February 17 2006 Avenged Sevenfold Burn it Down at the Gibson Ampitheatre / All Access Magazine
By Maya Dawn Henderson Photos by Gregg Nevens Artwork by Mike Kanzler
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I first discovered Avenged Sevenfold at last Summer’s Ozzfest. Someone handed me a sample CD featuring only four songs; two by Mastadon and two by Avenged Sevenfold. The A7X songs were their current radio hits, Beast And The Harlot and Bat Country. I heard them once and that was it. I’m sure they get a lot of that instant adoration. I was immediately blown away by their virtuoso musicianship and distinct cross-over sound, to the point where I was running around saying, “this is my new absolute favorite band!” This act manages to capture upon first contact. So, I was beyond ecstatic to come out and see them live recently at their sold out Gibson Ampitheatre show on February 17, with my equally hyped up girlfriend, Francesca by my side. They did not disappoint.
Their winged skulls logo spun on the giant video screen, as they opened with Chapter Four, from their album Waking The Fallen. Ridiculous high energy blazed and everyone was on their feet. The song sped along with dualing, smoking guitars that didn’t simmer for a second. The choruses that were indistinguishable from the verses. Sure to be future rock royalty, Avenged Sevenfold flawlessly mixed razor sharp metalish riffs, stop-on-a dime tempo changes, keenly emotive vocals ~ on par with the masters.
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These Huntington Beach, California boys have really come in to their own after releasing the recent “City of Evil”. Raised on both punk and metal in So Cal, their influence from both worlds is reflected in their own brand of music. They were still in high school when they formed in 1999. They are a truly delicious assault on the ears, and not bad on the eyes either! I loved how nobody in the band had a natural hair color! Avenged Sevenfold consists of M. Shadows on Vocals, Synyster Gates on Lead Guitar, Zachy Vengeance on Guitar, Johnny Christ on Bass and “The Reverend” on “Lead Drums”. The band debuted in July 2001 with Sounding the Seventh Trumpet (Good Life), and followed two years later with the Hopeless release Waking the Fallen before jumping to Warner Bros. for June 2005's City of Evil. That summer they supported the album with a live run on the Warped Tour's main stage.
They played Beast And The Harlot next and I was once again, floored, as it sounded even better than it does on CD. Power double-bass drums rumbled through Gibson Amp. This was truly arena rock, played with such intensity and professionalism, it made it hard to believe these guys are only in their early twenties! Fast-paced, fierce and full of velocity, this tune was done with just enough guitar crunch for emphasis and edge. Next up was Burn It Down. This song is just loaded with intricate tempo changes. I didn’t have the band’s set list and didn’t know some of the tunes…Thankfully I had two Avenged Sevenfold aficionado’s seated next to me, Joe & Wonde Nevens (ages 11 and 9) to fill me on what was what. The singer hollered out “Lets Burn This Mother Fucker Down!!” and Burn It Down they did… This song had solid layers of guitar, big melodies and wicked texturing. It was filled with rhythmic and melodic complexity and flat out powerful delivery from M. Shadows.
They played the Pantera classic, Walk, after that. (A band Avenged grew up listening to.) The crowd went wild as the band served it up in traditional Pantera style. I Won’t See You Tonight was up next and the crowd went pretty much insane. This music teems with texture. Their music is really an aggressive hybrid of metal and punk-pop. Trashed And Scattered had deliciously retro drumming featuring the Rev’s masterful footwork delivering the solid pulse throughout the song. The band openly credits their hard core fan base preaching that it’s more of “a way of life, than a band” and knows they can’t fall with their loyal and large fan base holding them up.
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An utterly ethereal energy flowed throughout the ampitheatre from the start of this show till the finish. During their song Unholy Confessions, I looked around to see a sold out crowd waving what seemed like a million swaying cell phones, brightly lit, (replacing the lighters we used to use to salute rock heroes). There was just about every age group imaginable at this gig. We had even chit-chatted with Robin McCauley, who was equally impressed with Avenged, just before Avenged hit the stage. They covered Paradise City and I wondered if that was inspired from recently hanging out with Axl Rose at Korn’s record release party in January.
Next on the set list was Strength Of The World, complete with cute dancers on stripper poles. I didn’t want this show to end. Naturally, they saved the highly anticipated Bat Country for last. This song was apparently written for Hunter S. Thompson, about the band’s own adventures in Las Vegas. This is my all time favorite song, right now. It speeds up and slows down seamlessly with an unrelenting wall of distorted guitar. The second guitar is a gentler, with a ride of whispering, finger-picking. Neither of the guitars paused for those soaring, Iron Maiden-worshipping melodic lines throughout the tune. We left the show squeeling like school girls about this fine performance, with our ears happily ringing and our spirits all a buzz. I can’t wait to see them come around again. These young, local bat-boys completely rule! www.avengedsevenfold.com
~ Maya Dawn Henderson ~