This is pretty strange news. ThePRP — who, keep in mind, is usually right about tour rumors — is reporting rumors that Avenged Sevenfold will embark on a headlining run later this year, and will bring in tow Deftones and Ghost. What?!
Tag Archive: Avenged Sevenfold
White Arms of Athena pretty much wowed everyone around here last year when they released their debut album Astrodrama. Their blending of influences from Between the Buried and Me and Cynic to Blink-182, it has got to be some of the catchiest prog out there. Despite their signing to Prosthetic Records (home to like-minded bands Animals as Leaders and Last Chance To Reason), White Arms still very much acts in a DIY fashion, having booked their own short run of headlining dates (which were originally supposed to include fellow favorites Picture it in Ruins, who unfortunately had to sit out) across the country that we at Heavy Blog are honored to help sponsor.
Edit: Tom of White Arms says that Arthur Alvarez of Arsonists Get All the Girls and Active Management actually booked this tour.
Apparently keeping us in mind during booking, White Arms of Athena landed about four hours north of the HBIH Kentucky Division in Columbus, OH at the surprisingly spacious and well-equipped Skully’s Music Diner. I know some of you are thinking, “woah, why would you take an eight our drive total to see such a small tour?” Apparently White Arms couldn’t believe it either, with bassist Thomas Sifuentes claiming he was honored we made the trip just to see them. Indeed, the guys are down to Earth and aren’t exactly used to people making leaps and bounds to come out and see them. Don’t underestimate a music nerd’s adoration and lack of responsibility.
Proving that America is once again behind the times when it comes to heavy music festivals, The PRP is reporting rumors that the next half of bro-tastic energy drink treks is going to be full of leftover nu-metal and radio rock — or as I like to collectively refer to it, buttrock. Here’s the rumor:
Shinedown
Godsmack
Staind
Buckcherry
P.O.D.
Papa Roach
Oh well. It’s not like anyone could have expected this to be any different. I mean, it’s a step down from last year’s headliners Avenged Sevenfold, but not by much. At least we still have Summer Slaughter.
- JR
I normally complain too much about having to make day-long journeys in order to see a decent metal show. I didn’t take into account the few local shows we get in Pikeville, because I seldom actually go to them; I like metal, not country and buttrock. We did, however, get the vaguely metal Buried Alive tour, featuring the all-too stellar lineup of Avenged Sevenfold, Asking Alexandria, Hollywood Undead, and Black Veil Brides. I didn’t go to this show either, obviously. Apparently I’d rather spend a day of lost pay on the road with my money tied up in gas and hotel costs than go see this show, where I had passed the line to get in several times that very day. I’m weird like that, I guess. It sounds pretty stupid on paper, but it is what it is.
So, while in my hometown of Pikeville, KY, Avenged Sevenfold had apparently caught some of the stage on fire because someone couldn’t do their job correctly. As the pyrotechnics went off, their banner caught on fire, which forced them to stop the show until it could be put out. Apparently it was during this intermission when the crowd stopped to reflect on the show they had witnessed up to that point and realize that they were in a building where the aforementioned bands had actually performed, and just couldn’t bare to live with themselves any longer. The crowd had soon turned on Avenged Sevenfold, chanting in an amusing collective rural accent, “burn it down!”
M. Shadows pleaded with the crowd, saying, “if we burned it down, you’d go with it!” The crowd then cheers, letting their desires of death by fire being known. An honor killing if there ever was one. I mean, why else would they demand that the stage, and potentially the building, be burned down while they’re still in it? Surely they aren’t just fucking stupid? Right?
- JR
As many of you will know, masters of all that is metal (or a stoner’s approximation of, at least) Metalsucks have been counting down a list of who they (the staff) consider to be the top 25 modern metal guitarists. Of those I know, I’ve agreed with the vast majority of inclusions, and by the time this goes to press, there should only be the number one slot left to be announced – on Monday I would presume, thanks to Labor Day this Monday just gone.
So with this weekend break in mind, we want you to don your deerstalkers and tell us, based on who has already been mentioned, who you think will be – or who you think deserves – the number one slot from Axl, Vince and co.
For your convenience, I’ve listed the entries so far below, but I’d highly recommend reading the series – they make some damn good points regarding their choices.
Sound off in the comments!
- CG
Whilst making my daily rounds this weekend over at The PRP, I came across the headline “Asking Alexandria’s Seattle, WA Show Derailed By Intoxicated Frontman, Footage Available.” Obviously, I had to click through to see the video (above) so I could have a good laugh at the expense of the most generic and awful metalcore band in existence today. Instead of hearty laughter, I was actually more concerned than anything else. Alright, so not all metal bloggers are cynical assholes; I do major in social work after all. Let’s break down the video’s events, in case you didn’t want to watch the video.
We’re probably the last people to report this, but original Alice in Chains bassist Mike Starr was found dead at his home yesterday from a suspected drug overdose. Here’s the official statement from the band:
“Members of Alice in Chains are mourning the loss of their friend and ask that the media respect their privacy – and the privacy of the Starr family – during this difficult time. Their thoughts & prayers are with the Starr family.”
There’s no doubt that Alice in Chains were the best thing to come out of the grunge era. While this is a tragedy that we lost a founding member of such an iconic band, it’s not exactly shocking news. I mean, he was on Celebrity Rehab and was arrested fairly recently for felony possession. It’s really a shame that such talent has to die relatively young (he was 44) because of the excess of the rock and roll scene.
There’s not really much else to say on the matter. We’ve lost too many talented individuals in the realm of rock and metal to drug use in the past couple of years (Paul Grey of Slipknot and James “The Rev” Sullivan of Avenged Sevenfold). I’m normally not one to stand up on a soap box for issues such as this, but for any of those out there abusing hard drugs, please get help before it’s too late.
At any rate, rest in peace, Mike.
- JR
Damn December. The promise of snow is great, but with December comes stagnation in the metal community for the month. So during this uneventful time, we here at Heavy Blog Is Heavy have to get creative to fill up our blog. I lack any form of creativity sans music creativity (and even that lacks), so I decided to take Alkahest’s idea (who actually borrowed the idea off of another blog that borrowed it from yet another blog. [THE CHAIN MUST CONTINUE! - Ed.])
These bands listed below do nothing for me, but they have the occasional gem that makes me pay attention to them to see if I can find another.
Bullet For My Valentine – Your Betrayal
Despite me being an avid fan of metalcore at one time, I never could get into BFMV’s mix of metalcore and hardcore. However, the song, “Your Betrayal” off of their latest album Fever, is very catchy. The military-style intro, followed by a cool (yet generic) guitar line over the intro always gets me in a mood to kick some ass.
Avenged Sevenfold – A Little Piece of Heaven; Blinded in Chains
I’ll admit it, there are two songs by A7X that I enjoy. But before I continue, let me state that I think that A7X is a band that is massively overrated, and that people claiming that Synyster Gates is the best guitarist alive right now are foolish.
“A Little Piece of Heaven” offers for me that really cool blend of orchestra work and well-used heaviness. The Rev has his best vocal performance on this track. The 5/4 part is amazing. And the video is fucking hilarious.
I am about to write something I never imagined I’d ever write:
After 25 years, I have decided to leave Dream Theater… the band I founded, led and truly loved for a quarter of a century.
To many people this will come as a complete shock, and will also likely be misunderstood by some, but please believe me that it is not a hasty decision…it is something I have struggled with for the last year or so…
After having had such amazing experiences playing with Hail, Transatlantic and Avenged Sevenfold this past year, I have sadly come to the conclusion that I have recently had more fun and better personal relations with these other projects than I have for a while now in Dream Theater…
Please don’t misinterpret me, I love the DT guys dearly and have a long history, friendship and bond that runs incredibly deep with them…it’s just that I think we are in serious need of a little break…
Dream Theater was always my baby…and I nurtured that baby every single day and waking moment of my life since 1985…24/7, 365…never taking time off from DT’s never-ending responsibilites (even when the band was “off” between cycles)…working overtime and way beyond the call of duty that most sane people ever would do for a band…
But I’ve come to the conclusion that the DT machine was starting to burn me out…and I really needed a break from the band in order to save my relationship with the other members and keep my DT spirit hungry and inspired.
We have been on an endless write/record/tour cycle for almost 20 years now (of which I have overseen EVERY aspect without a break) and while a few months apart from each other here & there over the years has been much needed and helpful, I honestly hoped the band could simply agree with me to taking a bit of a “hiatus” to recharge our batteries and “save me from ourselves”…
Sadly, in discussing this with the guys, they determined they do not share my feelings and have decided to continue without me rather than take a breather…I even offered to do some occasional work throughout 2011 against my initial wishes, but it was not to be…
While it truly hurts for me to even think of a Dream Theater without Mike Portnoy (hell, my father named the band!!), I do not want to stand in their way…so I have decided to sacrifice myself and simply leave the band so as to not hold them back against their wishes….
Strangely enough, I just read an interview that I recently did that asked me about the future of DT and I talked about “always following your heart and being true to yourself”…sadly I must say that at this particular moment, my heart is not with Dream Theater…and I would simply be “going through the motions”, and would honestly NOT be true to myself if I stayed for the sake of obligation without taking the break I felt I needed.
I wish the guys the best and hope the music and legacy we created together is enjoyed by fans for decades to come…I am proud of every album we made, every song we wrote and every show we played….
I’m sorry to all the disappointed DT fans around the world…I really tried to salvage the situation and make it work…I honestly just wanted a break (not a split)…but happiness cannot be forced, it needs to come from within….
You DT fans are the greatest fans in the world and as you all know, I have always busted my ass for you guys and I hope that you will stay with me on my future musical journey, wherever it may lead me….(and as you all know my work ethic, there will surely be no shortage of future MP projects!)
Sadly…
Your fearless ex-leader and drummer,
MP
tl;dr: Mike Portnoy realized that being in Dream Theater wasn’t fun anymore. He wanted to take time off and the other guys didn’t think so, so he left.
This is a pretty shocking turn of events, most likely leading Mike to become the full-time drummer for Avenged Sevenfold. He doesn’t outright say that he’s joining A7X, but he does mention that playing for them made him realize how boring Dream Theater was.
Wait, what?
Oh well. It’ll probably happen. Sorry DT fans.
- JR
