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Avenged Sevenfold (sometimes abbreviated as A7X) are an American heavy metal band from Huntington Beach, California, formed in 1999. The band's members are lead vocalist M. Shadows, rhythm guitarist and backing vocalist Zacky Vengeance, lead guitarist and backing vocalist Synyster Gates, bass guitarist Johnny Christ, and drummer and percussionist Arin Ilejay.

They are known for their diverse rock sound and dramatic imagery in album covers and t-shirts.[1][2][3] Avenged Sevenfold emerged with a metalcore sound on their debut Sounding the Seventh Trumpet but their style had evolved by their third album and first major label release, City of Evil into a hard rock/heavy metal sound. The band continued to explore new sounds with their self-titled release and enjoyed continued mainstream success before their drummer, James "The Rev" Sullivan, died in 2009. Despite his death, the band continued on with help of now-former Dream Theater drummer Mike Portnoy and released and toured in support of their fifth album Nightmare in 2010 which debuted on the top spot of the Billboard 200, their first number one debut.[4] Their latest record Hail to the King released in 2013 marks the album debut of new drummer Arin Ilejay.

To date, Avenged Sevenfold has released five studio albums, one live album/compilation/DVD, and eighteen singles and sold more than 8 million albums worldwide.[5][6]

History

Formation and early recordings (1999–2000)

The band was formed in 1999 in Huntington Beach, California with original members M. Shadows, Zacky Vengeance, The Rev and Matt Wendt. M Shadows came up with the name as a reference to the story of Cain and Abel from The Bible, which can be found in Genesis 4:24, although they are not a religious band.[7] Upon its formation, each member of the band also took on a pseudonym which were already nicknames of theirs from high school.[8] Matt Wendt was later replaced by Justin Sane who was originally the bassist for Suburban Legends.

Before the release of their debut album, the band recorded two demos in 1999 and 2000.[9][10]

Sounding the Seventh Trumpet and Waking the Fallen (2001–2004)

In the mid-2001, former bassist Justin Sane was reported that he had a suicide attempt performed[11] by drinking excessive amounts of cough syrup.[12] However, he was still alive. His suicide attempt had an impact on the band's Take Action Tour.[11] He then was in the hospital for a while and was in poor condition and had to leave the band[12] and was replaced by Dameon Ash. In an interview during the middle 2001s with lead singer M. Shadows about it, he said "He perma-fried his brain and was in a mental institution for a long time," Shadows said. "When you have someone in your band who does that, it ruins everything that's going on all around you, and it makes you want to do something to prevent it from happening to other people."[12]

Avenged Sevenfold's debut album, Sounding the Seventh Trumpet, was recorded when the band members were just eighteen years old and in high school. It was originally released on their first label, Good Life Recordings in 2001.[13] After lead guitarist Synyster Gates joined the band, at the end of 1999 when he was 18, the introductory track "To End the Rapture" was re-recorded featuring a full band element. The album was subsequently re-released on Hopeless Records in 2002. The band started to receive recognition, performing with bands such as Mushroomhead and Shadows Fall and playing on the Take Action Tour.[14][15]

Having settled on their fourth bassist, Johnny Christ, the group released their second studio album titled Waking the Fallen on Hopeless Records in August 2003. The album featured a more refined and mature sound production in comparison to their previous album. The band received profiles in Billboard and The Boston Globe, and played in the Vans Warped Tour.[16][17] In 2004, Avenged Sevenfold toured again on the Vans Warped Tour and recorded a video for their song "Unholy Confessions" which went into rotation on MTV2's Headbanger's Ball.[18] Shortly after the release of Waking the Fallen, Avenged Sevenfold left Hopeless Records and were signed to Warner Bros. Records.

City of Evil (2005–2006)

City of Evil, the band's third album and major label debut, was released on June 7, 2005 and debuted at No.30 on the Billboard 200 chart, selling over 30,000 copies in its first week of release.[19][20] It utilized a more classic metal sound than Avenged Sevenfold's previous albums, which had been grouped into the metalcore genre.[21][22]

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