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""The Stage" is a rich and heavy album with a 'Deluxe' version enriched with any kind of covers and average lives that will only suit compulsive collectors."
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4/5
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After starting their career in metalcore, the Californians of Avenged Sevenfold have become the ambassadors of a muscular and incisive heavy metal, tinged with progressive and carried by the raspy and powerful voice of a unique Mr. Shadow.
'The Stage', the eponymous opener, masterfully opens the album with an epic track lasting more than eight minutes that shows the full extent of the band's compositional talent: tapping intro, guitar flights, a harshly constructed riff, catchy melody and numerous rhythmic variations in a high-flying progressive metal vein. Another track, 'Exist', at 80% instrumental, at the other end of the album, closes this one with a new progressive piece with multiple epic variations over more than 15 minutes between decibels surges, jerky riffs in the Metallica style, aerial breaks and (finally!) the voice of the frontman who gains in emotion when the volume is more muffled.
Between the two, nearly 50 minutes of heavy metal with very lively tempos often punctuated by a double pedal that you have to endure, far from the blues and mid-tempo variations that made the strength of a "Nightmare" in 2010 but with a musical force, sharp guitars omnipresent and a formidable efficiency. Special mention to 'Angels', a ballad not necessarily very original but which has the merit of making the palpitations a little lower and lets you hear the voice of Mr. Shadows in what he has the warmest and most bewitching plus an aerial double solo of Gates, magnificent and restful.
The second CD of the Deluxe edition that interests us today contains an unreleased track ('Dose') in line with the album as well as a few covers of standards such as 'Wish You Were Here' by Pink Floyd, 'As ears Go By' by the Stones or 'God Only Knows' by the Beach Boys that don't bring much to the originals except the pleasure of aficionados to revel in Mr. Shadows' hoarse voice. Only Mr. Bungle's cover version of 'Retrovertigo' is really appealing with a deep interpretation and a powerful dramaturgy, while 'Malagueña Salerosa', a traditional Mexican piece covered hundreds of times, will not make the crowds rise to their feet.
Finally, the first four tracks of the studio album are offered live, recorded in London in early 2017. They close the album without much brio, the fault of a sound recording just correct and interpretations almost identical to the studio versions. In the end, if the bonuses will not remain unforgettable, fans of the band as well as compulsive collectors will probably prefer this more complete edition. Otherwise, you might as well discover the excellent album that is "The Stage" with the original studio version only twelve months old. - Official website
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TRACK LISTING:
01. The Stage
02. Paradigm
03. Sunny Disposition
04. God Damn
05. Creating God
06. Angels
07. Simulation
08. Higher
09. Roman Sky
10. Fermi Paradox
11. Exist
12. Dose
13. Retrovertigo
14. Malagueña Salerosa
15. Runaway [feat. Warren Fitzgerald]
16. As Tears Go By
17. Wish You Were Here
18. God Only Knows
19. The Stage (live From London) [explicit]
20. Paradigm (live From London) [explicit]
21. Sunny Disposition (live From London) [explicit]
22. God Damn (live From London) [explicit]
LINEUP:
Brooks Wackerman: Batterie
Johnny Christ: Basse
M. Shadows: Chant
Synyster Gates: Guitares
Zacky Vengeance: Guitares
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(0) COMMENT(S)
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READERS
2/5 (2 view(s))
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STAFF:
4/5 (2 view(s))
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OTHER(S) REVIEWS ABOUT AVENGED SEVENFOLD
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