Avenged Sevenfold＜Red Vinyl＞

Coming off a Best New Artist Award at the 2006 MTV Video Music Awards, the members of Avenged Sevenfold returned to the studio, ambitious to create an exciting follow-up to City of Evil, and their self-titled release often focuses hard on pushing the songs into non-metal territory. Their signature blistering Yngwie Malmsteen guitar arpeggios and lightning fast double-kick drums are still evident, while AS show their unbridled enthusiasm to be as inventive as possible as they run through a staggering amount of production enhancements: four songs have string arrangements; violinists, pianists, and vocalists make guest appearances here and there; "A Little Piece of Heaven" is a strange Mr. Bungle-type number with sax, clarinet, trombone, and trumpet; and "Unbound (The Wild Ride)" throws in the most un-metal addition of all -- a children's choir. Some of these enhancements help take the songs to the next level, while others give the sensation of inappropriately mashed-up styles. Vocalist M. Shadows, who required surgery on his vocal cords after Waking the Fallen, shows that his training with Ron Anderson (vocal coach for Layne Staley, Axl Rose, and Chris Cornell) has been for the greater good. Rather than screaming or doing the metal growl, he sings in a few gritty voices, showing an obvious Mike Patton influence, and actually sounds pitch-perfect. His skills and the entire band's technical ferocity are flawless as ever, and although they get lost in a cluttered vision, their willingness to experiment is admirable. ~ Jason Lymangrover

前作『City Of Evil』の大ヒットによって一躍時代のヒーローとなった彼らの新作。一発で耳に残るコーラスを装備した新アンセム“Almost Easy”を筆頭に、女性ヴォーカルを迎えての“Unbound（The Wild Ride）”、およそ8分に及ぶ壮大なロック・オペラ“A Little Piece Of Heaven”、カントリー・テイスト溢れるバラード“Dear God”など楽曲の振り幅は広がり、リズム・パターンも多彩になっている。もちろん十八番の流麗なツイン・ギターも健在だ。セルフ・プロデュース、そしてセルフ・タイトルを冠していることからも自信のほどが窺えるが、それにしてもメジャー2作目にしてこれだけ王者の風格を漂わせる作品を仕上げてきたことに驚かされた。〈2000年代メタル〉の完成形とも言える名盤がここに誕生!
bounce (C)粟野 竜二