Review: Avenged Sevenfold – Hail To The King (Single)
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Artist: Avenged Sevenfold
Album: Hail to the King – Single
Rating: 10/10
After the tragic death of their original drummer, Jimmy “The Rev” Sullivan, Huntington Beach Hard Rock giants Avenged Sevenfold had a huge dilemma on their hands. Finding someone who could fill in and truly carry on the legacy that Jimmy left behind was no easy task, but after the release of their 6th studio album “Nightmare”, they managed to do so in ex-Confide member, Arin Illejay. For about a year and half we didn’t hear anything regarding the band, so no one knew if they were even going to continue. However, our prayers were answered when they finally released a song for the critically acclaimed FPS game “Call of Duty: Black Ops II” called “Carry On”. Shortly after this, M. Shadows stepped forward to say that the direction of this song was in no way reflective of how their new album would sound. In February, the band finally announced that they were heading into the studio to work on what would later be announced as their 7th studio album. For weeks, fans were in suspense as nothing was heard from the band once again. Then one day, the teasers began. The band managed to keep things cryptic right up until they were ready to unleash their big news. After a series of scavenger hunts, fans were finally rewarded with the news that “Hail to the King” would be released on August 27th. Shortly after this, the band released a 30 second snippet of their new single, the title track from the album. On July 15th, we were finally rewarded with the full track. Upon my first listen, I was instantly blown away, as per usual but I knew there was something different about this track. In interviews, Shadows spoke of how the album was all about “one sound, one voice”. meaning there is no vocal layering or vocal duets, it’s all one person showing the true power of what they do in the band. The single, “Hail to the King” truly shows that. The track begins with a nice clean riff from guitarist Synyster Gates before exploding into a full band showdown. Shadows comes in proclaiming “Watch your tongue, I’ll have it cut from your head. Save your life by keeping whispers unsaid” and the rest is history. If there were any doubts about how the band would sound without Jimmy’s influence, they should have been erased the moment the chorus strikes. This track is as gritty as any A7X track, but this new sound truly adheres to who they are as musicians. This track is absolute proof that they have matured lyrically and musically and I honestly can’t wait to hear the rest of the album. If you’ve any doubts in your mind, or just want to hear an incredible new song, check out “Hail to the King” below! You won’t regret it!
