Hail to the King

to Shepherd of Fire and we will be all good here. lol Ok not seriously or anything but that song is currently (and has been for over a month now) my favorite song and the perfect lead in for the album. So how did I discover my new favorite song and this awesome album? Sorta fell into it and am so glad I did. I've never really had much experience with A7X, I do own Sounding the Seventh Trumpet but it never really got much play time due to me always having something else I was into listening to. I always meant to get back to it and give it a fair shake but never did. My last purchase before this was Device (excellent btw) and whenever there are artist collaborations on an album, I always make it a point to find out who it is and what else they have done. I love the song Haze so I was like M. Shadows the guy from A7X, guess it's time to check that band out for real. Decided to start with their newest release and here I am. Now I am aware that this band has gone through some style changes and the like and that some longtime fans hate the new stuff and some people who hated the old stuff love the new stuff and all the usual drama when a band dares to change anything. I prefer to have an open mind and consider myself a clean slate with A7X since I am starting here. I will go back and listen to Sounding and then fill up my collection with the rest. The music here is right up my alley, nice and heavy with most of the songs having that pump you up aggression that I love so much. A couple of the songs don't do it for me, but I don't hate them. I do like them but if I'm not in the mood then I skip them. I really like M. Shadows' vocal work here. I won't compare to his past efforts because like I said, clean slate. I also love the darker theme of this album overall. Good stuff. As for the tracks themselves, as I stated before Shepherd of Fire is my current favorite song and the absolute perfect opener to this album. I love it and often just repeat this song countless times. The lyrics are really appealing to me as is the style of the song. My second favorite is Heretic for pretty much the same reasons. I also really enjoy Hail to the King, Doin Time, Requiem, Crimson Day and Coming Home. Planets and Acid Rain I like but they are the 2 songs I mentioned above. Sometimes I'm not in the mood for em. Overall I highly recommend this album. I'm quite interested in this band now and will check out all past and future releases from this point on.

I have to admit, I'm one of those (or maybe the only one) who wrote the release date of this CD on my calendar! I became a fan of Avenged Sevenfold back when they released "Nightmare" and came to town to do a show. The song "So Far Away" was played constantly on the local rock station and I loved it from the start, then when listening to the DJ interview M Shadows, he just totally grabbed my interest and the hunt was on for any bit of A7X I could find. Strangely enough, my son gave me his copy of "City of Evil" to load to my iTunes and the rest is history. He laughs at my obsession with them, but I'm quick to remind him that he helped fuel that fire! Okay, on to "Hail to the King", and I'm not reviewing the songs in any particular order...you are immediately drawn in by "Shepherd of Fire" and the genius doesn't stop until the last song. Oh, but then that is not even the end because of the downloadable bonus track "St. James" that isn't on the disc. I'm hard pressed to name a favorite song on this CD because they are all so amazingly written and played. "Doing Time" is just fun and, I believe, is the only song with any profanity, which is unusual for Avenged. "This Means War" has hints of Metallica, in my opinion. "Crimson Day" and "Acid Rain" are the closest things to ballads, "Heretic" is upbeat and grabs onto you, and this quickly became one of my favorites, as did "Coming Home". "Planets", "Requiem" and "Hail to the King" round out the line-up of this completely amazing collection. Be sure to download the bonus track "St. James", which is a tribute to the Rev. Matt Sanders' voice has never sounded better, Synyster Gates and Zacky Vengeance collaborate beautifully and the bass of Johnny Christ is felt as deeply as new drummer Arin Ilejay's intense beat. Arin is filling big shoes taking the place of Jimmy, but I can see on this CD that he will have absolutely no problem making his own way as a drummer. He's awesome! My first thought was that this CD was so much harder and darker, but after having listened to it about a thousand and one times so far, it's still classic Avenged. These guys totally rock and are just getting better and better.

The record is great, I recommend it

Alright listen to it. The way they went for this album is way better than I had expected although I like the explicit or spicy language better on prior albums, just because if I wanted to listen to a radio album I would buy everything at walmart. It doesnt mean im an idiot for enjoying spice that is done well. Now I took me back in the day I get the feel and the vibe for this album very well done, when going into this album the little sound bites dont do it justice on here I had to youtube the entire cd because those 30 sec clips just put me on the fence. And hey I ended up buying becaue you need to take what they said they were gonna give you this time around and take it for what it is simple and well done. I personally was hoping for a double cd like sod we would get this cd the 6m to a yr. Later we get a cd the keeps to what brought them to the table crazy fun s***. I can keep wishing thou. I really cant see why alot of are people hating on the new kid by saying he suck hes not like this guy or this guy. this is the way the band wanted this cd how is that his fault with the simplicity of the drums. Im not going to put down the opinions of the people who dont like the album by sy saying the true ax7 will enjoy. Thats bull s*** just because you dont have unicorns and fluffy bunnys and rainbows to shove up are favorite band of yours ass doesnt mean you not a fan now or ever where. So support what you like or dont like. They can handle criticism otherwise they would be in this business if they cant then they should quit. So well done fellas now how about a country style cd I loved dear god. It was way better than any country at the time you could make it a double cd sowe would have this awesome country cd by you and a insane your older style cd for who enjoy spice. Also I used to be big into wrestling if triple h fights at wrestlemania and doesnt come out to a live performance of hail to the king. Then im probably not gonna buy the ppv I know it sounds stupid but hey ive paid for way less of a show although I was expecting better instead of meh lately for the wm.

I've enjoyed Avenged Sevenfold's albums for at least the past five years and I can confidently say that I am a huge fan. I love their metalcore era, it contained perhaps some of the rawest metal that was on the market at the time with some tight riffs and epic melodies. Then City of Evil came around and introduced a more heavy metal oriented band without screamed vocals and more reliant on musical excellence. This continued through their self-titled record and Nightmare, both which are amazing records in their own rights. I choose to review an album based on it's own merit which is what I will do, I will most likely have to compare it to classic metal legends like Iron Maiden, Judas Priest, Old-Metallica, and Guns N' Roses because that is what this album envelopes. I will just throw that out there right now, I know I'm contradicting myself but it's inevitable. Hail to the King if one of the finest straight-forward metal records I've heard in a long time. From the bands I listed above, Hail to the King is a combination of The Black Album, Use Your Illusion II, Screaming For Vengeance, and Somewhere in Time. This record is tremendous and is perhaps my favorite record by AX7 but only time well tell for that statement is fickle in its' own right. Here's a song by song review, some track picks, etc. 1. "Shepherd of Fire" 10/10 - Has a tingle of For Whom the Bell Tolls and Enter Sandman but the rawness of Avenged Sevenfold. This opening is tremendous with the inclusion of brass instruments and large to create this epic atmosphere. The song itself introduces a very simplistic drum beat but when done correctly, simplicity is perhaps the most original idea that a band can have. This song displays the potential of this record and basically lays down the foundation for the rest of the record. 2. "Hail to the King" 9.5/10 - The intro riff is so reminiscent of an Iron Maiden song, it's incredible how this record just soars back through time with the intention of introducing an old style with a new sound. This song is the first single, I was fairly impressed with the direction when I first heard it and since then, I've been constantly listening to it. The chorus, my god, replace it with Bruce Dickinson's vocals and you got Iron Maiden. The guitar solo is quite impressive as well. 3. "Doing Time" 9/10 - Is that Guns N' Roses, sounds like it. What a great song, one of the more upbeat songs on the record, it also has this great scream by M. Shadows. It's a very simple song, very straight-forward, the shortest track on the record. It carries so much weight and energy in three minutes, love this song. 4. "This Means War" 10/10 - Sounds like The Black Album, it's 'sad but true'. The riffs are very groovy, so much to love about this song. I absolutely love the composition, it's so simple but so brilliant. It follows a normal song pattern but the addition and subtractions of instruments help to create this epic feeling when the chorus finally arrives. M. Shadows vocals are very powerful on this track and I particularly love the guitar solo on this track. One of my favorites off the record. 5. "Requiem" 10/10 - Some Latin choir chants, some darker guitar tones, and a very groovy beat. This track is absolutely filthy, awesome song. M. Shadows' vocals are so powerful in the 'chorus', the lyrics are very interesting, it's just a great track. The guitar solo sounds like something Kirk Hammett would play except better. Awesome song! 6. "Crimson Day" 10.5/10 - Time for a ballad, reminds me of Metallica power ballads except with much better vocals. This is a beautiful track, the vocals are really the highlight with some beautiful harmonies. The addition of some violins really pulls on the heart strings and not to mention the epic-beautiful guitar solo. One of my favorites! 7. "Heretic" 8.8/10 - This song is very interesting, I wasn't incredibly impressed with it at first because the riff was almost too simple but when I listened to it again, I respected that riff and what it stood for. I hear so many classic bands in this song, it's such a great song. Surprisingly, it might be the weakest track on the entire record but that means absolutely nothing because it's an awesome song. The guitar absolutely raises this song though, it's quite impressive. 8. "Coming Home" 11/10 - This song is literally enveloping Iron Maiden, it's such an amazing mix of music, vocals, and production. The double guitar riffing is very intense, it has a thrashy like verse, it can even be something that Megadeth wrote in their hey-day. The chorus is absolutely the catchiest on the record, amazing song. One of the best, if not the best! 9. "Planets" 10/10 - Another impressive track, this track and Coming Home are perhaps the heaviest tracks on the record but they still carry such a great classic vibe. M. Shadows' vocals are so strong on this track, it's nice to hear some double bass as well. Love the riffs in this song, I can't say anymore cause I'm running out of adjectives. 10. "Acid Rain" 10.5/10 - A ballad as the last song, a piano the reigns throughout the song, it's quite beautiful. I love some orchestra with my Avenged Sevenfold. The guitar solos are very bluesy, very lovely additions to the song. The chorus displays some great vocal strength from M. Shadows, it's one epic song. A great closing song to an incredible album. I highly recommend this record to anybody who respects music, loves Avenged Sevenfold, and loves classic metal. This record is perhaps the most nostalgic piece of art I've heard since I heard The Darkness' new record. This is going to be on repeat for months. What a tremendous accomplishment! Buy it!

I admit, the first time I heard the single "Hail to the King" I was scared. I wanted something that was more Bat Country, I wanted something with The Rev's type of writing, I wanted the ultimate Avenged Sevenfold album. Though I always loved classic metal, I really wasn't sure how to feel about the song. After a few listens, I got into it, but I was still fearful before the albums was released. But on release day, I immediately downloaded the album and waited till I had time to listen to the whole album straight from the beginning, hell, I'd turn down my XM Radio to 0 when "Planets" or "This Means War" would come on. I wanted my listen to be as fresh as possible (title song didn't count to me as that was more like the trailer to the album). So when I actually sat down to listen to it, I was star struck. Once I stopped thinking about what I was afraid of what the album wouldn't have (it would have been unfair to ask of them to write like the friend they lost, that we all lost) I started to love it. It was dark, it was medieval, and it was a strong classic metal album. This was something I didn't know I wanted. It brought back my hope that metal would return to the roots of it all. The album has a strong central theme, a story, something I crave and love. When I play this album, I can't help but think and feel of the Skeleton King from Diablo and Diablo 3. It's a gothic taste while still retaining that Metallica feel, that Led Zeppelin inspiration, and that Black Sabbath heart. Though "This Means War" does sound too much like "Sad But True" by Metallica, it's still unique enough to stand mostly on its own. "Shepard of War" is an awesome start to the album, like a war cry for what's to come. "Doing Time" I'm not entirely sold on, but it's still a fun song and has more of that high energy. The rest of the album is great. However, the songs that stuck out to me was "Hail to the King" "Coming Home" "Planets" (the creepiest of them all) and "Acid Rain" as each has a very distinct sound and brings the album together. However, my favorite song is by far "Heretic" as it does have the most Avenged Sevenfold feel to it and some of the best guitar playing on the album. I love this album and I know a lot of other fans may hate it, but we can't choose how our favorite artist chooses to grow. That was my mistake when I listened to the single "Hail to the King" and that's very unfair to Avenged Sevenfold. They are growing whether we like it or not and I have to say, you guys are great and thanks for delivering one of my favorite albums of all time. I wish Arrin was given a better chance to show his true chops, but I do understand more articulate drum beats may have broke the classic feel to this album. Either way, I say only one thing to Avenged Sevenfold and this album, Hail to the F***ing King!

Hail to the King was meant to draw inspiration from the Pantheon of Metal, imitating the sound of such bands as Metallica, Judas Priest, Motley Crüe and Black Sabbath. The result was a sound that either pays great homage or quite simply carbon copies the bands that they drew inspiration from. Knowing A7X like I do, having listened to them faithfully since City of Evil, I'm willing to give them the benefit of the doubt. All eleven songs produced for Hail to the King are solid, and though I am sad to see Portnoy leave the lineup, Arin Ilejay is a fantastic technical drummer and his work is excellent in this album. Shepard of Fire begins slowly, with a crackling fire that seems content to burn slowly, as if from a nearby string of steel drums with a homeless person warming his hands. The guitar and orchestra come in slowly, and once Ilejay starts his deliberate pounding on those bass and floor toms and the licks begin on the guitar, it's difficult to stop banging your head. The title track has an insane riff that continues through the entire song, riding that e string the whole way. The pace of the song itself is much slower, though no less intense than Shepard. Doing Time seems to be this albums Blinded in Chains or Danger Line, a heavy hitting masterpeice that lets M. Shadows' vocals compete with the feirce guitar work of Synyster Gates. This Means War is the first slow song on the album, but its a deliberate measured tempo that isn't afraid to shred just as hard as the surrounding work. Requiem comes off as biblical, with the chants in Latin at the beginning and towards the end of the song, and its measured cadence comes with sosme of Shadows' best vocals on the album. Coming Home features Papa Gates on the guitar, performing the outro solo as only he can do. The rest of this songs, while solid, are unremarkable, content to blend in with the rest of the album rather than stand out and make themselves be heard. Saint James, the bonus downloadable song included with the limited edition of Hail to the King, is (I assume) another tribute to James "The Rev" Sullivan, but not a touching, down-tempo tribute like So Far Away was. It keeps in line with the rest of the album, another example of how to pay respect to the Old Gods of Rock, named for the Rev. (( foREVer )) In short, Hail to the King is a prime example of what A7X does best, and is quite possibly one of their heavier-handed albums to date. Though the technical guitar can be heard here, this album is more content to grind the E and A strings with most of the technical musicianship being left to Ilejay on the drums. Still a very solid, pulse pounding album, and an excellent tribute to old school rock.

This Hail To The King Avenged Sevenfold music collection is musically exciting to listen to. I confess that I was drawn to purchasing the music collection because of my high enjoyment of Shepherd of Fire. However the other songs contained within this original collection (Hail To The King, Coming Home, Crimson Day Planets etc.) make this a hard rock music collection where each song listed is also satisfying to listen to (especially because of the dynamic music and breathtaking vocals).

Their best record to date in my opinion. Contains some of their best tunes ever. Heavy and melodic. Modern.

c'est un album super bien produit (trop ?) c lourd et ça envoie !

Bel disco con varie identità, ma ben suonato e prodotto .

Hail To The King is US metal band Avenged Sevenfold's sixth album and, probably, their most commercial release so far. Straddling the thin divide between the rock and metal genres with ease with the aid of new drummer Arin Ilejay (who actually only recorded this one album with them), replacing sadly deceased sticksman Jimmy “The Rev” Sullivan, it is probably their most controversial album amongst their fans. Although the majority of AX7 admirers seemed to like it, there were many people who referred to it as their covers album or dismissed it as being too mainstream and not heavy enough. I'm actually a little shocked that, being someone who values originality so highly, I like this album so much. There are so many obvious "influences" on this album that they absolutely smash the line between homage and plagiarism, however, they do it with such style and have made such a listenable, enjoyable, well crafted album that I have forgiven them for it. My appreciation of Avenged Sevenfold comes courtesy of my Stepson, Jamie, who has often referred to them as his favourite band, so it's fair to say that I've heard a lot of their material and have really grown to love them myself (my particular favourites are Nightmare and City Of Evil). This album, however, harks back to one of my favourite periods in metal history, the eighties and early nineties, with ideas, arrangements, riffs and lyrics lifted, lock, stock and barrel from acts such as Iron Maiden (Hail To The King), Metallica (This Means War), Guns 'n' Roses (Doing Time) and, if you know these bands well, you will be left open-mouthed in amazement at the cheek Avenged have shown with some of the tracks. Having got that out of the way, I cannot help but give respect to Sevenfold for obviously loving the kind of metal I've loved over the years and replicating the appeal that era of music had so convincingly, even adapting their playing style and vocal delivery to suit the particular band they are, ahem, paying tribute to. Although I enjoy this album in its entirety, there are a few stand-out tracks for me; yes, it's basically a re-written Sad But True, but This Means War still manages to be one of my favourite cuts from this release. The classically influenced (I'm thinking Orff's Carmina Burana), dramatic Requiem is also a highlight and the guitar solo on Crimson Day is nothing short of spine-tingling gorgeousness, making what could be a slightly ordinary song something special. In fact, Synyster Gates' impressive guitar work throughout the album is almost a masterclass in a wide range of metal guitar styles and he has surely earned the title of one of the true greats of heavy rock. My last pick from the album would be the final track, Acid Rain which has a bit of an III Sides-era Extreme feel to it and is an ambitious, string-filled ballad. Indeed, M. Shadows gives a performance Gary Cherone would be proud to call his own. If you get your reservations out of the way, this is an entirely enjoyable album with impressive musicianship from the band being demonstrated throughout. Of course, some people may not be able to get past hearing Avenged being the ultimate tribute act for their musical heroes, but I think they have made what could easily be described as a classic heavy rock album and also probably the most accessible record in their catalogue to date for those who know nothing about the band. For Avenged fans who particularly love their early material, that may not be a good thing, but for someone like me who has been a fan from Nightmare onwards and hasn't particularly enjoyed all of the earlier output, it's a huge positive. You can tell that there has been intricate attention to detail on this album and it is a dark, Gothic, classy piece of work from start to finish, brilliantly produced and mixed too. My love of metal has definitely faded over the years, but Hail To The King is the kind of quality rock/metal release that is more than capable of reigniting my love for the genre.

Maravilhoso! Um dos melhores álbuns do Avenged Sevenfold!