Artist of the Month:

Avenged Sevenfold

Published April 10, 2008

Avenged Sevenfold, the album, is a self-produced effort. While the band shared co-production credit on 2005's million-selling City Of Evil with Mudrock, this new album is solely their responsibility—and they're primed to accept it.

After the success of City Of Evil they became the only band to headline Warped Tour and Ozzfest while simultaneously hitting Number One on MTV's TRL. The natural question was whether the band would continue its creative odyssey or return to the formula that brought them such success on the last go-around. Thankfully, they continued their musical exploration without caving in to any outside influences.

Look for these Ozzfest headliners on Marketplace.

For this self-titled release from the April Artist of the Month, the act returned to the garage at M. Shadows' parents' home where these high-school friends had penned every other song in their discography. The band sought to delve into genres and recording techniques they had discovered on the road. For instance, they wanted to incorporate the narrative lyrics and biting guitar tones they'd admired in country music, as well as the powerful bottom end of hip-hop they felt would only add to the power of their music and message.

These guys worked their asses off making Avenged Sevenfold (enlisting studio legend Andy Wallace to mix the record), literally sweating every detail with the same (if not stronger) conviction they had years earlier in trying to prove themselves to the masses. It's best you understand what was really going on during the three months these five best friends were holed up making Avenged Sevenfold.

They were having the time of their lives.

Don't miss the new video from Avenged Sevenfold on Xbox LIVE® Marketplace!