AVENGED SEVENFOLD 'Avenged Sevenfold' (Warner Bros/Elektra/Atlantic) RATING: 8.5/10

By JEFF MAKI

After the phenomenal success of Avenged Sevenfold's 2005 album, City of Evil—which spawned the mega-hit single “Bat Country,” “Beast and the Harlot” and the GNR-style ballad, “Seize the Day”—the follow-up has a lot to live up to. City of Evil was a controversial album for longtime fans of the band, given its new style, but it was a breakthrough on so many levels, making Avenged Sevenfold a household name in rock music. Their new self-titled release follows the same path as its predecessor, but the band has trimmed things in places, making songs even more accessible, while adding new surprises at the same time.

If you were a fan of City of Evil, then you're gonna love the self-titled effort. M. Shadows delivers the same melodic, sleaze-rock performance and guitarists Synyster Gates and Zacky Vengeance once again populate the album with jaw-dropping speed metal guitar soloing and dirty rock riffs. Where things have improved is in the songwriting department. Several minutes have been cut off songs, keeping them more compact and accessible. This may seem like the band is further selling out, but the result is more memorable and stronger material. “Critical Acclaim” starts things off with a thrash metal onslaught, leading us into the fist-pumping beat and riff. The lead single, “Almost Easy,” is about as catchy a song this band has written but also contains a chugging guitar riff reminiscent of early Megadeth. “Scream” comes off like a thrashy Guns N' Roses jam, but it's the punk nature of Avenged Sevenfold that qualifies the song as badass. You've got a couple power ballad-types worth mentioning in “Gunslinger” and the twangy album closer “Dear God,” both of which are much of what the listener would expect. “Unbound (The Wild Ride)” is the closest to City of Evil content. It's broken up into several parts, with riding Iron Maiden guitar harmonies backed by piano keys but with a punk-rock basis, ending with female vocals and strings. The guitar work here almost rivals Dave Mustaine or Marty Friedman of Rust in Piece-era Megadeth. Same goes for “Lost” with its extensive guitar-driven opening, but again this song becomes more punk-rock driven than anything on City of Evil. One of the most bizarre songs I've heard is “A Little Piece of Heaven.” The song is Avenged Sevenfold's own Rocky Horror Picture Show, with horns and numerous transitions, including back and forth male/female chorus vocals. Strange effects swirl around and about like something from the soundtrack to a movie like The Nightmare Before Christmas.

Lyrically, M. Shadows seems to have lost his girl and he yearns to have her back for a new start. This theme comes up in several songs, along with other topics, such as on the political opener “Critical Acclaim,” and the all-out demented fun in “Scream.” Musically, Avenged Sevenfold incorporates so many styles here that they border on schizophrenia, but it makes for one hell of a ride. You've got unhealthy doses of punk, sleaze rock, speed and thrash metal, even country. The album is wicked fun for all fans of rock music. As far as I'm concerned, the boys have done it again. Avenged Sevenfold is sensible enough to write hit songs but also have a hell of a good time doing it. Don't take everything so seriously. Play this fucker and play it loud. Don't give a fuck about what people think, use your imagination and let go for an hour or so. This is what Avenged Sevenfold is all about and I commend them for it.