Billboard recently spoke with M Shadows for a lengthy article about the bands brand new stage production, plans after touring, a fourth single and much more.
The group has a new stage set that includes a 17-by-40-foot version of its “death bat” logo “that catches on fire and shots flames and all sorts of fun stuff. Our drummer (Arin Ilejay) is gonna be playing inside the mouth of it. It’s a very sort of Spinal Tap, over-the-top metal-looking show.”
The group is also favoring an unedited version of “Buried Alive” as the album’s fourth single, although it may wait until after the Uproar tour when it can get a director — “Not necessarily a video guy but more of a movie guy,” according to Shadows — to make a video. The group reached out to Rob Zombie, but he’s too busy with his next feature film, “The Lords of Salem.”
Also on Avenged Sevenfold’s future agenda is the status of the drum chair, vacated after the December 2009 death of James “The Rev” Sullivan and temporarily filled by ex-Dream Theater member Mike Portnoy before Ilejay took over at the beginning of the year. “(Ilejay) is great,” Shadows says. “He’s 23 now, and the first show he played was in front of 16,000 people, and from there we went to Rock Am Ring, 80 or 90,000 people in Germany. As far as personality and his playing, he’s our guy, but we haven’t been able to write a record with him yet. So we want to make sure for his good and for our good that he can write with us and bring something to the creative and be comfortable in the situation. We’re just trying to work towards that, and hopefully everything works out ’cause we love the guy.”
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Is this the stage set they’re using for Uproar? o_o I’m going in a few hours. -excited- I really hope they keep Arin. I love him. <3 And OH MY GOD NEW SINGLE. :D Can't wait.
Comment by Keira Martinez August 26, 2011 @ 6:43 amYes it is.
Comment by deathbatnews August 26, 2011 @ 6:48 amSo bummed I can’t go to uproar this year! Can’t wait to zaee a new video! A zombie production would have been insane! Hmm Arin would have to be able to write..so it means they are looking to a future. After a break of course. They need time to adjust to what’s been happening lately. The insane touring, new fans, non stop go… Can’t wait to see what lies ahead for A7X and arin..
Comment by Nikki August 26, 2011 @ 6:49 am:D :D :D :D :D … that’s all I have to say!
Comment by Vannaly P (@vannafool) August 26, 2011 @ 6:51 amI wonder if they are going to use the same stage set up for the new Grand Prairie date and the songs that were voted on? Do you know of anything DBN?
Comment by Ka7x August 26, 2011 @ 6:54 amI don’t see why they wouldn’t.
Comment by deathbatnews August 26, 2011 @ 7:33 amill take a picture of it tonight and send it in
Comment by Jordan August 26, 2011 @ 6:57 amdbn, do you know why they released welcome to the family as a single and haven’t done a video for it? Just wonderinggg
Comment by sophie August 26, 2011 @ 7:10 amI do believe it was released as a radio-single only.
Comment by deathbatnews August 26, 2011 @ 10:22 amI thought he helped write Not Ready To Die? Guess not…
Comment by Blake Tull August 26, 2011 @ 7:13 amHe did help. Shadows only pointed out that they haven’t been able to write a record with him yet. While he sounded great on not ready to die, they probably want to make sure he brings in some creativity throughout a whole entire album process, which I’m sure he will once they get to that point of starting a new record :)
Comment by Anonymous August 26, 2011 @ 8:37 amI hope they keep Arin – I adore that guy!
–”We need to go home…and make sure everybody’s mentally in the right spot to do a new record.”
That quote is nicer than the one that got everyone (*coughincludingmecough*) so wound up, a few days ago.
This whole interview sounds more confident than the quote the other day.
Sarah x
Comment by Sarah August 26, 2011 @ 7:26 ami was looking forward to natural born killer to be a single. but Nightmare as an album isnt really radio friendly in the first place. Some of the songs will be hard to edit as “Singles”. Really the only radio friendly songs are welcome to the family, victim, tonight the world dies and natural born killer.
Comment by Anonymous August 26, 2011 @ 7:27 amI love buried alive.. One of my favorites. So I like and dislike it becoming a single, because singles unfortunately always get overplayed. But it’s okay.. Can’t wait to see the video!
Comment by Linds August 26, 2011 @ 7:30 amAvenged Sevenfold has never and will never be overplayed. There’s no such thing!
Comment by Cory August 26, 2011 @ 8:42 amYes there is; my like of Welcome to the Family dropped significantly during the winter.
Comment by Anonymous August 26, 2011 @ 11:24 amThats a good article! I like the fact that they found someone that seems to work so far with them in Arin. I hope he works out in the creative and writing aspects too so the guys can keep moving forward with someone who fits personality wise. This article is so positive, it gives me hope that our boys will be around for a long time yet! I’m excited to see them on Tuesday!!
Comment by Elin August 26, 2011 @ 7:38 amThree things: 1. I am so freaking excited and eager for Uproar! 2. And unedited version of Buried Alive for the fourth single sounds awesome! Can’t wait for the video! 3. I really hope things work out with Arin whenever the guys start writing. I think he’s great and the guys love him so I hope things work out and they keep him. :)
Comment by JaCaria August 26, 2011 @ 11:05 amAccording to that article save me is in the stlist rotation but its #21 on the voting list. this can mean 2 thing 1.maybe they miscounted or 2.they WANT to play even though it did not make the cut…
Comment by GibbZ August 26, 2011 @ 11:06 amHe said one of the surprising choices was save me. i thought it was number 21? interesting…
Comment by happyfatman August 26, 2011 @ 11:10 amhe probly meant it was surprising that no one picked that
Comment by Anonymous August 26, 2011 @ 1:13 pmthere’s no wu of describing how devastated I will be if they don’t tour the cities not on uproar before the break, I really really hope they do a last big us tour before taking 7 months off, maybe with papa roach or breaking benjamin if they are active then
Comment by Deen August 26, 2011 @ 1:12 pmUnfortunately it doesn’t look like that’s gonna happen. After uproar they’ll be in europe, and then they’re taking a break. I’m pretty bummed too because I can’t go to uproar and I haven’t even seen them once yet..
Comment by Linds August 26, 2011 @ 3:47 pmBut I completely understand that it’s time for them to have a break. They’ve been touring forever. And to be fair, it’s kind of my fault I didn’t go when they were near me back in may. And I’m still kicking myself for it.
Am I the only one who’s weirded out about them considering writing and continuing with Arin? Don’t get me wrong, he’s a great guy and everything but it still feels like it was just yesterday we lost Jimmy. It’s hard to see a7x without him.
Comment by syn's_revenge August 26, 2011 @ 3:31 pmI think it’s a good thing. It’s been more than a year and a half since Jimmy passed and while that was the worst thing ever and he’ll always be THE a7x drummer, the guys need to move on at some point. They need to keep on living their lives and doing what feels good and I’ll be so bold as to say that I think Jimmy would agree.
Comment by E August 26, 2011 @ 5:20 pmI think people are happy about it because without Arin (or without a drummer) avenged obviously can’t continue. And they can’t go the rest of their career being avenged sevenfold… and the drummer, or avenged sevenfold featuring Arin illejay. You know? So just try to think of it that way. You know they’ll never, ever forget him. Also, I agree Jimmy would approve. He wouldn’t of wanted them to give up.
Comment by Linds August 26, 2011 @ 8:01 pmI’m so happy/proud/amazed they’re pushing through, so no complaints. :)
LYRIC VIDEO 4 BURIED ALIVE IS AWSOME !!! LOVE THE HEADBANGING SKELETONS !!!!!!!!!!!!
Comment by K7X September 1, 2011 @ 9:08 pm