my favorite bands), as a session and touring drummer.  They have since added Arin Ilejay as their new drummer.  "Nightmare" was a great album, but it still was dominated with songs written by the Rev.  This included the final track, a eleven-minute opus called "Save Me", written just days before his death and containing an  uncanny prediction.  The last lyrics of the song contain the haunting refrain:

Tonight we all die young

So "Hail to the King" is the first album totally written and recorded without the input of the Rev.  I'm going to be honest - I miss his contribution.  I miss his background vocals and his distinct impression on the group.  Frankly, this album does not grab me as firmly as "Nightmare" or their eponymous record, or any of their other albums, for that matter.

There.  Now that I have said that, I can say - regardless, this album rawks!  They have shown that - without the Rev - they can still craft good rock songs.  At the moment I write this, this album is the #1 album on the USA Billboard charts, and there is a reason for it.  From the first song - "Shepherd of Fire" - you can immediately tell that this is a different sound for A7X.  On this record, the band has scrolled back from the screamo in favor of an old school metal grind - not quite Black Sabbath, maybe more like Dio.  Absent is the Iron Maiden "gallop" that usually pushes their music at a break-neck speed.  This one has a slow and heavy inevitability like a glacier sliding across the landscape, a more adult adult sound for a band that has been making us headbang for more than a decade.

James "The Rev" Sullivan - R.I.P.

Arguably, the best song is the title track, "Hail to the King", suspended effortlessly by Matt Shadows's growl and Synyster Gates flawless guitar-picking.  "Doing Time" and "This Is War" hit you hard and heavy.  "Requiem" and "Acid Rain" display the band's penchant for the dramatic.  The former starts with a chorale arrangement that would make Mozart proud before crunching down into a fist-pumping rhythm.  The latter is a progressive piece dominated by the piano.

Every heavy metal album needs a ballad, and "Crimson Day" fits the bill nicely.  "Heretic" and "Coming Day" are among my favorite songs.  If you are going to download this album, make sure you download the version that has the bonus track, "St. James", which is one of the best songs on the album.  It is the only track to feature the vocal harmonies that are prominent on their other records.

All in all, I am pleased with this album.  I am glad that they found a way to survive the tragedy of losing their friend.  It is a good way to honor his memory.  I hope that they will be around for a long time.