Under The Influence #4: Bonesteel on “City Of Evil” by Avenged Sevenfold!

In the summer of 2005, the third album from Huntington Beach Californian Metallers Avenged Sevenfold appeared to both shock and surprise as well as critical acclaim. Having required vocal chord surgery after 2003’s Vans Warped Tour and months of coaching from Ron Anderson prior to the recording brought about the suggestion that vocalist M. Shadows no longer had the capacity for the unclean vocals of the bands two prior Metalcore albums. But “City of Evil” is so much more of a style shift for Avenged Sevenfold – for some, it has even been described as a Heavy Metal take on Guns n’ Roses sound and with single “Bat Country” going Gold before the album itself went Platinum in 2009, it’s arguably their most successful to date!

Alex Cane from Bonesteel: “One album in particular that inspired us is “City of Evil” by Avenged Sevenfold. This album was a total game changer at its time and really lit a spark in us. It has everything from mainstream hits, progressive elements, amazing musicianship, and overall greatly written songs. They really shook things up with this one and slapped mainstream music in the face, especially when “Bat Country”, inspired by Hunter S. Thompson’s 1971 novel “Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas” came out. That song was all over the radio, and even on MTV and TRL. This album inspired us to write better songs and not follow basic songwriting patterns, and it really set the bar high for us”.

Head over to Bonesteel’s official website here to order up some of their impressive looking merch!