Hail To The Kings

This August Avenged Sevenfold, one of the biggest contemporary heavy metal bands, released their newest and fifth studio album. The album, titled Hail To The King, has big shoes to fill because their previous album, Nightmare, reached #1 on the US charts which is a huge feat today for a metal band. This is also a very important, yet somber album for the band because it is their first one without their former drummer Jimmy "The Rev" Sullivan who passed away last year. Despite losing not only their great friend, and creative presence, the band has moved on well. They are the modern day products of bands like Metallica, Guns 'N' Roses, Iron Maiden, and Pantera, and they represent the metal or metalcore genre of today brilliantly in this album.

The band not only survived the tragedy, but they further blossomed through it in a thunderous way. This band rocks just as hard as their other works, if not harder, yet maintains the very melodic style they are known for. The first song on the album "Shepherd of Fire" kicks off the album personally with thumping drums, and wailing guitars setting a perfect tone for the rest of the tracks. A link to the track follows here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7GLkvCrcExU The album's next song, that shares the same title. "Hail To The King" is the first single released off the album, and it really set the bar high when people heard it for the first time. With face melting guitar riffs and solos, along with front-man

M. Shadow's great vocal work, the song gives a chill to its listeners. Any metal fan can appreciate this song, as well as anybody who enjoys rock in general, and should listen to it here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DelhLppPSxY Just like their role models I mentioned earlier, Avenged Sevenfold also knows how to kick it down a notch, and write a kick-ass ballad that not only soothes, but rocks. The track "Crimson Day" is a metal ballad that even Axl Rose or Kirk Hammett would be proud of. It starts off acoustic, and progresses to a harmony of steady percussion, and a screaming guitar met by a soothing counterpart. It offers a bit of a change of pace to the album, which any great one need, and can be heard here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wSs_NYNWB1M

Any fan of metal who reads this knows who Avenged Sevenfold is, and if you have yet to check out the album, get on it ASAP. For people new to the genre, it be tough adjusting to, but it would change your views on music. Some may not enjoy how heavy heavy metal is, but if you are looking for a band to get you started this is the band for you, and also the perfect album. Hail To The King has shown just how much this band has matured since their formation in 2000, and hopefully means even more great metal to come! Until next time,

-TR