Waking The Fallen

''Waking the Fallen'' is the second studio album by American heavy metal band Avenged Sevenfold, released on August 26, 2003, through Hopeless Records. It is the band's first full-length album with new lead guitarist Synyster Gates and bassist Johnny Christ.

The album was certified gold on July 15, 2009, even though it only sold 3,000 copies on its first week of release. As of August 2014, the album has sold over 693,000 copies in the United States. As of March 17, 2021, the album has been certified Platinum in the United States and Gold in both Canada and the United Kingdom. The song "Eternal Rest" appears on ''Kerrang!''s "666 Songs You Must Own" and was featured on the soundtrack to the movie ''Saw IV'' (2007).

Background and recording

On January 18, 2002, Avenged Sevenfold left Good Life Recordings and signed with Hopeless Records. They re-released their debut album on March 19 and also appeared on the ''Hopelessly Devoted to You Vol. 4'' sampler in April. The band started to receive recognition, performing with bands such as Mushroomhead and Shadows Fall. They spent the year touring in support of their debut album and participated in the Vans Warped Tour.

In September of 2002, Dameon Ash left Avenged Sevenfold and was replaced by Johnny Christ. Christ has previously played with the band whenever Ash could not attend, filling in on a previous tour. Having found a new bassist, the group began recording their new album. ''Waking the Fallen'' was released on Hopeless Records in August 2003.

''Waking the Fallen'' was the band's first album in which they recorded to a click track, which Sanders recalled upset Sullivan. Haner said the band played Halo: Combat Evolved frequently during the album's recording process.

Composition and music

According to Eli Enis of ''Revolver'', Avenged Sevenfold "became a capital-“M” metal band" with ''Waking the Fallen''. The album has been primarily categorized musically as metalcore, melodic metalcore and traditional heavy metal, while also taking stylistic cues from melodic death metal, thrash metal and power metal. The tracks have been described as " anthemic," and are said to feature a "gothic undercurrent." Additionally, the album featured a more refined and mature sound production in comparison to their previous album. This is the first release by the band to feature lead guitarist Synyster Gates on all tracks, which resulted in more complex instrumentation, featuring more guitar harmonies and guitar solos. "Chapter Four" contains what is has been described as "old-school riffage." "Eternal Rest" has drawn comparisons to Pantera and Randy Rhoads. Robert L. Doerschuk of ''AllMusic'' wrote, "whether attacking a riff in unison or in harmonized parts, the double-threat guitars of Synyster Gates and Zacky Vengeance do their duty like search-and-destroy commandos -- in and out fast, leaving devastation in their wake.Allmusic review/ref> According to Johnny Loftus of ''AllMusic'', the album contains "as many sighing harmonies as it did harmonized guitar freakouts." Additionally, the album contains what have been described as "sharp, inventive song structures ndand huge choruses." The chorus of the track "Remenissions" incorporates flamenco guitar. M. Shadows' screaming on the album has drawn comparisons to Cradle of Filth frontman Dani Filth, and has been described as "theatrical."

Reception and legacy

''Waking the Fallen'' was met with highly positive reviews. Robert L. Doerschuk of ''AllMusic'' gave the album a positive review, saying: " Especially noteworthy -- and note-heavy -- is the guitar solo that blazes through the last moments of " Second Heartbeat" and the head-spinning single-stroke virtuosity of the Reverend throughout the album."

It received a positive profile in ''Billboard'', with the magazine comparing Avenged Sevenfold to bands like NOFX, Iron Maiden, and Metallica. In other profiles, the album also received comparisons to the Misfits and further comparisons to Iron Maiden. "Chapter Four" was featured in video games such as ''NASCAR Thunder 2004'', ''Madden NFL 04'', and '' NHL 04'', which helped the band get recognized and sign a contract with Warner Bros. Records. Overall reviews on ''Ultimate Guitar'' were very positive and along with 2016's ''The Stage'' has the highest overall rating of any ''Avenged Sevenfold'' studio albums on Ultimate Guitar.

Metal Hammer magazine placed ''Waking the Fallen'' on No. 6 spot of their 100 Greatest Albums of the 21st Century list in 2016.

Anniversary edition

In March 2014, vocalist M. Shadows revealed in an interview with Loudwire that the band had plans in the works to put something out for the overdue 10th anniversary of ''Waking the Fallen:''

''Waking the Fallen: Resurrected'' was released August 25, 2014.

Videography

A live performance video was shot at Warped Tour 2003 for "Second Heartbeat". A video was made for the single "Unholy Confessions" on March 6, 2004, using live footage set to the studio track. It featured the fans before and during an Avenged Sevenfold show at the Henry Fonda Theater. According to vocalist M. Shadows, it was requested by their new label, Warner Bros. Records, in order to publicize the band before their 2005 album ''City of Evil''.

This video was the second attempt at a video for the track. The previous attempt was a concept video, filmed three months before. The band was not happy with the final product, however, and opted to re-shoot the video, this time as a live performance. The new video went into rotation on MTV2's ''Headbangers Ball''.

In 2014, a music video for "Chapter Four" was released to promote the release of "Waking The Fallen: Resurrected". The video features clips of the band playing live, shot entirely in black and white. The footage is from the same show was also used for the Unholy Confessions video a decade prior. The video was directed by Rafa Alcantara.

Track listing

*"Desecrate Through Reverence" is mistakenly written as "Desecrate Through Reverance" in the ''Resurrected'' booklet.
*The demo version and alternate version of "Second Heartbeat" are the same; this version was previously released on the ''Hopelessly Devoted To You Vol. 4'' sampler in 2002.
*The live version of "Eternal Rest" on the iTunes deluxe version is the same as the one on ''Resurrected''; it was previously released on the ''Hopelessly Devoted To You Vol. 5'' sampler in 2004. On ''Resurrected'', it's mistakenly said to be from Pomona.

Personnel

Credits are adapted from the album's liner notes.

Avenged Sevenfold

* M. Shadows – lead vocals
* Zacky Vengeance – rhythm guitar
* The Rev – drums
* Synyster Gates – lead guitar, piano
* Johnny Christ – bass guitar

Production

* Andrew Murdock – producer, mixing engineer
* Fred Archambault – co-producer
* THE GATEKEEPERS – recording
* Ai Fujisaki – assistant engineer
* Tom Baker – mastering engineer
* Mike Fasano, Bruce Jacoby, Al Pahanish – drum tech
* Stephen Ferrara – guitar tech
* Scott Gilman – orchestral arrangements and performance
* Larry Jacobson Company – management
* Ryan Harlacher – booking
* Scott Bradford – legal representation

Artistry
* Lisa Johnson – photography
* Taylor Montague – cover painting
* Micah Montague – art concept
* Matt the Madman – layout
* Sergie – mechanicals

Charts

Certifications

References

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Avenged Sevenfold albums
2003 albums
Hopeless Records albums