If you’re a fan of Avenged Sevenfold and their 2005 album City of Evil, you should be interested in watching their performance of Bat Country on MTV’s Total Request Live. Not only does this performance feature the band’s classic album track, but it also offers fans an exclusive look at their live stage.
Avenged Sevenfold’s 2005 album City of Evil
City of Evil is Avenged Sevenfold’s third album, released in June 2005. The band’s previous two albums, The Stage and Waking the Fallen, leaned more heavily on the emo/screamo side of things. During that time, the band had yet to gain the attention of mainstream metal fans.
With the release of City of Evil, the band smashed through the wall and entered the mainstream. In the weeks following the album’s release, it sold over 30,000 copies and reached number two on the Billboard mainstream rock charts. It also earned platinum certification by the RIAA.
Rather than continue to follow the same old formula, the band decided to change tack. They ditched the brutal sound of their first two records and became more focused on melodic, emo-influenced heavy metal.
The songs on the album are lengthy and often reuse ideas haphazardly. Despite this, the album is one of the band’s most popular and recognizable.
Among its many features, the album boasts a 70-minute epic journey through heavy metal. The first five tracks lean on speed and Punk Rock inspired rhythms. However, the last five are much longer and feature orchestral parts.
The album is a work of art and a testament to the band’s talents. For instance, the song “Seize the Day” is actually two contrasting halves. First, a solo by guitarist Zacky Vengeance and the second half of the song features a full choral interlude.
Avenged Sevenfold’s January 2006 performance on MTV’s Total Request Live
Avenged Sevenfold is an American rock band from Huntington Beach, California. The band formed in 1999. They consist of vocalist M. Shadows, bassist Johnny Christ, lead guitarist Synyster Gates, and rhythm guitarist Zacky Vengeance.
In 2002, Avenged Sevenfold signed with Hopeless Records. Their debut album Sounding the Seventh Trumpet was released under this label. It featured singles such as “Almost Easy” and “Scream”.
The group was then signed to Warner Bros. and released their self-titled album in October 2007. This record spawned the hits “Bat Country” and “Scream”, and went gold.
The success of the self-titled record led Avenged Sevenfold to tour the US and the UK, and join the Vans Warped Tour. They also played the Orion Music + More Festival in Atlantic City.
The band then released their second album, Waking the Fallen, under Hopeless Records in August 2003. It received good reviews from critics and fans alike. Several major labels approached the band to release it, and it was certified gold by the RIAA.
Avenged Sevenfold then played at the Rock am Ring festival and played on the Vans Warped Tour. They were later invited to perform at Ozzfest 2006.
Avenged Sevenfold’s fifth studio album, Nightmare, was released in 2010. It debuted at number one on the Billboard 200, and was nominated for the 60th Annual Grammy Awards.