Label: Hopeless
Reissued 12/22/2023, Originally released 2005
Limited gold double vinyl LP pressing. City of Evil is the third studio album by Avenged Sevenfold, originally released in 2005. Co-produced by Andrew Murdock, City of Evil contains a more traditional heavy metal and hard rock sound than Avenged Sevenfold's previous two albums, which showcased a predominantly metalcore sound. The album is also notable for the absence of screaming vocals. M. Shadows worked for months before the album's release with vocal coach Ron Anderson, whose clients have included Axl Rose and Chris Cornell, to achieve a sound that had "grit while still having the tone". In order to increase stamina and strength on the pedals, The Rev would sit for hours practicing until he could get up to 210 beats per minute. The album contains some of Avenged Sevenfold's most popular and famous songs, including "Bat Country", which is arguably their most successful to date, being one of their two singles certified Gold by the RIAA.
Track listing:
- Beast and the Harlot
- Burn It Down
- Blinded in Chains
- Bat Country
- Trashed and Scattered
- Seize the Day
- Sidewinder
- Wicked End
- Strength of the World
- Betrayed
- M.I.A