Waking the Fallen explained

Waking the Fallen
Type:studio
Artist:Avenged Sevenfold
Cover:WakingTheFallen.jpg
Released:August 26, 2003
Recorded:April – June 10, 2003[1]
Studio:
  • Third Stone (Hollywood)
  • Mates Inc (Hollywood)
Genre:
Length:68:45
Label:Hopeless
Producer:Mudrock
Prev Title:Sounding the Seventh Trumpet
Prev Year:2001
Next Title:City of Evil
Next Year:2005

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.[2] As of March 17, 2021, the album has been certified Platinum in the United States, Gold in Canada, and Silver in the United Kingdom. The song "Eternal Rest" appears on Kerrang!s "666 Songs You Must Own"[3] and was featured on the soundtrack to the movie Saw IV (2007).[4]

Background

On January 18, 2002, Avenged Sevenfold left Good Life Recordings and signed with Hopeless Records.[5] 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.[6] 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.[7] Christ has previously played with the band whenever Ash could not attend, filling in on a previous tour.[8] Having found a new bassist, the group began recording their new album. Waking the Fallen was released on Hopeless Records in August 2003.

Musical style

Waking the Fallen has been primarily described musically as metalcore[9] [10] and heavy metal,[11] while also leaning towards other styles of metal such as melodic death metal, thrash metal and power metal.[12] [13] It 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 in turn meant more songs featured guitar solos.[14] [15]

Reception and legacy

Waking the Fallen was met with highly positive reviews. Robert L. Doerschuk from AllMusic wrote "And 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. 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.[16] In other profiles, the album also received comparisons to the Misfits and further comparisons to Iron Maiden.[17] "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.[18]

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:[19]

Waking the Fallen: Resurrected was released August 25, 2014.[20]

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.[21] 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.[22] 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.[23]

In 2014, a music video for "Chapter Four" was released to promote the release of "Waking The Fallen: Resurrected".[24] The video features clips of the band playing live, shot entirely in black and white.[25] The footage is from the same show was also used for the Unholy Confessions video a decade prior.[26] The video was directed by Rafa Alcantara.[27]

Track listing

Personnel

Credits are adapted from the album's liner notes.

Avenged Sevenfold

Production

Artistry

Charts

Chart (2003)Peak
position
US Independent Albums[29] 12
US Top Heatseekers Albums15
Chart (2006)Peak
position
Japanese Albums (Oricon)[30] 176
Chart (2014)Peak
position
Australian Albums (ARIA)[31] 34
Japanese Albums (Oricon)[32] 237
US Billboard 200[33] 10
US Catalog Albums (Billboard)[34] 1
US Vinyl Albums (Billboard)[35] 5

Notes and References

  1. Web site: 2003-06-24. Avenged Sevenfold website. 2021-09-29. https://web.archive.org/web/20030624121346/http://www.avengedsevenfold.com/. June 24, 2003.
  2. Ariana Grande Nabs Second No. 1 Album with 'My Everything,' Brad Paisley Debuts. September 3, 2014. Billboard.
  3. Web site: 666 Songs You Must Own: The Ultimate Playlist . Rock List Music . Kerrang . 16 October 2022 . November 2004.
  4. AllMusic review
  5. Web site: Avenged Sevenfold signs with Hopeless Records . lambgoat.com . November 26, 2018.
  6. Brace, Eric. "The Circuit." The Washington Post. Accessed via LexisNexis. "Cleveland's excellent envelope-pushing metal band Mushroomhead performs Wednesday night at Jaxx (703-569-5940), along with Shadows Fall, Avenged Sevenfold and High on Fire." October 18, 2002.
  7. Web site: "You're Not Cooler Than Anyone": Avenged Sevenfold Write Letters Their Younger Selves . kerrang.com . January 28, 2020.
  8. Web site: Gallien . Krueger . Johnny Christ . Gallien Krueger . 2 March 2023.
  9. Web site: Avenged Sevenfold's M. Shadows: Metalcore Not Something We Find Enjoyment in Listening To . Loudwire . January 28, 2015 . 2 March 2023 . Avenged Sevenfold appeared on the music scene in 1999, and the group released two albums that were metalcore in sound before departing from that style for their 2005 major label debut 'City of Evil.'.
  10. Web site: 25 Best Metalcore Albums of All Time. John. Hill. Loudwire. May 25, 2020 .
  11. Web site: August 26, 2003 . Avenged Sevenfold - Waking The Fallen . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20150917071547/https://www.punknews.org/review/2210/avenged-sevenfold-waking-the-fallen . September 17, 2015 . punknews.org.
  12. Web site: Bezer . Terry . Avenged Sevenfold: Waking The Fallen Resurrected . Louder Sound . Metal Hammer . 1 March 2023 . 16 September 2014.
  13. Web site: August 26, 2003 . Avenged Sevenfold - Waking The Fallen . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20150917071547/https://www.punknews.org/review/2210/avenged-sevenfold-waking-the-fallen . September 17, 2015 . punknews.org.
  14. Allmusic review
  15. Web site: Avenged Sevenfold "Waking the Fallen" Album Review . Paul's Awesome World . January 27, 2012 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20120712025957/http://www.paulsawesomeworld.com/2012/01/27/avenged-sevenfold-waking-the-fallen-album-review.html . July 12, 2012 .
  16. "Artists to Watch: AVENGED SEVENFOLD". Billboard. "Orange County, Calif.'s Avenged Sevenfold stands at a crossroads. In one direction is the present and future: the current punk/metal hybrid known as 'screamo.' In the other, the past: influences of such punk bands as NOFX and Bad Religion; the '80s-metal dynamic of Judas Priest, Iron Maiden and Metallica; and a touch of goth."
  17. "Avenged Sevenfold members carve a new niche with old sound", The Bradenton Herald, accessed via LexisNexis. September 18, 2003. "Their long bangs and black eye makeup draw comparisons to the Misfits. Their cryptic lyrics are similar to Iron Maiden. The guttural vocals and machine-gun percussion sound like early Metallica. And the guitar riffs are reminiscent of Crimson Glory."
  18. Web site: Metal Hammer's 100 Greatest Albums Of The 21st Century. - Avenged Sevenfold. July 16, 2016. avengedsevenfold.com. April 23, 2018.
  19. Web site: Avenged Sevenfold Plan 'Waking the Fallen' Reissue, New DVD . Loudwire . March 27, 2014.
  20. Web site: Avenged Sevenfold To Release Waking The Fallen: Resurrected August 25 . Hopeless Records . June 24, 2014.
  21. Web site: 2004-02-10. Avenged Sevenfold website. live. 2021-09-29. https://web.archive.org/web/20040210033613/http://avengedsevenfold.com/. February 10, 2004.
  22. Web site: 2004-01-02. Avenged Sevenfold website. live. 2021-09-29. https://web.archive.org/web/20040102041357/http://avengedsevenfold.com/. January 2, 2004.
  23. "Headbanger's Ball spawns second compilation". BPI Entertainment News Wire. "Here is the 'MTV2 Headbanger's Ball, Volume 2' track list... Disc one... 'Unholy Confessions,' Avenged Sevenfold." August 2, 2004.
  24. Web site: HOPELESS RECORDS SHARE "CHAPTER FOUR" LIVE FOOTAGE VIDEO. . AvengedSevenfold.com . 17 October 2022.
  25. Web site: Cornell . Jeff . AVENGED SEVENFOLD RELEASE VINTAGE 'CHAPTER FOUR' VIDEO . Loudwire . September 17, 2014 . 17 October 2022.
  26. Web site: Avenged Sevenfold release "Chapter Four" video . Alternative Press . September 16, 2014 . 17 October 2022.
  27. Web site: Avenged Sevenfold: Chapter Four . IMDB . 17 October 2022.
  28. Web site: Hopelessly Devoted To You Vol. 5 coming your way soon . Punknews.org . 15 August 2024. English . 12 June 2004.
  29. Web site: Waking the Fallen Awards. Allmusic. Rovi Corporation. September 3, 2014.
  30. Web site: ウェイキング・ザ・フォールン/サウンディング・ザ・セヴンス・トランペット . Oricon . 14 April 2023 . Japanese.
  31. Web site: ARIA Australian Top 50 Albums . . September 7, 2014 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20140906185517/http://www.ariacharts.com.au/chart/albums . September 6, 2014 .
  32. Web site: Waking The Fallen: Resurrected. May 16, 2015. oricon ME inc.. ja.
  33. Caulfield. Keith. September 3, 2014. Ariana Grande Nabs Second No. 1 Album In Less Than A Year. Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. September 3, 2014.
  34. Catalog Albums . Billboard . 20 April 2023.
  35. Vinyl Albums . Billboard . 20 April 2023.

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