Avenged Sevenfold (often abbreviated to A7X) are a hard rock band which formed in 1999 in Huntington Beach, California, United States. The band consists of M. Shadows (vocals), Synyster Gates (guitar), Zacky Vengeance (guitar) and Johnny Christ (bass). The band’s drummer James “The Rev” Sullivan died in 2009, and the band has not named a permanent replacement. Currently, the band tours with former Confide drummer Arin Ilejay.
The band has released five albums since their formation: “Sounding the Seventh Trumpet” (2001), “Waking the Fallen” (2003), “City of Evil” (2005), “Avenged Sevenfold” (2007) and “Nightmare” (2010).
The band was formed in 1999. Avenged Sevenfold’s first album, Sounding the Seventh Trumpet, was recorded when the band members were eighteen years old. It was originally released on their first label, Good Life Recordings. After lead guitarist Synyster Gates (also known by Brian Haner Jr.) joined the band, the introductory track “To End The Rapture” was re-recorded with Gates playing, and the album was re-released on Hopeless Records. Their follow-up album, entitled Waking the Fallen, was also released on Hopeless Records and was awarded a positive rating in Rolling Stone magazine. Shortly after its release, Avenged Sevenfold were signed to Warner Bros. Records.
City of Evil, the third album which was released on June 7 2005, strayed from metalcore, and instead headed more towards heavy metal and adds a harder rock sound with influences ranging from various bands. During the recording of City of Evil, M.
