Life Is But A Dream…

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And so, afterfinishing the chaotic journey, we stand by these five things we love about Avenged Sevenfold's new album, Life Is But a Dream. Life Is But a Dream isVery, Very Different After his existential crisis, Shadows is eager to establish just how much Avenged Sevenfold have evolved since that commercial peak. For a band that are used to headlining arenas, Life Is But a Dream is a particularly radical and mischievous piece of work. Citing the likes of Radiohead’s Kid A, Kanye West’s Yeezus and Weezer’s Pinkerton as benchmarks, Shadows says he is perfectly happy to alienate swathes of his band’s audience with the new record’s most jarring, juxtaposed moments. I started playing with the idea of which is the dream, which is real and does it really matter?” asks Shadows. Yet over the last few years, Shadows made the realisation that, at the end of the day, whoever is right or wrong simply doesn’t matter. Scarlett, Liz (May 12, 2023). "Avenged Sevenfold's new single We Love You is a wild genre-clashing cosmic ride". Metal Hammer . Retrieved June 2, 2023.

Their 2016 followup, “The Stage”, was much more interesting, as it saw the band journey into progressive metal, but I honestly think my enjoyment of it came more from the novelty of them doing something less commercial than it being that good - in hindsight, compared to other prog acts, it feels rather limp. Despite this, however, I was was actually kind of interested to for when they would drop something new, even looking forward to it. It’s been a long time since that album, and because of covid and as well as of how that album came and went due to it not being that commercial it feels even longer. Even if what they had up their sleeve wasn’t great, I was still planning on having a fun time listening to new music from a band I loved as a kid. And the way they talked about it sounded really cool - apparently this new album was greatly inspired by Kanye West of all people ~I wouldn’t admit that in 2023~ but still, it’s a pretty interesting place for this band especially to be pulling from musically. Needless to say, I came into “Life Is But a Dream…” in good spirits, not looking to review it since I’m working on other stuff that needs to get done first, but looking to have a fun hour and to have a good time. I actually think there are people who put us in [the make-up and duelling guitars] box that don’t like that box who would love this record, that are not gonna give it a chance,” Shadows says. “And there’s a bunch of people that love Avenged Sevenfold that just want the old stuff. And that’s the risk you run, but what are you gonna do?! ( Laughs) You’re gonna go write that stuff again? Or go beg these other people to listen? There’s nothing to do. Hartmann, Graham (April 21, 2023). "Avenged Sevenfold Announce Life Is But a Dream 360-Degree Listening Parties". Revolver . Retrieved May 16, 2023.Just going into his studio, it’s like walking into the temple of time in Zelda. The world stops. You just feel like you are in this void.” Such a difficult listen, I liked The Stage, but maybe they should have left this music at the Ayahuasca retreat they attended. So disappointing considering it’s been a 7 year wait for new music……," one person criticized. And despite some of the weightier themes of the record, the band still find plenty of time for fun, with jokes about coffee jingles, threesomes and malfunctioning robots all present and correct – welcome moments of levity in the darkness.

When I think of a Quentin Tarantino movie and how serious those movies are but they are funny as hell. There are so many funny things that go on.” Ultratop.be – Avenged Sevenfold – Life Is but a Dream..." (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved June 11, 2023.Enis, Eli (May 13, 2022). "Avenged Sevenfold in Las Vegas: See Wild Photos of First Show in 5 Years". Revolver . Retrieved May 16, 2023. He hadn’t always been so certain, though. Before the Huntington Beach metal heroes’ years-in-the-making masterpiece was given the mixing treatment, the frontman found himself questioning if they had even gone far enough (if you’ve heard recent single We Love You, you’ll already know what a genuinely hilarious thought that is). Lista prodaje 24. tjedan 2023. (05.06.2023. - 11.06.2023.)" (in Croatian). Top Lista. June 11, 2023 . Retrieved June 27, 2023. Trevan, Kelsey (June 2, 2023). "Avenged Sevenfold – Life Is but a Dream (Album Review)". Wall of Sound . Retrieved June 5, 2023.

And on the brink of releasing their most experimental and wide-reaching record yet, it is that connection that is most important to him. Shadows cites records like ‘Kid A’ and ‘Pinkerton’ that were somewhat written off at the time but now are celebrated as modern classics. Half expecting ‘Life Is But A Dream…’ to be similarly unappreciated, he has thus far been pleasantly surprised. M. Shadows joins us refreshed and renewed, straight from his latest vocal lesson and brimming with excitement for the release of ‘Life Is But A Dream…’, the long awaited new album from Avenged Sevenfold. Mixing together dance influences, heavy riffs and a 78 piece orchestra, it is a sprawling near-concept album exploring that biggest subject of all – what it truly means to be alive and live life to the fullest. Over the past two years, frontman M. Shadows has hinted that the upcoming release will be the band’s most experimental and daring release to date. According to the singer, the album is also set to feature the unlikely influence of Kanye West. Does this pave the way for ballad Cosmic ? Possibly but if it does so, there is a disconnect between the two. Vocals and guitar team up for an ethereal proclamation of “ left alone I can’t wait too long ”. Eletronica floats through like shooting stars but the lower tones of the vocals pull us from the moment. “ Sometimes we got it right ” seems to be the epitaph of Life Is But A Dream… in general though surmising will come at the end. Christ ’s bassline feels it should reside in a jazz club before Cosmic fades out into a piano ballad. Were it left as “ dancing in the wind as roses born again ”, we would have had no complaints. Vocals melt into a horn section to create a wonderful epic. Yet the envelope is pushed further with electronic vocals which ruins the moment. Life Is But a Dream... received acclaim from music critics for its themes, experimental approach, and blend of influences and genres. Despite the critical praise, the album was less commercially successful than the band's previous albums.Portuguesecharts.com – Avenged Sevenfold – Life Is but a Dream...". Hung Medien. Retrieved June 30, 2023. a b Law, Sam (June 1, 2023). "Life Is But a Dream... – Avenged Sevenfold". Kerrang! . Retrieved June 2, 2023. AVENGED SEVENFOLD's next two albums, 2010's "Nightmare" and 2013's "Hail to the King", took them from underground status to revered, buoyed by chart-topping singles such as "Hail to the King", "Nightmare" and "Welcome to the Family". Then, AVENGED SEVENFOLD changed their sound yet again with 2016's surprise release, "The Stage", which introduced a prog edge to their meat-and-potatoes heavy metal sound. I don’t know how more real it gets than that,” Shadows says. “It definitely felt like the end of everything. But part of human evolution is that we’re able to carry on. At some point you just say that it’s OK to go outside, to talk to people, to write a song.”