By Taylor Breckles (Contributor) – Email
Print Edition: September 4, 2013
Avenged Sevenfold, often the introduction to metal for many fans, recently released its newest album Hail to the King. This is the band’s sixth studio album and the first that features Arin Ilejay as their drummer, replacing beloved former drummer, Jimmy “The Rev” Sullivan.
Based on YouTube commentaries and speaking with other fans, listeners are diverse in their opinions of this album.
Some are willing to give Ilejay a chance to prove himself as a competent drummer, but many fans automatically dislike the change.
Every drummer has a unique style, but Ilejay blends in nicely with the classic Avenged Sevenfold feel, though the drumming quality does not match that of thei band’s fifth studio album Nightmare, for which Mike Portnoy, the drummer for Dream Theater, provided the sounds. But the drumming does not deter from the original sound of the band.
The desired sound conceived for Hail to the King, however, is meant to be different from how Nightmare turned out. In an interview with Metal Hammer, lead singer M. Shadows stated that Hail to the King is more of a classic rock and classic metal album.
Rhythm guitarist Zacky Vengeance joined in on the commentary for the album, saying in an interview with Ultimate Guitar that the band “styled everything back and went to the core of heavy metal instead of trying to overcomplicate it.”
While the band has evolved over the course of their careers, the sources of their inspiration can be heard throughout their albums, particularly in Hail to the King.
The repetitive beat of the first and second songs on the album, “Shepherd of Fire” and “Hail to the King,” are reminiscent of fellow metal band Pantera, though it also bears some of Avenged Sevenfold’s own characteristics.
As the album progresses, however, the music differentiates into more of a classic feel. This turn is most noticeable after the fifth song, “Requiem,” which stands out in the album. It sounds like what would have been featured on Nightmare with its gentle speed yet doesn’t lack a metal spirit. The wonderful imagery created from the Latin chants and lyrics accompanied by the melody in “Requiem” and “Crimson Day” demonstrate how the band has evolved over the years. The band’s hopes for this album have been fully met, a different but welcome addition to the Avenged Sevenfold collection.
