Avenged Sevenfold guitarist Synyster Gates has spoken about the experimental nature of the band's latest album, Life Is But A Dream…, released in June.
In a new interview with Metal Hammer magazine, Gates comments on fans' reaction to the album, saying, “I think with an album like this, time is everything.” My comparison is this: Both of my parents have The Beatles as theirs Favorite band. My mother hates everything after Sgt. Pepper's, while my father doesn't care about the first few songs. Both respect the group, but not everything suits them. So for my mother, Sgt. Pepper's was the death of the Beatles, and I think for a lot of people [Life Is But A Dream…] is the death of Avenged Sevenfold. But for many others it is a birth. The birth of another group.”
When asked if he had read the comments about the album online, Synyster replied: “Funnily enough, I thought it could go either way. We've actually had really good support from the press, so I don't want people to think that we don't feel like we're supported by the press at all. I actually think it's good that the press didn't ignore us. Even though some of the reviews were bad, it was talked about. People still care about us, that's all I can ask for. Negative comments are in the minority. I think people were very thoughtful when they reviewed this album.”
Last June, during an appearance on the Let There Be Talk podcast hosted by Dean Delray, singer M. Shadows claimed that negative reviews are enviable these days.
He specifically stated, “Right now we are only seeing 10 out of 10 reviews and 0 out of 10 reviews for our new album. But it's a good thing because the people who absolutely hate it.” In 2023, a 0 out of 10 is actually the best we can ask for because it gets people talking; It’s a strange society we live in at the moment.”
Written and recorded over a four-year period, the album was produced by Joe Barresi and Avenged Sevenfold in Los Angeles and mixed by Andy Wallace in Poconos, Pennsylvania.
“Life Is But A Dream…” sold 36,000 copies in its first week of sales in the US and peaked at number 13 on the Billboard 200.
On the other hand, Avenged Sevenfold will release a “virtual reality” concert in early 2024.