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THE REVIEW
Here we are reviewing a completely anonymous album. The Avenged Sevenfold had already released a record, the first titled "Waking the Fallen," and everyone hailed it as a miracle, myself included. Considering their young age, around 22 years old, that first record was truly great and everyone was eagerly awaiting the second superlative effort... and there was a second effort, but it was not superlative at all.
Let's start by saying that the group changed labels by signing with a major like Warner, and upon learning the news, many fans turned up their noses at the time. But trusting them, I rushed to buy the CD on the day of release, and already the cover had a sticker that roughly translated said "the most anticipated album of 2005" signed by Alternative Press, so a reliable source. If it's true that a record is not judged by its cover (which was in poor taste, by the way), let's analyze this second effort by the band step by step.
The album begins with "Beast and the Harlot," which goes absolutely unnoticed, but makes me perceive big differences from the group I knew. First of all, the growl is gone - it is said due to a vocal issue of the singer - the voice is nasal, it can even be nice but after a while, it gets tiring. So away with the screams, away with originality, away with heavy music and well-pounded drums, we're left with a sort of blink 182 of metal. "Burn It Down" is nice and listenable. "Bat Country" is the first single released, the song isn't bad but the video is made to be hated. "Seize the Day" is a slow song. "Sidewinder" starts with two minutes of Spanish acoustic guitar. "The Wicked End" also has an intro that is off-theme for a band that should be rock. "Betrayed" is dedicated to the deceased ex-member of Pantera, the idea is appreciated, but not the song. The remaining tracks are difficult to listen to, quite ugly, and overly long... yes, the biggest flaw of this album is the duration: 11 tracks for over 70 minutes, really too much.
I expected something better from these 5 guys but they've left a bitter taste in my mouth. What a shame.
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Summary by Bot
This review critiques Avenged Sevenfold’s second album City Of Evil as a disappointing follow-up to their acclaimed debut. Changes in vocal style and loss of heavy, original elements leave the listener unsatisfied. Several tracks are called out as poorly executed and overly long. Despite some positive notes, the album doesn’t meet expectations and leaves a bitter impression.Tracklist Lyrics Videos
Avenged Sevenfold
Avenged Sevenfold is an American heavy metal band from Huntington Beach, California, known for shifting from early metalcore toward a more classic heavy metal/hard rock approach across their discography.19 Reviews
Other reviews
By him7x
What you will find inside City of Evil will leave you stunned, confused, and in love with this band that is destined to become the greatest band in the WORLD!!!
At about 2min. 50sec, there’s an impressive drum passage (I still don’t understand how he manages to do it).
By IcnarF
City of Evil is neither a masterpiece nor a 'cheap commercial ploy.' It is an engaging and well-produced album, but with its strengths and weaknesses.
The true strong point of City of Evil: the guitars, earning it a spot in Guitar World's top 100 guitar albums of all time.
By Taurus
Seize the Day is a wonderful ballad that captures you with an enticing melody.
An album that leaves one unsatisfied, burdened by an excessive running time, not managing to engage fully over its entire length.
