Avenged Sevenfold - Nightmare
by Dan MacIntosh
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The recent sudden death of Avenged Sevenfold's drummer, Jimmy "The Rev" Sullivan, hangs over the band's latest release like a dark cloud -- and this group already exists in some heavy darkness. The song "So Far Away" seems to address this loss directly, although the lyrics to "Buried Alive", "Tonight the World Dies" and "Victim" might also be associated with this tragedy. However, it's as though there are two bands at work this time. On the one hand, there's the soft and sad group, mourning its loss. But there's also the gratuitous gore group its fans have come to know and love.
This disc's title track speaks to someone who "should have known the price of evil," and ends up trapped in a living Nightmare. Sonically, it's the most Metallica-esque track, and an obvious first single. Vocalist M. Shadows may be a little imitative when doing this familiar style, but his James Hetfield is far better than his Axl Rose, which severely lacks the vocal character of that unique Guns 'N' Roses singer. "Nightmare" is followed by "Welcome to the Family", as song about the hopelessness of juvenile delinquency, or so it appears, then trailed by "Danger Line", which gets inside the head of a gun-toting killer. These songs all express the devilish nature of Avenged Sevenfold, with lyrics that are intentionally shocking.
A song like "Victim" is all woe-is-me, and soft. It's a part of a wimpy song-trio that also includes "Tonight the World Dies" and "Fiction". All three of these songs are straight-forward lyrically, and not at all devilish. It's hard to tell if the group wilted under the stress of their band mate's death, or if – in fact – there are now two sides to it.
The most troubling song on the disc is titled "God Hates Us". Its chorus cries out, "God save us all," only to reply, "God hates us." Either these boys are atheists, or the God up there is even more evil than the satanic voice on "Nightmare".
Sonically, Nightmare is a disappointment to hardcore metal fans. Rather than beefy riffs, lead guitarist too often settles for weedy Brian May extended notes. And the times he does reach for a solo, it comes off like paint-by-numbers hard rock. Producer Mike Elizondo recorded it so slickly he's nearly bled all the life out of it.
Avenged Sevenfold has attempted to both scare and sooth listeners at the same time with Nightmare, and badly failed on both counts.
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