In a recent interview, M. Shadows, the lead vocalist of Avenged Sevenfold, shed light on the band’s intentional stylistic shift during the creation of their 2013 album, Hail to the King. The band aimed to craft a record that resonated with the mainstream rock audience by simplifying their sound, drawing inspiration from iconic albums like Metallica’s Black Album.
Shadows explained that, despite their success, Avenged Sevenfold felt their earlier compositions were too intricate for casual listening environments, such as bars. Their music was often complex and neoclassical, lacking the straightforward appeal of tracks by bands like AC/DC or Metallica. This realization led them to “dumb down” their approach, focusing on simpler song structures and more direct melodies.
“We started really cutting close, wearing our influences very much on our sleeves in this sort of dumbed-down version of rock music,” Shadows noted. He emphasized that this approach was unnatural for the band, but they were determined to experiment with a more straightforward rock sound.
The experiment proved successful, with the album’s title track, “Hail to the King,” becoming one of their most popular songs, amassing nearly a billion views. Shadows reflected on this achievement, acknowledging the song’s widespread appeal despite its departure from the band’s typical complexity.
However, not all tracks from the album received equal praise from the band members. Shadows mentioned that “Crimson Day” was, in his view, a “throwaway” and not among their best ballads. Conversely, he highlighted “Planets” as one of the coolest tracks on the record, even though it garnered less attention from listeners.
