#i went through his discography and it turns out i haven't liked a song by him since 2012 😬

[ponytailcoby]

I'm glad I don't like Usher enough to see him on tour because I went to look at the prices for tickets and

[thisaintascenereviews]

Avenged Sevenfold - Life Is But A Dream…

I know I'm a little late on the new A7X album, Life Is But A Dream, but I'll be honest -- I've never been the biggest fan of this band. I've listened to a lot of their early work, and it's just some decent metalcore, but I never cared that much, and I've heard some of their later material, I just don't remember it well. I have been playing 2005's City Of Evil, thanks to listening to this record, and I'm really loving that album after not being hugely familiar with it, but I wanted to talk about Life Is But A Dream today. A7X is one of the biggest metal bands in the world, and this record is a big deal, because it's their first in seven years. It's also a big deal, because this is a very weird album. They ditched the classic metal / hard-rock sound they've been yearning after for the last decade and went into an avant-garde / progressive metal sound in the vein of Mr. Bungle or Primus. That's why I'm late on hearing this, because I didn't know what to expect with it. I heard a lot of good things, but it just wasn't on the radar about a month ago.

Life Is But A Dream is surely that -- a fever dream that showcases the band doing whatever the hell they want in a really fun, engaging, and energetic way that does have a few problems, but it doesn't hinder the overall experience. For being the first album from this band that I've listened to in a long time, I really enjoy it. It's a very strange and surreal album, because the record encompasses a lot of different styles, including thrash, punk, country, folk, metalcore, funk, pop-rock, and classical in a weird turn of events, but it makes for a fun experience. The album is unpredictable, but in a good way that keeps you guessing, and it's never really "heavy." It just switches styles at the drop of a hat, sometimes at a breakneck speed, which leaves you going, "What just happened?" I like albums like that, though, and I just talked about in a recent review how I tend to prefer more accessible and less challenging stuff these days, but this album is a good middle ground. It's challenging and weird, but it's still rather accessible. Vocalist M. Shadows sings throughout most of it, with the occasional scream, but it's not a really "brutal" album.

The album is a bit long, clocking in at 54 minutes, but it's an entertaining ride. The first half of the album is the "heaviest," including more metal and punk style songs, whereas the second half, starting with the track "G," moves the band into a yacht-rock / funk / pop-rock sound, but the closing track (which is the title track) is a strange and quaint little instrumental piano cut that admittedly go anywhere or do anything interesting, but it's a quiet and somber way to end the record. That right there is one of the issues I have with the album, as the album ends with a whimper almost, and its first half is a bit stronger than the second (although they make the pop-rock stuff a lot of fun), but I will also admit that M. Shadows' vocals aren't quite as good as they used to be. That's to be expected, since they've been around for over 20 years, but his lower register is where he shines, it's when he tries to belt and/or use a higher pitch that it sounds forced and strained. The vocals are easily the "worst" part here, and I'll also admit that not every single song works super well, although as a cohesive unit, the album's great. I just get through the songs I don't care for as much to get to the songs I love.

Life Is But A Dream is not Avenged Sevenfold's best album, but it's an album that's a worthy addition to their discography. I don't know if the album will show up on my yearend list, I'll really have to wait and see, because there are a lot of things coming out and a lot of albums I haven't heard yet that are already out, but for what it's worth, it's an interesting album. It made me go back to some of their other stuff, and I'm really enjoying City Of Evil, but as it stands, this record is solid. It's a great little prog and avant-garde album, especially for those that want something a little more challenging and interesting. it never comes off pretentious or annoying, at least in comparison to a band like Sleep Token that I just cannot get into, but it seems loose, fun, and engaging. This album is not for everyone, so if you don't like it, I understand, but it's worth the listen, at least. it might stick for you, or it might not, but isn't that how everything goes? All you can really do is just listen to it for yourself, although I was rather surprised with this record.