Avenged Sevenfold's latest release, "City of Evil" is heavy metal the way it should be, or at least the way Iron Maiden fans would want it to be.
If nothing else, "City of Evil" plays like a dark romp through Transylvania with several pit stops for poppy choruses and tangential topics.
Armed with his obviously contrived stage name, guitarist Synyster Gates dishes out heavy doses of breakneck guitar shredding with a Gothic fantasy flavor that could be the soundtrack for a "Castlevania" videogame.
Singer M. Shadows howls about everything from drug addiction in the song "Bat Country" (referencing "Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas") to golden cities and ferocious mythological beasts. The band tackles social issues in the politically charged "Blinded In Chains."
"You take the left and I'll take the right. I feel the hate you've built for me," Shadows bellows in bipartisan disgust.
The rhythm section consists of bassist Johnny Christ and drummer The Reh. The two lay down fast, catchy riffs that complement their cohorts aptly.
With a running time of just under 73 minutes, this set may be too long for some listeners. Those who are able to trudge through the entire album will probably walk away apathetic.
There are a few impressive tracks, and many others can be skipped without regret. Avenged Sevenfold is not a bad group, but they aren't remarkable either. With the huge variety of acts out there, metal fans should be able to satisfy their head-banging urges with more exceptional groups.
Photo: Courtesy of Matthew Messina, from the RMBERS' Instagram page
