Nightmare

Avenged Sevenfold’s fifth studio album is their first without drummer James “The Reverend” Sullivan, who died in 2009. Dream Theatre’s Mike Portnoy makes for a stellar replacement both musically and sentimentally as Sullivan was largely inspired by the talented Sullivan. Though some fans believe *Nightmare* to be conceptual, it plays more like a tribute album as the lyrics often touch on the subject of the band’s fallen brother — they also recorded a few of Sullivan’s songs for this project. The title-track opens with M. Shadows belting out fevered vocals like a young James Hetfield by way of the late Layne Staley from Alice In Chains. Synyster Gates’ dexterous guitar leads import the fretboard-shredding harmonic style that was forged in the fires of early-‘80s British metal, especially during the soaring melodies in the chorus of “Welcome to the Family” and all over the powerful “Danger Line.” The wistful “Buried Alive” proves that ballads can still sound tough. The bookending 11-minute epic “Save Me” goes out like a 21-gun salute to Sullivan.

Avenged Sevenfold has built a hugely successful career on a willingness to change its sound to suit whoever might be listening. Over the course of five studio albums, it’s tossed death-metal howling, metalcore vamping, emo/glam posturing, and whatever else moved units at Hot Topic into its sonic mix. The end result is…

On July 27, 2010, Avenged Sevenfold unleashed Nightmare – their first album following the death of drummer Jimmy ‘The Rev’ Sullivan in December 2009.

Following the death of Avenged Sevenfold drummer James “The Reverend” Sullivan in 2009, the band marched on, enlisting the help of Sullivan’s drumming hero, Dream Theater’s Mike Portnoy, for their fifth studio album Nightmare.

Avenged Sevenfold - Nightmare review: While Avenged Sevenfold have previously been able to overcome their weaknesses, the strongest moments on Nightmare aren't quite good enough to hide its flaws.