Last week, Avenged Sevenfold released one of the most talked-about metal records of recent times with ...Life Is But A Dream, a startling, experimental and innovative record that has stretched the Orange County icons' sound further than ever. It's had the metal world in fierce debate ever since, many fans loving the surprising leap into the unknown, others shocked at how far the band have strayed from their roots.
Back in March, Avenged released the first preview of ...Life Is But A Dream courtesy of nightmarish, droning lead single Nobody. The track provoked some huge reactions, including outrage from some longtime fans. In the new issue of Metal Hammer, the band discuss the response to the single, revealing that they found some of the retaliation...well...straight-up hilarious.
“They’re like, ‘That is fucking shit! These guys forgot how to write a song! Why would you put a solo at the end?’” chuckles Avenged frontman M. Shadows. “We were just laughing. That was more fun to us than someone saying, ‘Oh, this is great.’ We always gear towards a little bit of ruffling feathers.”
The album itself pushes things even further, but despite boasting influences as varied as Daft Punk, Elton John, Pink Floyd and Kanye West, Shadows insists that, fundamentally, Avenged are a heavy metal band at heart.
“I consider us a metal band," he confirms. "We’re definitely influenced by Slayer and Pantera and Metallica and some quirkier things. We’re just trying to put our own twist on it.”
“I want to make an impact," he later adds of ...Life Is But A Dream. "I want to make bold art. I think after people get used to it, it won’t be so crazy. And then it’ll be like, ‘Well, what’s next?’ That’s the journey we’re all on.”
You can read more from Avenged in Metal Hammer's exclusive cover interview, out now. Order the magazine here.
