BURBANK, CA. (Warner Bros. Records) - Southern California's
Avenged Sevenfold released their third album, and first for Warner Bros. Records, "City Of Evil" on June 7 with much fanfare. The disc moved 33,050 units at retail in its first week. It's a terrific showing for the band whose fan base has largely been developed through a combination of near-constant touring, word of mouth and the previous release of two critically acclaimed independent albums, "Sounding The Seventh Trumpet" and "Waking The Fallen."
Most importantly, the overwhelming positive fan and media reaction to "City Of Evil," shows that the album is a gleaming example of an artist that has found their musical roots, and invested in them heavily. It's a record that has a universal appeal: a hard-rocking metal sound anchored with a punk rock sensibility, all the while pushing the musical boundaries beyond the wildest of expectations of the listener.
It was a combination of both rock music fans and punk rock Warped Tour-esque devotees that made it out to Tower Records in West Hollywood on June 7 for an exclusive Avenged Sevenfold (A7X) record signing for fans. Nearly 500 of them waited for hours prior to the signing in order to meet the band, buy the new album and show off various Avenged tattoos adorning many a body part at hand and on display. Both male and female supporters were flying the Avenged "colors" in permanent ink, and it's that kind of fan dedication that sets this band apart (see attached images) from others.
Tattooed fan Ashley Zimmerman, age 18 of Huntington Beach, California, had this to say about Avenged's new album while waiting to meet her musical heroes: "This new musical sound is a better move for the band, and I like that they are experimenting with it." Zimmerman added, while displaying her fine A7X tattoo work for the camera, "M. Shadows is an amazing vocalist and I cannot wait to see these songs performed live!"
Both fans and critics agree that "City Of Evil" manages to embrace both a punk and rock genre while reaching out into the hardest and most musical places a listener can go. Ben Wener of the band's hometown daily newspaper, the Orange County Register, said this about "City Of Evil": "Making a huge sonic leap for its jump to the big leagues is Huntington Beach's Avenged Sevenfold, which proves more than capable of a convincingly heavier, at times near-operatic sound on its impressive major-label debut...A7X hurtles past contemporaries to re-emerge a seasoned powerhouse...issuing a superior, tuneful metal album that ranks among the genre's best this decade!"
With these accolades, it's no secret where the band is headed musically: straight to the top of a long list of artists who dared to expand their musical horizons outside of the movement that originally embraced them. It's a daring move, yet the core audience that helped define them over the past six years of their existence is embracing it in full force.
"I've loved Avenged since day one," says 20-year-old Scott Rice, of Southern California, at the signing. "I think the new album shows a lot of growth musically, especially the guitar work...it's amazing!" Scott adds, "I really liked the band's old albums, but the new one shows me they really have a future. I can't wait to see them on the Warped Tour this year."
Scott won't have to wait long as Avenged Sevenfold is currently focusing on what they do best, performing live. And, with the release of "City Of Evil" now official, the band is doing just that - as headliners on the Vans Warped Tour which kicked off this Saturday in Columbus, OH. Vans Warped Tour 2005 is the band's fourth trek on the punk rock traveling circus (see dates below).
Sat 18-Jun Columbus, OH Germain Amphitheatre
Sun 19-Jun Milwaukee, WI Marcus Amphitheatre
Tue 21-Jun St. Louis, MO UMB Bank Pavilion
Wed 22-Jun Kansas City, MO Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre
Fri 24-Jun Dallas, TX Smirnoff Music Centre
Sat 25-Jun Houston, TX Reliant Arena
Sun 26-Jun Selma, TX Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre
Tue 28-Jun Las Cruces, NM N.M.S.U. Practice Field
Wed 29-Jun Peoria, AZ Peoria Sports Complex
Thu 30-Jun San Diego, CA Coors Amphitheatre
Fri 1-Jul Long Beach, CA Cal State Long Beach
Sat 2-Jul San Francisco, CA Pier 30/32
Sun 3-Jul Ventura, CA Seaside Park
Mon 4-Jul Fresno, CA Save Mart Center
Wed 6-Jul Pomona, CA Pomona Fairplex
Thu 7-Jul Sacramento, CA Sleep Train Amphitheatre
Fri 8-Jul Boise, ID Idaho Center Amphitheatre
Sat 9-Jul George, WA Gorge Amphitheatre
Sun 10-Jul Deer Island, OR Columbia Meadows
Tue 12-Jul Vancouver, BC Thunderbird Stadium
Thu 14-Jul Calgary, AB Race City Speedway
Fri 15-Jul Bozeman, MT Valley Ice Garden
Sat 16-Jul Salt Lake City, UT Utah State Fair
Sun 17-Jul Denver, CO Invesco Field at Mile High
Wed 20-Jul Noblesville, IN Verizon Wireless Music Center
Thu 21-Jul Cleveland, OH Tower City Amphitheatre
Fri 22-Jul Cincinnati, OH Riverbend Music Center Lot
Sat 23-Jul Chicago, IL Tweeter Center
Sun 24-Jul Minneapolis, MN Metrodome
Tue 26-Jul Buffalo, NY Darien Lakes PAC
Thu 28-Jul Quebec, QC Colisee Pepsi Parking Lot
Sat 30-Jul Toronto, ON Molson Park
Sun 31-Jul Pontiac, MI Pontiac Silverdome
Mon 1-Aug Pittsburgh, PA Post Gazette Pavilion
Wed 3-Aug Atlanta, GA HiFi Buys Amphitheatre
Thu 4-Aug Jacksonville, FL Jacksonville Fairgrounds
Fri 5-Aug St. Petersburg, FL Vinoy Park
Sat 6-Aug Pompano Beach, FL Pompano Beach Amphitheatre
Sun 7-Aug Orlando, FL Tinker Field
Mon 8-Aug Charlotte, NC Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre
Tue 9-Aug Virginia Beach, VA Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre
Wed 10-Aug Bristow, VA Nissan Pavilion at Stone Ridge
Thu 11-Aug Scranton, PA Montage Mountain Amphitheatre
Fri 12-Aug Camden, NJ Tweeter Center at the Waterfront
Sat 13-Aug New York, NY Randall's Island
Sun 14-Aug Englishtown, NJ Old Bridge Township Raceway Park
Mon 15-Aug Northampton, MA Three County Fairgrounds
