Avenged Sevenfold: Nightmare

When Avenged Sevenfold lost their drummer Jimmy Sullivan (also known as The Rev) on December 28th last year, they lost a friend, a brother, and an integral part of their band and family. At first, the shock of losing The Rev put everyone at a stand still, how could they go on after his passing away? They didn't think they could go on as 'Avenged Sevenfold.' Then they realized with the help of family and friends that Jimmy would never want them to stop on his behalf and out of the love and respect they have for him, they carried on with the creation of their album. What came out was the creation a heartbreaking masterpiece filled with raw emotion and dark shadows laced throughout, and it is absolutely spellbinding.

The first song, "Nightmare", was the first single released from the album. It starts off almost like a lullaby, then slams into heavy guitar and drums. M.Shadows, the bands singer, said that he had already written this song before Jimmy's death, and he did not want to change anything about the lyrics because Jimmy had said how much he liked them. This song gives a good taste o what to expect on the album, with catchy lyrics, pounding drum beats, and skilled guitar work.

Next, "Welcome to the family" shows the pop influences that M.Shadows talked about being in the album. It has an extremely catchy chorus that will stay in your head for a long time. The guitar work is fantastic, the lyrics catchy, and it's overall an amazing song that you'll want to replay more than once

"Danger Line" takes you along the path of a soldier and his experiences through war and life. Dueling guitars and great harmonies make this song memorable. The chorus at the end really tugs at your heart, and it's followed by a marching band sound, as well as whistling to close of the end to a fantastic song

"Natural Born Killer" is definitely a wall-thumper, and reminds me of the beginnings to some of the songs off "Waking The Fallen." The song is fast, but a slower chorus fills into the mood of the song nicely. This song has killer drums, killer bass, killer guitars, and killer vocals, yet another fantastic song.

"Buried Alive" took me a couple listens to get used to, as it wasn't what I was expecting to hear. The song is smooth and easy going, while when it gets into the second half of it, you hear Shadows scream come back and for a lot of older avenged fans, it was exciting. This song is very different, but still awesome nevertheless.

"So Far Away" will leave you with goosebumps after you listen. Synyster Gates wrote these lyrics, and M.Shadows delivered then beautifully. This song is a pretty deep glimpse at the pain the band has been through with the loss of their brother. A simply gorgeous balled that should not be missed.

"God Hates Us" will make you say 'Did they just really do that?' And yes, they really did. Shadows sounds like a demon out of hell in this song, and the instrumentals remind me of early avenged. This song has amazing guitar, drum, and bass work. This song is simply insane, and will make you want to get up and scream along. Very powerful and heavy.

"Victim" is simply beautiful and the lyrics describe deep emotions about when Jimmy died. The harmonies are touching and moving, and you can feel the pain as they play, almost like you've gotten a glimpse of their world. The last lines almost make you want to cry and leave your heart almost broken

"Tonight the World Dies" has gorgeous harmonies and guitar riffs that mix perfectly. Emotion is spilled out in this one as well as most of the second half of the album. With haunting chorus's such as "Find me on my better days, to leave me once again" you'll want to listen to it more then ounce to get the feel for it

I knew what was coming for the song "Fiction", but I have to admit I was in tears by the end of it. This is probably one of the best songs I have ever heard, and I'm not exaggerating. The song kicks in with haunting piano that gives you chills. When Shadows and The Rev's voices blend together, you almost can't believe how beautiful it sounds, and when The Rev sings alone on the chorus the intensity in his voice almost punches you in the chest. The lyrics which were written by Jimmy, just three days before his death, seem to foreshadow his fate. He says "I hope it's worth it, here on the highway yeah, I know you'll find your own way, when I'm not with you." This song is a masterpiece, enough said.

"Save Me" seems to have a lot of different elements in it, I mean, you think of the sound, they've got it in there, and yet, it still sounds gorgeous. Excellent guitar work again almost takes you on a journey, and this 11 minute song is intense. You should take a seat before you turn this one on, and get ready for a ride.

This album is proof that Avenged Sevenfold is never afraid to try new things, experiment, and get their feelings out on the table for you to see. This album will give you chills from start to finish, and If you haven't listened to it yet, stop depriving yourself and go get a copy! The band has definitely put out a record that Jimmy would be damn proud of to say the least.