It wasn’t the most relaxing night’s sleep. Late one evening after a hard day’s work in the studio, M. Shadows was laying down ready to go to bed when he put on Avenged Sevenfold’s new record. It had just been freshly mixed by Andy Wallace, and the frontman was keen to hear how the songs that comprise Life Is But A Dream… would transition into one another in their final form – specifically the trio of G, (O)rdinary and (D)eath. While the album title may suggest a semblance of serenity, the experience didn’t gently send Shadows into a slumber. On the contrary, it hit him so hard that his heart began to pound. And so, afterfinishing the chaotic journey, we stand by these five things we love about Avenged Sevenfold's new album, Life Is But a Dream. Life Is But a Dream isVery, Very Different Enis, Eli (May 13, 2022). "Avenged Sevenfold in Las Vegas: See Wild Photos of First Show in 5 Years". Revolver . Retrieved May 16, 2023. He’s also thought a lot about how fans of specific eras of the band might respond to the new material, and how their attachment to various albums might mean they’ll either embrace or reject what Avenged do now. If you’re only into 2003’s Waking The Fallen or 2005 follow-up City Of Evil, for example, he wonders if that might be a “hinderance” in some cases. Hill, Charlie (May 31, 2023). "ALBUM REVIEW: Avenged Sevenfold – Life Is But A Dream…". Ghost Cult Mag . Retrieved June 6, 2023.

That aside, there’s a deftness to AVENGED SEVENFOLD ’s musicality. They’ve been a successful unit since 1999 and pipped to be a generation’s METALLICA for a reason. The shred on display is undeniable and we aren’t going to dispute that. When set against the contrasting flutes and violins of the mid-section, we hear what the band is trying to do. “ I don’t belong here ” could refer to the mundanity of life this song surrounds, or AVENGED SEVENFOLD’ s standpoint of wanting to transcend genres. Austriancharts.at – Avenged Sevenfold – Life Is but a Dream..." (in German). Hung Medien. Retrieved June 14, 2023.Things get shitty,” he adds. “You have deaths all the time, and though you know that it’s gonna happen, there will be a point where you lose everybody you love – if you live long enough – or you’ll die yourself. There’s one of two options there. You need to be prepared for that, and you need to know what it means.”

We felt it was very welcoming”he says on the intro. “It felt very beginning of life. And when you think about the context of the record and how the ending is kind of the curtain call, the end of life…we just felt it was fitting to open that way but then instantly you are thrown into this world of anxiety. This world of chaos.” The art kind of grounds you in this reality of the life experience that we are going through. I think it compliments it really well. I think the art on this record is just as important as the music.” Although an already common saying associated with nursery rhymes, Shadows aimed to encourage the listener to think deeper about these deceptively simple phrases and maybe even redefine its meaning for them. Ultratop.be – Avenged Sevenfold – Life Is but a Dream..." (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved June 11, 2023. When I think of a Quentin Tarantino movie and how serious those movies are but they are funny as hell. There are so many funny things that go on.”

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Top Albums (Week 23, 2023)". Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique . Retrieved June 12, 2023. a b Law, Sam (June 1, 2023). "Life Is But a Dream... – Avenged Sevenfold". Kerrang! . Retrieved June 2, 2023. I started playing with the idea of which is the dream, which is real and does it really matter?” asks Shadows. Thematically and musically, Life Is But A Dream… is destined to become a modern day masterpiece. Conceptual works are nothing new for Avenged Sevenfold. This record sets a very high bar for them, and could be seen as the record that showcases their best work throughout change. A little like Radiohead did with Kid A or U2 with Achtung Baby. It takes a lot of talent to put together so many different styles of music. It takes a lot more talent for it not to sound cluttered and confused. Avenged Sevenfold have nailed it on one of the finest records of 2023; it is both grandiose and immersive.