Avenged Sevenfold returns to Brazil in October for shows in São Paulo and Curitiba – tickets on sale . The band celebrates this Saturday, the 7th, the anniversary of a milestone in their career: the 20th anniversary of the album City of Evil . Released on June 7, 2005, the Californian band's third studio album was not just another record, but a watershed moment that abandoned the group's metalcore roots and embraced a more classic and ambitious sound, catapulting M. Shadows , Synyster Gates , Zacky Vengeance , Johnny Christ and the late The Rev to global stardom.
Leaving metalcore behind: The new sound
In the early 2000s, Avenged Sevenfold was a rising force in the Orange County, California metalcore scene, with albums like Sounding the Seventh Trumpet (2001) and Waking the Fallen (2003). However, the band felt the genre had reached its limit.
“We knew we wanted to write an album that was more accessible than the ones we had done before,” M. Shadows revealed in an interview with Loudwire . “We changed because we wanted to play the kind of music we liked, but we were smart enough to want to be listenable to more people. We knew that metalcore had a limit.”
This conscious decision led to a radical sonic transformation in City of Evil . The guttural screams that marked his early work gave way to predominantly clean and melodic vocals. To achieve this, M. Shadows spent months training with renowned vocal coach Ron Anderson (who worked with Axl Rose and Chris Cornell ), seeking a timbre that had "grit" but still maintained its tone. The result was a more versatile and powerful vocal performance, capable of transitioning between emotional ballads and controlled roars.
The change wasn't limited to the vocals. Synyster Gates and Zacky Vengeance's guitars took on an even greater prominence, with complex solos and harmonies that directly referenced their classic heavy metal influences, such as Iron Maiden , Metallica , and Guns N' Roses .
"Bands haven't played in this classic guitar solo format for a long time, so people are embracing it when we do it because it sounds different to them," Gates commented at the time.
Drummer The Rev also upped his game, practicing tirelessly to increase his stamina and speed on the pedals, reaching 210 beats per minute, as recorded by Last.fm. This combination of melodic vocals, virtuoso guitars, and a powerful rhythm section defined the new sonic identity of Avenged Sevenfold.
Production and reception: The birth of a modern classic.
The production of City of Evil was handled by Andrew Murdock (known for his work with Godsmack and Eighteen Visions ), who had previously worked with the band on Waking the Fallen . Recorded in 2005, the album was released by Warner Records , marking the band's debut on a major label. The change of record label and the new musical direction generated expectations, but also skepticism.
Contrary to the expectations of some of metalcore's original fanbase, City of Evil was a resounding success. The album debuted at number 30 on the Billboard 200 and, propelled by powerful singles such as "Bat Country," "Beast and the Harlot," and the ballad "Seize the Day," achieved platinum certification from the RIAA in August 2009. "Bat Country," in particular, became an anthem, achieving gold single status and gaining heavy rotation on MTV with its music video inspired by the film "Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas."
To date, City of Evil has sold over 2.5 million copies worldwide, establishing itself as the best-selling album in Avenged Sevenfold's discography up to the mid-2010s, according to Last.fm . Its commercial success proved that the band's gamble on a more melodic and technical sound had paid off.
Legacy and recognition: An essential album
The impact of City of Evil transcended the music charts. The album not only solidified Avenged Sevenfold as one of the biggest metal bands of the 21st century, but also revitalized interest in elements of classic heavy metal, such as elaborate guitar solos and melodic vocals, in an era dominated by nu metal and metalcore.
Critical and industry acclaim came in the form of inclusions on prestigious lists. Guitar World ranked City of Evil as the 63rd greatest guitar album of all time. Kerrang! included it on its lists of “666 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die” and “50 Albums You Need to Hear Before You Die,” as well as ranking it 35th among the “50 Greatest Metal Albums of All Time” in 2016. Rolling Stone also listed it among the 100 greatest metal albums in history.
City of Evil represented the courage of a band to evolve and follow their own artistic convictions, even if it meant alienating part of their initial audience. The result was a timeless album, full of anthems that continue to resonate in concerts and playlists of metal fans around the world, proving that Avenged Sevenfold's bold gamble paid off and left an indelible legacy in rock history.
READ ALSO: Virada Metal 2025: The strength of the Brazilian underground scene on a single stage | Wikimetal
