Avenged Sevenfold has remained one of the most popular bands in the mainstream of rock and metal in recent years, connecting primarily with the new generations of genre enthusiasts. Despite being born in an era where “Metalcore” was on the rise, they managed to do things differently. While they may not be a band that suits everyone’s taste, it must be acknowledged that they have contributed significantly to bringing new masses closer to rock.
In 2013, the band announced they would return to the basics of rock with “Hail to the King” an album that was controversial for putting them in the public eye, accused of “imitating” iconic bands such as Metallica, Megadeth, Iron Maiden, AC/DC, Guns N’ Roses, among others.
What can we hear?
At the level of execution and production, it’s truly an excellent album, impeccably performed on each and every instrument, with incredibly well-grounded vocals, all enveloped in magnificent production handled by the band themselves.
The issue with this album lies in its composition, as Avenged Sevenfold meticulously studied their heroes to create ‘Hail to the King’ Undoubtedly, each song has its own distinctive touch, characterized by M. Shadows’ incredible vocals and Synyster Gates’ excellent guitar style, arguably one of the best guitarists in the last two decades.
Analyzing the standout songs, we can understand why it has been so criticized: ‘Hail to The King’ features a guitar very reminiscent of AC/DC’s style in ‘Thunderstruck,’ ‘Doing Time’ adopts a vocal style very similar to Axl Rose in his lower range, the main riff in ‘This Means War’ is very much in the style of Iron Maiden, and the overall structure of the song bears a strong resemblance to Metallica’s riffs on the ‘Black Album.’ ‘Crimson Day’ brings to mind the ballads of Guns N’ Roses, ‘Heretic’ is strikingly similar to Megadeth’s compositions on ‘Countdown to Extinction,’ ‘Coming Home’ once again draws clear inspiration from Iron Maiden, and finally, ‘Planets’ is the song that sounds most like Avenged Sevenfold themselves, although one could also draw comparisons to bands like Annihilator.
Possibly the most criticized album in recent years...
And when ‘Hail To The King’ was released, its influences were clearly evident, almost like replicas, for genre connoisseurs. Artists like Rob Flynn from Machine Head made comments suggesting that Avenged Sevenfold was a band of “covers” of classics, among others.
From our perspective, and without being avid fans of the band, it is a very enjoyable and well-crafted album. Moreover, it introduces new generations to these sounds. However, anyone who listens to it, we recommend first listening to the bands that influenced Avenged Sevenfold in making this album, especially Metallica with the ‘Black Album,’ Megadeth with ‘Countdown to Extinction,’ Guns N’ Roses with their successful albums ‘Use Your Illusion I and II,’ Iron Maiden with ‘Somewhere In Time,’ and AC/DC with ‘The Razors Edge.’
‘Hail To The King’ is a great album that pays tribute to many of the sounds that made metal “mainstream” and it is commendable that contemporary bands make an effort to praise all these bands. While it is true that in a few years, we may witness their retirement.
An album to listen to consciously
Indeed, it will undoubtedly be a very good album for anyone who has previously studied the influences that are presented, as the execution is truly excellent. Despite the negative reviews, it’s a record that is worth listening to attentively. It’s not a copy, as many critics have pointed out; rather, the band took references and added their own style, which is entirely valid for any musician.
And what do you think of this work? Leave us your comments!
