Waking the Fallen

Waking the Fallen
Studio album by Avenged Sevenfold
Released	August 26, 2003
Recorded	2003 at NRG Recordings in North Hollywood, Los Angeles, California
Genre	Metalcore
Length	68:40
Label	Hopeless
Producer	Andrew Murdock and Fred Archambault
Avenged Sevenfold chronology
Sounding the Seventh Trumpet (2001) Waking the Fallen (2003) City of Evil (2005)
Singles from Waking the Fallen
"Second Heartbeat" Released: December 16, 2003 "Unholy Confessions" Released: August 2, 2004

Waking the Fallen is the second album by Avenged Sevenfold, released on August 26, 2003 through Hopeless Records. It is the last release by the band to feature their metalcore sound, although more clean vocals are featured on the album than their debut album, Sounding the Seventh Trumpet. It is also their only album without any profane language to date. It is also the first album to feature Johnny Christ on bass, thus completeing the band's primary lineup (until The Rev's death in 2009).

The album was released as 2x12", LP, Repress, 33 ⅓ RPM, Grey Marble on 2008 in US.^[1] The album was certified gold on July 15, 2009.

Musical style

The record is notable among fans due to M. Shadows' slightly higher pitch in his voice and high notes he sings on songs like "I Won't See You Tonight" (both parts). Due to the album being a medium for M. Shadows transition of mostly screamed vocals into mostly singing, the album maintains a position of being the band's magnum opus; in addition to being heavy enough to appeal to their early metalcore fanbase, it added a taste of the melodic depth and alternative instrumentation that many have come to expect from the band on their future records.

Reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source	Rating
Allmusic	[2]
Blender	[3]
Kerrang

Waking the Fallen was highly acclaimed. It received a positive profile in Billboard, with the magazine comparing Avenged Sevenfold to bands like NOFX, Iron Maiden, and Metallica.^[4] In other profiles, the album also received comparisons to the Misfits and further comparisons to Iron Maiden.^[5] "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.

Videography

A live performance video was shot at Warped Tour 2003 for the first single from Waking the Fallen, "Second Heartbeat". A video was made for the second 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 concert. 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 created the previous fall (2003). 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.^[6]

Track listing

All songs written and composed by Avenged Sevenfold, except "Waking the Fallen" by Avenged Sevenfold and Scott Gilman. 

Waking the Fallen
No.	Title	Length
1.	"Waking the Fallen"	1:42
2.	"Unholy Confessions"	4:44
3.	"Chapter Four"	5:43
4.	"Remenissions"	6:07
5.	"Desecrate Through Reverence"	5:38
6.	"Eternal Rest"	5:13
7.	"Second Heartbeat"	7:00
8.	"Radiant Eclipse"	6:10
9.	"I Won't See You Tonight (Part 1)"	8:58
10.	"I Won't See You Tonight (Part 2)"	4:45
11.	"Clairvoyant Disease"	5:00
12.	"And All Things Will End"	7:41
Total length:		68:40

Personnel

Avenged Sevenfold M. Shadows – lead vocals Synyster Gates – lead guitar, piano, backing vocals Zacky Vengeance – rhythm guitar, backing vocals Johnny Christ – bass guitar Jimmy "The Rev" Sullivan – drums, backing vocals

Production Produced and mixed by Andrew Murdock Co-produced by Fred Archambault Assistant engineers – Fred Archambault and Ai Fujisaki Mastered by Tom Baker Orchestral arrangements and performance by Scott Gilman

References

1. ^ "Waking the Fallen LP". http://www.discogs.com/Avenged-Sevenfold-Waking-The-Fallen/release/2611506. 
2. ^ link
3. ^ link
4. ^ "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."
5. ^ "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."
6. ^ "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.