Avenged Sevenfold - City of Evil
|
List Price: Our Price: $6.21 You Save: $5.77 (48%) Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days Buy Used: from $2.91 (click here) Category: Music CD See more new music releases 
|
|---|
Buy this Music CD at online store in your country
Canadian Music Store
Canadian Music Store
Free Music Notes for City of Evil
Free Music Review: ~A Turn In The Right Direction~ possibly A7X's best album~
Hit: 5 Stars
Alright, this has got to be one of the best albums I have ever listen too. Avenged Sevefold completely turns the other way from their first album (hey I made a joke! course, you won't get it if you don't know of their first album) and finishes the work "Waking the Fallen" started. While "Waking the Fallen was good and contained some good songs that didn't contain much screaming in it, "City Of Evil" completely blows it out of the water and the only screaming you will hear will be fore intros like "Beast And The Harlet" or near the end of "Blinded in Chains", both which are awesome songs.
I first got the idea to pick up this album after playing "Beast and the Harlet" on guitar hero 2, and I was awestruck. After picking up "City Of Evil," my introduction to Avenged Sevenfold, it took me a while to get used to this new sound. At the time, I was intrested in punk bands like Fall Out boy, but it was this album that got me leaning over to the "heavier" side of music, eventually to Iron Maiden somehow...I don't something about this album has an 80's feel to me. While this album may take some time for you like, as with the case with me, and it may not please fans of "Sounding of the seventh trumpet", believe me, once you catch on, you will LOVE IT. So here's my review:
Track 1.) "Beast And The Harlet" (rating- 10 out of 10-AWESOME)
Hey, this sets the mood nicely. If you haven't yet experienced this song in gh2, prepare to band your head. It is perhaps the best song on this album, which is saying something, because, to be frank, nearly all the songs on this album are in the running to be best on this album! That's how good this album is! Anyway, "Beast And The Harlet" is surely entertaining and one of Avenged Sevenfolds best songs! Great listen!
Track 2.) "Burn It Down" ( Rating- 8.5 out of 10- awesome song)
Ok, while you may love "Beast and the harlet" and have it tatoo'ed on your back already even though it's only been about 5 minutes after you purchased the cd, be prepared for something a little different, but not much. Now, "Burn It Down" is one of those songs on here that takes some time to like. But believe me, once you give it a chance, you will love it. It's another great song! While it may not want you to pick up a torch and burn miniture models of houses to ashes as with "Beast and the Harlet," it's still going to give you that rush as the first track did, just in a little smaller dose. Great Listen too!
Track 3.) "Blinded in Chains" (rating- 9.5- Awesome song!)
Here we have another song that grows on you over time. As soon as you listen to it a few times, you realize how good this song it is! One of the best songs on this album! However, sometimes I feel as if the cuss words mentioned here ruin the song a bit, but then I realized "who cares, it's a great song!" Won't dissapoint and yet another note worthy song!
Track 4.) "Bat Country" (Rating- 10 out of 10- AWESOME!)
If you haven't seen the music video to this when it was literally fired from a machine gun from MTV and VH1 onto your tv screens when this album came out, be prepared for another song that takes some time to appreciate if you are unfamilar to this sort of sound( sort of like a mixture of punk lyrics and heavy guitar riffs and whatnot!). But soon, you realize this is the best song or one of the best songs on this album! It's packed with energy like "Beast and the harlet", has an amazing solo like "The Beast and the harlet," paints a picture like, once again, "the beast and the harlet", yet has a sound that belongs to its self and its self alone...like "the beast and th-"...you know...AWESOME SONG!!!
Track 5.) "Trash and Scatterered" ( Rating- 9 out of 10- Awesome song!)
Here we have, yet another great song! This song leans more to the "Burn it down" side than "Blinded in chains," but soon you may find yourself listening to this song regularly as soon as you open up to it. Once again, another great song on this epic album!
Track 6.) "Seize the Day" (Rating- 8.5 out of 10- great slow paced song)
Whoa! What the hell happened! Everything just slowed down and that guys voice became milky smooth all of a sudden! Ahh well, it's a good song...
Now, "Seize the Day" may not be Avenged Sevenfolds' best "sweet 'n slow" song, but it's still good. In fact, it's one of the few slow paced songs I actually like, and that's saying something! In fact, gernally, I hate all these slow songs and all this new stuff today like rascal flats and this r&b crap. Worthy listen to, and calms you down from the other 5 action packed song.
Track 7.) "Sidewinder" (Rating- 9.5 out of 10- awesome song!)
Here we have an intresting song that changes direction everynow and then. One moment, you think it's gona go right, but then goes in the opposite direction while saying "left is cooler, right can burn in hell for all I care!"...quite unpredictable, one moment following a climbing riff, this goes into this sidewinding sort of tune and the mood from the part before changes. The moderate tempo in the beginning, became fast paced, slowed down, and moderate. Still, just because it takes you on this roller coaster that not just goes up and down but left, right, diagonal right, hell even backwards, doesn't mean it's a great song. Yet another noteworthy song on here that's is a great listen too!
Track 8.) "The Wicked End" (rating- 8.5 of 10- great song)
Here we have another song that's intresting and great listen too. Quite different then what you normally hear I bet, but once again, I really can't dis this song. What can I say, it's a great song! Like "Sidewinder," you'll find some parts changing rapidly, but don't get me wrong, it's a great song.
Track 9.) "Strength Of The World" (rating- 10 out of 10- AWESOME!)
Alright, get some snacks and prepare for a dozy. Here we have an epic at about 9:15 and tells a story. It's quite different from the other songs on this album, but it's one of the best songs on here. In fact, it's my personal favorite! It's just so...epic! Listen to it, go on...don't be afraid, it's a song of awesomeness!
However, I don't mean to relate this to anything like rhasody or follow those lines, Avenged Sevenfold contains it's own special flare, leaves some parts missing, and allows the listener to fill in the gaps themselves, which frankly, works out well = ).
Track 10.) "Betrayed" (rating- 8.5 out of 10-good song!)
Here we have yet another...again...good song! While you may not be listening to this one and prefering to play the hell out of Bat Country or something, this song is still a great listen and worth your time.
Track 11.) "M.I.A." (rating- 10 out of 10- AWESOME!)
Ahh, here we go, a perfect way to close. This song starts up all quite with a simple yet pretty guitar part...you just know all hell is about to break lose, don't ya? While hell might not come roaring out of the gates, a perfect blend of harmony and melody does! This is, again, another one of Avenged Sevenfolds best songs. I consider it underated as it's quite overshadowed by "Beast and the Harlet" and "Almost Easy" from the newer album these days, but without out a doubt, it is one of Avenged Sevenfolds best. Turn it on, play it, learn it, love it!
Overall Review- See all those negative posts giving this album a 1 star rating? Ignore those, they are just fans of the first and second album who are taking this change in the right direction a little too hard. While "Waking the Fallen" contained some great songs yes, I can safely say "City Of Evil" kills it as nearly every song on here is...well, great! This is possibly Avenged Sevenfolds best album to date and well worth more than your 15 bucks so get it before it becomes some lost rare like Metallica's "Master Of Puppets" album at my wal-mart (keyword- *my*, because my wal-mart sucks and hardly restocks on cd's at all =( ) .
All and all, this album is a MUST
Rating- 10.5 out of 10
Free Music Review: Unbelievable
Hit: 5 Stars
When I first heard Avenged Sevenfold, I didn't think too much of them at first. However, once I picked up this album I was blown away. After listening to the first 3 tracks, they became my favorite band and after hearing the entire album, it came to my attention that these men are gods.
I've never been in love with a metal band as much as Avenged Sevenfold all the way since Metallica. Even for those people that don't like metal;
there's no doubting the talent this band conveys. Synester Gates is just amazing. Every song has a well-structed solo and when I say well-structed, I mean jaw-dropping. The drummer has awesome double-bass pedaling, especially in Beast and the Harlot. The bassist although isn't amazing, is still very good. Last, I think M. Shadows, although sometimes repetitive because of his vocal chord surgery, still has potential as a singer. On some tracks, it's undeniable that he sings through his nose a little, but it's tracks like Bat Country that his vocals really shine and sound powerful.
Every song's review is as follows:
Beast and The Harlot: 10/10
-Basically a main anthem for Avenged Sevenfold. Every time I turn on this
CD, I can't skip this song. Crazy solo with awesome drumming in the beginning. The intro is always the cool part for me.
Burn It Down: 8.5/10
-It took me a while for this song to grow on me. I thought the singing
pattern got old after a while, but the guitar solo and other main parts to the song made it more interesting.
Blinded In Chains: 7.5/10
-I still think the intro to this song sounds way too close to the intro
of Burn It Down and it loses steam for the rest of the song. It's still a good song however, about politicians and the war. Of course, not at all a bad song, but I think it sounds too much like Avenged Sevenfold's usual sound on this album and it's not as memorable as other songs.
Bat Country: 10/10
-The beat to this song is so catchy it's ridiculous. M. Shadows had really great vocals on this track; other than the sort of cloudy and soft part. I loved how the guitar solo in the beginning mimics the way the verse sounds. One of the best metal songs I've ever heard.
Trashed and Scattered: 8/10
-I loved this song for being one of the heavier tracks. I think anyone can get into the lyrics. The meaning to the words is very expandable I think, so anyone can think of it in their own way.
Seize The Day: 10/10
-This is where Metal dominates the competition: slow songs. I hate how bands like Nickelback, although have some talent, get way too much credit for their soft songs. The words to this song are so meaningful, I cried the first time I listened to this song. The guitar solo is just one of those solos where nobody in the room is allowed to make a noise while it's being played. I've never heard a slow guitar solo like that since "Slash" from Guns N' Roses. Simply perfect. This song alone is worth the price of the entire album.
Sidewinder: 10/10
-I loved this song for its originality. The guitar in this is what made this song amazing. The verse riffs are so catchy that it makes the vocals so much more powerful that you have to listen. I've heard some people say the guitar solo in this is bad. All I have to say is there's no such thing as a bad guitar solo from Avenged Sevenfold. It's true that it's
not as complex as the other solos and the beat to it is a little bit out of nowhere, but it still sounds really good. The spanish guitar solo at the end is undeniably awesome.
The Wicked End: 6/10
-I thought the moral of this story was really cloudy. It starts talking
about Adam and Eve, then about the world today? Other than the message,
I think the overall sound of this song gets a little old. I thought it was
too much with the whole choir thing too. It always takes interest away from me when I know they can't do songs like this live. I thought it was all a little too much.
Strength of the World: 9/10
-I'm sorry to say I always underestimate this song because it's just so long. 9 minutes! That's so long. Every time you turn to this track you always think you won't listen to it because it's so long, but once the guitar kicks in, you remember that's it's actually a really good song.
While it remains a very sad song, it makes it all the more emotional and enjoyable; especially during the slower parts. I always have mixed feelings about the solo because I think the rhythm is just so screwed up.
I get into the solo when the rhythm is at the harder part, but when the rhythm is just kind of strumming, my care for it dissolves.
Betrayed: 7/10
-I honor Dimebag Darrell as much as the next guy. I love Pantera and I think it was honorable for Avenged Sevenfold to make a song dedicated to him, but I honestly don't care for this song too much. I found the beginning to lack excitement. I part that caught my attention was the part where it talks about killing the man who brought salvation through your pain. Not too bad of a song.
MIA: 10/10
Another extremely long song! It's well worth it though. To be honest, I thought M. Shadow's vocals were really poor in the beginning. Of course, once the instruments kick in, it gets much better. It blows me away how much Avenged Sevenfold can add onto just one song. This is actually the only song on the album where repetition helps Avenged Sevenfold greatly. The repeating riffs, words, choruses, and beats become really memorable.
I think this is one of those few songs that have such passion that it can actually show you the lives of soldiers everywhere without you actually being there. I dare you to find someone who can say this band doesn't have unbelievable talent after listening to this song.
So overall, I have to say this is one of the best if not the best metal band out there right now. You're bound to find a song you'll love. Pick up this album right now!
Free Music Review: a different Avenged
Hit: 5 Stars
ok, I might be the only on of the few people on here who would rate this cd higher than Waking the Fallen. I only say that, because WtF became a little tiring after awhile. I loved the heavy guitar, and the screams were tight, but there were a few parts on it that I thought would've sounded better with straight singing than screaming. It's still an amzing cd, but for me personally, it just kept them in the same bracket as Atreyu and other bands similar. to try something so radically different as Ax7 have done on this cd is quite a risk, and I think they pulled it off magnificently. They sound like NO other band out right now. Often times sounding like Guns and Roses, and then switching to an Iron Maiden-esque sound, before going into a straight metal, and then having neoclassical breakdowns. They really went for it on this cd, and I applaud them for it. While it doesn't have as many memorable heavy riffs, it seems like they went for songs that were well thought and took an amzing amount of musicianship to pull off. as a guitar player, who appreciates the ability to do something other than chug away on a downtuned open chord, I was AMAZED at the technical ability of Gates and Vengeance. The vocals of Shadows reminded me a lot of Scott Weiland and Axl Rose. Very sleazy, and I loved it. While he does seem to be whining occasionally, I think he did fine for deciding to sing the whole cd, and not just hide behind screams.
Beast and the Harlot-8/10
I thought this song was a very interesting opener. They decided to jump right into showing what their new sound was about, and the guitar work is stunning. my favorite part though is the verses. a heavy riff behind some very cool sounding vocals. and the drumming is fantastic.
Burn it Down-7/10
One of the few songs on here that I found a little lacking in all departments. the singing isn't bad, but I found this to be one of the few songs on here that aren't entirely impressive. some cool parts, but as a whole, there are much better songs to come.
Blinded in Chains-8/10
Another very solid song, some very cool interludes here and there, and the mix of the acoustic stuff in parts with the wicked guitar playing was nice to hear.
Bat Country-9/10
There first single I believe, and this song is put together very well, and the chorus is one of my favorites on the cd. I really like the way they put the cleaner guitars in to effect on this song. A good representation of the cd as a whole. Some great guitar playing, and some nice drumming going on as well. The guitar playing reminded me a lot of Zakk Wylde in the solo.
Trashed and Scattered-9/10
This song is badass. The fast tempo of the verses breaking down into the heavy bass riff, before going into a great chorus is a cool formula. And when the song does breakdown into the chugging metal standard, the rhythm is very heavy, and when the guitar kicks in during the outro, it's on of my favorite parts of the cd.
Seize the Day-10/10
One of my favorite songs on thsi cd by far. VERY Guns and Roses, with piano, and some of the best Slash sounding guitar playing I've heard since November Rain, which is what I would consider this song. a7x's November Rain. The perfect lyrics to fit the song, and that guitar solo...one of the best and most emotional guitar solo's I've heard in a LONG time. I get chills everytime he hits that pinched harmonic at the end. A masterpiece of a song. Sure to be a classic.
Sidewinder-10/10
This song is another epic masterpiece. The guitar playing on this song is simply jaw-dropping. One of my favorite choruses on the cd. This is metal symphony. So many different parts, and then suddenly breaking down into a flamenco guitar part to end it. brilliant. to mix the neoclassical stylings of Malmsteen and Vai with a spanish guitar outro without sounding cheesy...wow.
The Wicked End-10/10
This song deserves such a high rating on just the Danny Elfman sounding orchestra/choral part in the middle alone. But the slow heavy parts are also a favorite part of this cd for me. And the singing after the orchestra part is one of the more emotional moments on this cd. Three masterpieces in a row.
Strength of the World-9/10
Most of this song is close to being in the same league as the last three, but the chorus is probably my least favorite part of the cd. but the verse riffs, and everything else really is genius. Would be another masterpiece without the chorus.
Betrayed-8/10
That opening riff is WICKED! but after that the song kind of goes downhill. While not a bad song, it just kind of takes the momentum built up by the last four songs down a bit. A tribute to Dimebag, and the lyrics reflect this, I just didn't get the effect.
MIA-10/10
After a little bit of a letdown with Betrayed, I was wondering how they would end the cd, and this song is the PERFECT end to the cd. A very nice, melodic intro, before going to a gallpoing riff that is very heavy and catchy at the same time. Hello Iron Maiden. The lyrics are brilliant.and the heavy part at about 4:05 is amazing. especially the guitar playing going on in the background when it goes to a less chugging part. The guitar solo is another one of the higlights of this cd. I thought maybe he had run out of ideas, but I was wrong. and the return to the clean melodic part for the end, with the acoustic sounding solo fade out of the cd is a fine end for a very good cd.
All being said, the high points of this cd FAR outweigh the low points. Seize the DAy, Sidewinder, The Wicked End, and MIA, are four masterpieces that any band would be lucky to have just one of on a cd. Avenged Sevenfold have ventured beyond the comfort zone that most bands of their genre are clinging to, and leapt into an entirely new genre that will take them into the ranks of the elite bands coming out of the US.
Free Music Review: album of the year
Hit: 5 Stars
WOW. this is a simply amazing album. forget everything you ever new about avenged sevenfold. this album is a complete new sound. the best way i could describe it is iron maiden meats guns n roses, with some pantera-like guitar and a touch of metallica here and there. before i got through a song by song review, i have a few things to make clear about this album. yes there is no screaming, yes m. shadows (the lead singer) did tear his vocal chords and had surgery, yes he was told that if he kept going like he was in 3 years he would need more surgery and he couldnt sing at all in 8 years. however, shadows found a way to scream from his stomach so he didnt use his throat, so he can still scream if he wants. avenged sevenfold decided that they dont wanna be a hardcore band, they dont like hte scene kids and they dont listen to hardcore. that is the reason for the change of sound, not cause warner made them (if your gunna sell out you wont make 7 minute long songs) and not cause shadows cant scream. now, to the songs, im going to review each one out of 100 cause if not they would all be either 9/10 or 10/10
1. beast and the harlot - 92/100 - this was the first song released, and far different from any a7x stuff. very iron maiden like with some velvet revolver type vocals near the end. the vocals are weak, but they fit the song. nice solo, synyster
2. burn it down - 90/100 - personally i think this is the weakest song on the cd. i love the carnival type riff, and i love the end and all of the high notes, but i think it jumps from place to place to abrubtly. still a great song, also the only song on the cd not to break 5 minutes... its 4:59
3. blinded in chains - 96/100 - great chorus, fans of waking the fallen: note that the guitar is very similar to "chatper four." best song on the cd so far, but still a ways to go. great drumming from the reverend, awesome bass riff from johnny christ
4. bat country - 98/100 - rumored to be the first single of the cd, this is an awesome song with a great sing along chorus. the song is about the movie "fear and loathing in las vegas." another awesome song, great dual guitar solo from synyster gates (lead guitar/solo's) and zachy vengence (rhythm guitar but sometimes sounds like lead)
5. trashed and scattered - 94/100 - another song released early, great chorus and a very angry track sent out to all the magazines and people who spread rumors about a7x. this and "blinded in chains" are the only songs without a solo
6. seize the day - 1000/100 - 1000 probably isnt enough. this is the slow song, but not like IWSUTP1 (this ones about 5:30). amazing how much it sounds like guns n roses, great vocals and songwriting, my favorite solo of the album from sla--er... synyster. everything fits great, my favorite of the cd.
7. sidewinder - 100/100 - the only possible complaint about this song is the... interesting... lyrics. great chorus, and the santana-like acoustic ending is one of the most amazing things i've ever heard
8. the wicked end - 99/100 - instrumentally, the best song in maybe a decade. the guitar is simply incredible, the 14 piece string orchestra comes in out of nowhere, and seems out of place if you dont know what the song is about (its about the world ending)
9. strength of the world - 97/100 - at the begining of the song you'll be like wtf is this? then the western intro ends and the guitar riff comes in. awesome song, longest on the cd at 9:14.
10. betrayed - 98/100 - this is the song that is dedicated to dimebag darrel of pantera, and is told in the perspective of the shooter. awesome chorus, and i love the guitar peice at about 3:45, nothing too heavy, just something that sounds simple yet amazing at the same time
11. MIA - 99/100 - this song would be a 97 but the solo is just amazing. the most impressive solo on the album, both awesome guitarist play out for well over a minute. amazingly catchy chorus, but whats up with the yawning vocals at the end?
i have never heard guitar like this before. 73 minutes of madness. prepare for some of the most amazing solos and riffs being pulled, and if you've seen their live clips you will see that they are being pulled with ease. my only complaint on the entire album is shadows vocals, he's supposively trying to have more of a metal singing sound but i dunno maybe his throat isnt fully healed yet cause the clean vocals in WTF were way better. instrumentally, you will not hear a better band in todays world, and avenged sevenfold could very well be the future leaders of metal (they are only 23 except for johnny who is 20) and possibly the next metallica, or even better, the first avenged sevenfold
edit: after reading many other reviews i noticed that people would say that there are better metalcore or metal bands out there. PLEASE, PLEASE i beg you do not judge this album as a metal album or metalcore album, judge it as music. who cares what label its in, just say if its good or bad. also, for everyone thats critiquing the song writing, read the lyrics. betrayed is amazingly written from 3 POV's the wicked end is written with direct references to the bible and hidden ones all over, and others are also well written if you understand the meaning of them. thank you
Free Music Review: A truly great Cd
Hit: 5 Stars
All right, well, this is my first review, and I am doing this in response to the truly atrocious views people have expressed on this site. A7X is awesome, they have established this before the cd, and merely affirm it with the new release. Lets go through the track listing, shall we?
1. The Beast and the Harlot
This is not the greatest song, and it was not a good move for them to let the public hear this before the album came out. But still, it grows on you, and this is a catchy tune. The guitar really rocks on this, along with the rest of the songs on the cd.
2. Burn It Down
The drums at the opening of the track set the stage for the song. This sounds like the stuff we are used to hearing on waking the falling, just leaving out the screaming. The tempo is fast, and if it were a bit heavier, would be an excellent song to head bang too, but its somewhere in the middle on the heavy scale. Awesome song overall, I enjoyed it thoroughly.
3. Blinded in Chains
This is the song that truly made me want to go further into the album. Right at the onset, they shred. And then the drums come through like thunder piercing an already troubled night sky. The vocals are also great here, Shadows shows that he still has the range, even with out screaming here.
4. Bat Country
My favorite song on the album, genuinely great. Bat Country starts off with saying right off the back with a quote. "He who makes a beast out of himself gets rid of the pain of being a man". I don't recall who said that, but its true. The song is great, it is quiet at times, but blasting at others, the musical range is great. We are also treated to a stellar solo in this song. I fell in love with the chorus as well; I love how Shadows sings it.
5. Trashed and Scattered
Yes! Finally...some screaming, or kind of some screaming...Shadows sings loudly at least. The other band members shred the whole song in this, showing that A7X is not just about Shadows. The non-explicit parts of the song are forgettable...but still, the actual music is great.
6.Seize the Day
Avenged Sevenfold pretends to be an emo band for a bit here, and is successful at it. This song is softer than the others, but still is faithful to the theme set by the tracks prior to this one. The vocals are great, and take center stage in this track. That's not to degrade the quality of the actual music, which again is top quality. I did not enjoy this song intensely, but still, its a great change of pace track.
7.Sidewinder
Back to the shredding. The guitar fades in, and then the drums start pumping midway through the onset of the vocals. The lyrics are also engaging, I believe they is talking about being a vampire, but I could be mistaken.
8.The Wicked End
This is easily the second best song on the cd. The tempo is fast, and the music is great. The vocals are not stellar, but Shadows sings well nonetheless. The lyrics are also interesting, and for someone who enjoys interpreting the meaning of a song like myself, then you should have fun with this one.
9. Strength of the World
Ok, I did not like this song all that much. The song opens soft, and after already listening too the change of pace song, Seize the day, I did not appreciate it as much as the other tracks. But then the music begins to get harder, and my enjoyment begins...sort of. I still was not a fan. I did not like the part where it said Strength of the World in a non metal way repeatedly. But I enjoyed the rest of the song.
10. Betrayed
This is my third favorite song on the album. At the onset, we are treated to a very good bit of guitar. I was not the biggest fan of the vocals at first, but as the track progressed they grew on me.
11. M.I.A.
Opens up softly, but I was not as ticked at it for doing so as I was with Strength of the World. Perhaps it's because I liked the tune of it, which I did...or because I knew it was the last track on a solid album. Once the heavy stuff begins, my enjoyment level immediately rose. This is a very good track.
Well, that's it. I hope this clears some stuff up about the CD to the people who are on the edge of buying this. Please do, but go in with an open mind, and focus on enjoying it for what it is, rather than hating it for being something it isn't. Besides, A7X has a right to decide what path they choose to take musically.
Over all, it has its faults, but it easily obtains a 5 star rating in my book.