City of Evil (REVISED)

A low growl fills the air amalgamated with screechy guitar notes. The drums come in, building up the tension, the edge, a light scream shades the power of the guitars, and the vocals begin, the beginning of the first song on Avenged Sevenfold's famous album ranked in the top hundred of all Guitar Albums, "The City of Evil". The song to start it all, "The Beast and the Harlot."
The uniqueness of Avenged Sevenfold's songs have made them a top hit among teens and adults in the metal, and hard rock scene. Gathering new fans, and entertaining old fans with their techinical guitar solos, heart-pounding drums, adrenaline pumping vocals, and mind-shaking lyrics, Avenged Sevenfold surely has made a reputable name for themselves. Dark and fierce, morbid and threatening, the lyrics penetrate the hearts of their audience, captivating every listener. Beyond the music comes the meanings behind the lyrics, some with stories so grim and horrid to turn a stomach, and have one realize the harshness of life and of the world.

In their song "Betrayed," Avenged Sevenfold devotes the song to former guitarist of Pantera, Dimebag Darrel. "Betrayed", relates to an even larger audience, gathering fans of Dimebag and giving new insite to Avenged fans when the song describes the tragic death of Dimebag, who was shot repeatedly until dead by an obsessive and delusional fan at a club the gutarist was playing at in Ohio. The song shows several perspectives, including that of the audience who saw Dimebag fall by the obsessed fans' gun, "A smoking gun in hand, now don't your realize what you've done? Put a bullet in his back, your hero since you were so young..."And of the killer, Gale, and his mental suffering as he killed Dimebag, "Sometimes problems seem too deep to take (too hard to take) Sometimes I cry thinking my future looks so bleak." and, "Someone hear me, someone stop me, someone listen, why aren't you listening?" The last perspective is that of the fallen guitarist, "I started here so young and helped you get along, Just did it for the love, and people healed through us, Don't live your life in vain, don't take it out on me, You're cracked so just remember, I'm not your enemy. I don't desereve to fall this way, by a man who felt betrayed." The tradgedy lives on our hearts from this brilliant and bone-chilling song, along with the reminder of innocent blood shed and of Dimebag, who's own ghastly voice is included in a verse of the song, which hauntingly foreshadows the thoughts of his killer, "And I felt down I need you there, every note and every word, seems so hard to take. Finally, we're destined." This song means the most to me personally because this story gave me a new fear. As a guitarist, I have a fear that if I play shows for large audiences there is always the chance that I could be the next one to be shot by a delusional fan or even just an angry person. It's chilling to think that any second it can all be over, life, passion, everything you stand for.

Another song written by Avenged Sevenfold called, "M.I.A" speaks of the struggle of a soldier, questioning the morality of fighting in war, "two million soldiers can't be wrong," and the plauges of after-war thoughts that haunt soldiers and the realness of war, "Take this from my consciousness and please erase my dreams." By the end of the song the soldier relates himself to a murderer as the song ends, "We walk the city lonely, memories that haunt are passing by, A murderer walks your streets tonight. Forgive me for my crimes. Don't forget that I was so young, fought so scared. In the name of God and Country."

The song that pulls all the songs and stories together is in the song "Bat Country" which starts with M. Shadows (lead vocalist) screeching the famous line said by Samuel Johnson, "He who makes a beast out of himself gets rid of the pain of being a man." The meaning behind this quote
from what I believe is that when you do make a habit of doing immoral practices they start to rip at your consciousness and you look for other ways to disolve the pain even if it means doing even more evil.

I recommend this CD to everyone. In the stereotypical Christian cultural view many see this album as "Immoral", "Ungodly" and even "Satanic". In reality this CD has few flaws and the people that are quick to judge don't seem to give enough time in learning more about the album and what the lyrics actually mean. They see a skull or knife on the album and immediately disregard it as an evil cd that should be thrown in the trash. But how is a skull evil? It's part of the human anatomy and is an important component to the human body. I also find it strange that though most Christians don't like "dark things" they can still support Pirates of the Craibbean which is full of immorality and even has skulls and knives on it's movie cover.

I also support "City of Evil" because the lyrics have a realness to them. "City of Evil" doesn't advocate, "Everything is Good" because in our society there are alot of problems.
To me, happy music is fake. Our society is full of problems and sadness. Our world is fallen. Why have uplifiting music when the world is not that uplifiting?
City of Evil's lyrics deal with;The Fall, problems that our society creates, fellow man dealing with problems and wordly issues, and mans failure to do good in the face of evil. In reality all these things are true about society.
I find it very strange that Christians denounce this CD as "evil", when it actually seems to support what the Bible believes about sinful man's state rather than contradicts. A few of the songs even have several refrences to the Bible's scripture.
Overall I find this album to be darkly beautiful, powerful and inspiring.