Avenged Sevenfold's 'Life Is but a Dream...' - Album Review

When it comes to modern mainstream metal bands, California's Avenged Sevenfold are one of the most successful. Whilst a relatively quiet period in recent years may have seen them drop down the overall rankings somewhat, the band nevertheless are global superstars who have released a string of albums over the years which contain a lot of memorable material. Despite being born out of mid-2000s metalcore scene, of which their second album, 2003's Waking the Fallen, is something of a posterchild for, Avenged Sevenfold have never really stuck to one thing - and I think that it is fair to say that each of the band's albums has its own identity and demonstrates a constantly-evolving approach to modern metal music. The fact that the band have been as successful as they have despite this constant desire to push forward and create something new shows how well-crafted much of their output has been. Many metalheads cannot really be called open-minded, so Avenged Sevenfold's want to follow their own path and rarely give the fans what they want should be applauded - even more so given the mainstream circles that the band have operated in for a number of years at this point. They not an underground, experimental act that few appreciate - but instead an arena-filling headliner with legions of fans worldwide. That is not to say that everyone has appreciated Avenged Sevenfold's trajectory, and there are often calls for them to return to a sound akin to Waking the Fallen, but in truth the band have not really sounded like that since - and they are a band where it can be genuinely said that each album sounds different from the last. This was especially the case when considering their last album: 2016's The Stage (which I reviewed here). Following the more stripped back and focused hard rock/old-school metal sounds of 2013's Hail to the King (which I also reviewed here), The Stage was a full on progressive metal album - moving away from accessible song structures and single-worthy material to create something much more expansive. The Stage is not an album for every occasion, then, but it is certainly an impressive piece of work. There was a lot to digest, but it is an album which I grew to like quite a bit - and it seemed to be one that the band really wanted to make. Given that relatively little has been heard from the band new material-wise since The Stage, then, I wondered how they would follow it up. The Stage was basically a surprise release, too, only announced a couple of days before it came out - but following it up has been a seven-year journey. The recording of the band's eighth album seems to have been a rather drawn out one, then, largely thanks to the pandemic. The band's latest opus was finally released last month, though, and Life Is but a Dream... finds Avenged Sevenfold feeling more experimental than ever. I am not even sure that I would call Life Is but a Dream... a progressive metal album - as it feels more 'out there' than that. It certainly feels more avant-garde than anything the band have done before, and there is a strong jazz element present throughout. The songs here mix traditional-sounding Avenged Sevenfold melodies and riffs with plenty of quite extreme left turns - with influence from acts like Frank Zappa, Mr. Bungle, and even Miles Davis permeating through a more traditional heavy metal façade.

Perhaps Avenged Sevenfold's MVP has always been lead guitarist Synyster Gates, who's distinct approach to his instrument has always elevated the band's material, but he plays more of a significant role than ever here - with the CD's booklet detailing all of the additional instruments that he played throughout the album. Much of the keyboard work heard here is courtesy of him, plus there are some occasional experiments with flute and harmonica. In fact his flute playing is featured during the album's opening song Game Over - which is likely one of the most traditional-sounding Avenged Sevenfold songs here. It opens with some delicate classical guitar melodies, backed by Mellotron, but this gentle nature does not last very long - as soon the band crash in and the song morphs into a fast-paced, somewhat punky metal anthem. Drummer Brooks Wackerman leads the charge here, his busy playing the perfect backing for frontman M. Shadows' machine gun vocal melodies, and much of the song steams ahead at a fast pace - which does actually recall the band's early days somewhat, but with a bigger overall sound. A more theatrical chorus sees the pace slowed somewhat, allowing Shadows' vocal melodies to shine - but in general the song steams ahead, with Gates occasionally taking the opportunity to really shred. The opening classical guitar melodies return later, this time with a flute accompaniment, which Shadows also sings over - and despite the general heaviness the song is extremely dynamic, which is a taste of what is to come. Mattel is somewhat similar, and opens with a relatively simple, heavy riff which is very typical of Avenged Sevenfold's core sound - and the song in general is another which is perhaps more instantly-recognisable as an Avenged Sevenfold song than some of what is to follow. The pace is slower than Game Over, and there is a strong focus on groove throughout. As such, the song harks back to the sound of the band's 2007's self-titled album somewhat - as there are strong hooks here complete with the big grooves and occasional experimental moment. Shadows sounds as good as ever vocally here, mixing the occasional harsh scream with his more typical theatrical approach - and he also shows a more restrained approach during some occasional piano breaks. The song takes a left turn, though, thanks to a 1970s-esque progressive rock keyboard solo from Gates, which is different from his usual shredded guitar expressions, which sits atop a Queen-esque layered backing - before things transition back into the established heaviness with a big scream from Shadows and some chaotic shredding. A jazzy piano expression brings the song to a close and, despite the variety already found, the band are just getting started. Nobody, which was released as a single before the album came out, is another mid-paced rocker. Big synth swells open things up, locking in nicely with Johnny Christ's bass playing to create a weighty sound, and the song soon settles on a strong groove which it never really deviates from. Arrangement-wise, then, Nobody is one of the album's simpler songs. Wackerman's busy ride work and plodding drum pattern allows for the bass and synth combo to dominate - whilst the guitars of Gates and Zacky Vengeance tend to crunch away in the background, allowing Shadows' somewhat tortured vocal delivery to really cut through the mix. Gates occasionally adds some busy guitar leads to the track, creating something of a chorus, and his note choices perfectly sync up with the drum groove - giving the song a strange, syncopated sound. Even the closing instrumental section, built around a big guitar solo, does not stray from the established groove.

We Love You returns to the somewhat punky sound featured during the album's opening song, but the fast-paced drumming feels more staccato overall - and the arrangement is much deeper this time. The song is a metal track at its core, but there is a lot going on here - and the album generally becomes more varied as it moves along. The guitars of Gates and Vengeance are pretty weighty here, the two locking together for some strident riffing - whilst Wackerman's drums either create Pantera-esque double bass patterns or stomp away in staccato rhythms whilst Shadows' fires words out of his mouth with real venom. The song feels pretty varied, then, and these vibes are constantly switched between. Synths fill many of the gaps, creating a strange atmospheric depth, whilst a faster-paced section later sees the band sounding something like Lamb of God briefly - before Gates launches into a lengthy and busy guitar solo. Slab-like riffing and a varied drum performance makes the song stand out, then, before everything drops away at the end to allow for acoustic guitars and bluesy leads to take over in yet another shift in tone. Cosmic opens with Shadows' singing, utilising his gentler approach, as clean guitar chords and subtle keyboards create a warm backing, and this vibe generally continues on throughout the song - as the band generally strip away the heaviness here and go for more of a ballad-esque approach. Despite this, though, there are strong progressive rock strains at play here. The song grows in stature early on, with the band layering in complexity behind Shadows' emotional vocal delivery - which then explodes into a lengthy guitar solo, packed with Brian May-esque tone early on before it morphs into something more chaotic and shredded. The song does get heavier here, but it still feels more rock than metal - and when Gates' solo closes the piano takes over and Shadows' starts to sing again against a mournful, piano-led section complete with a plaintive drum groove. Strange synths start to take on more of a prominence, though, soon overpowering the band and creating a pretty creepy atmosphere. This feeling then dominates the rest of the song - with Shadows singing into a vocoder to blend in perfectly with the synths. Beautiful Morning reinstates the heaviness which was generally absent from the previous song, and opens with some effects-heavy guitar chords before things morph into more of a mid-paced groove backed by some off-kilter drumming. The chugging guitar rhythms are actually pretty straight forward, with Wackerman providing much of the musical interest here with his busy performance - whilst a slow-burning, mournful chorus includes plenty of keyboard backing and hypnotic vocal melodies. There are slower moments, too, and a surprisingly jaunty, Mellotron-backed mid-section sees Shadows taking a gentler approach vocally - before Wackerman breaks the peace with his double bass drums and Gates launches into a jazzy solo. The more ponderous grooves from the song's beginning soon return, though, and the chorus is expanded on - albeit with more keyboards layered on top to create another strange atmosphere similar to how the previous song operated in its closing section. This all then drops away, leaving the piano to close things out.

Easier sees Shadows returning to his vocoder for a synth-heavy intro, but anyone thinking that the song is going to be poppy will be put in their place as huge riff soon crashes in - and this slab-like groove dominates early on. Slower sections which feature effects-heavy vocals do return occasionally, but generally the song is a slower-paced, almost doomy, piece with plenty more groove coming from Wackerman's drumming. From this point on, the album is made up of a number of shorter songs, so it is amazing how varied Easier is. The heaviness seems to dominate, but there is a lot going on instrumentally - and the piece gradually shifts into a jazzy guitar expression, with Gates taking over for the last half to solo until the piece comes to a synth-heavy close. The next three songs: G, (O)rdinary, and (D)eath; essentially make up a trilogy and all segue into one another. The suite feels like one piece of music, then, and opens with some proggy-sounding guitar leads, before Wackerman takes over with some snappy drum grooves that back the riffing perfectly. Despite the business of the riffing, which reminds me a little of the James Gang at times, the early portions of the suite are actually quite straight forward and fairly hard rocking - with the backing vocal harmonies of Taura Stinson and Brianna Mazzola only adding further to this retro edge. Transitioning into (O)rdinary, though, the suite takes a turn - and becomes much smoother. Christ's bass takes on a more prominent role, and some funky guitar stabs recall Toto somewhat. There is a bit of a yacht rock feel here generally thanks to the overall laid back grooves present and the smoothness of Christ's bass. This feeling only increases when a poppy chorus takes over and Shadows sings in a very 1970s-esque pop manner - with the effects on his voice increasing as the song moves along until he becomes part of the wider synth-based tapestry. He soon gives over to a busy instrumental section featuring poppy, jazzy melodies to provide the last upbeat hooks of the album - before (D)eath becomes mired in strings and feels like something from an old film soundtrack. The noir vibes of the song are different to anything the band have done before, with gentle horns and piano backing Shadows' swing-influenced vocal delivery whilst the orchestrations dominate. These strings get darker and more oppressive as the brief song moves along - before reaching a dramatic crescendo. The album then briefly pauses for breath, before the closing instrumental title track continues the overall film score approach. It is essentially a showcase for Gates' piano skills, and he spends the album's last few minutes laying down a pretty old-school-sounding jazz expression - with melodic and almost classical-sounding sections sitting side-by-side with busier and more atonal flourishes. In many ways, it is the perfect way to close what has been a very diverse album - which does not often really sound that much like Avenged Sevenfold. That being said, though, there is enough that links back to their various sounds over the years to help join the dots - but the variety on show here is impressive and shows a level of musicianship not previously displayed. There is a lot to like here, and not everything has clicked with me - but this is easily the band's most impressive album to date, even considering the prog leanings of The Stage. Many people will struggle with this album, but many others will find plenty to sink their teeth into here - and I have certainly appreciated the journey.

The album was released on 2nd June 2023 via Warner Records. Below is the band's promotional video for Nobody.