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City of Evil (by Avenged Sevenfold, Rock)

common sense media says

Amazing guitar, troubling lyrics. For mature teens.


parents & educators say

What parents need to know

Parents need to know that an album with this title is unlikely to be wholesome family fun. Expect lots of profanity and violent imagery (including suicide), as well as sexual innuendo.

Positive messages: Songs express suicidal fantasies and uncontrollable anger.
Violence: Lots of violent imagery.
Sex: Some innuendo.
Language: Four-letter words, gleefully shouted.
Consumerism: CD insert advertises T-shirts.
Drinking, drugs, & smoking: Not applicable.

More on City of Evil

What to talk about

Talk to your kids
Families can talk about the focus and hours of practice that go into the guitar work, and whether or not the lyrics would lose their punch if toned down.

What's the story?

What's the story?
Playfully acrobatic guitar work contrasts with troubling lyrics on Avenged Sevenfold's CITY OF EVIL. Instrumentally bold and imaginative, the album falls apart lyrically with tired clichés and hit-you-over-the-head shock value for its own sake, along with equally tired, yet disturbing CD insert artwork. Combining elements of punk, metal, and Spanish-style guitar picking, the band draws unapologetically from a variety of influences. You'll recognize guys who've listened to a lot of Metallica, Iron Maiden, and Guns 'N Roses, yet are trying really hard to create something new. Songs like "Bat Country" and "Burn it Down" express suicidal fantasies and uncontrollable anger. "Trashed and Scattered" gleefully repeats the F-word over and over again. Depressed teenagers may relate, but they deserve more eloquence, at least.

Is it any good?

Is it any good?
 
Angry, stunningly predictable lyrics are generously laced with four-letter words and violent imagery, and do nothing to complement the originality of this group's musicianship. Sung in a tedious full-throttle nasal whine, there is no medium switch on the vocal posturing. Complex arrangements and incredible twin-guitar assaults are the album's greatest strengths, and all but the most die-hard fans will find themselves wishing for more instrumental solos.

Music themes & details

Music Details
Released on: June 7, 2005
Label: Warner Brothers
Genre: Rock
Parental advisory: Yes

This review was written by Kathi Kamen Goldmark
 
 

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What parents & educators say

14

Most useful reviews by all members

Cimerax
teen, 16 years old
 
Really amazing album, needs a much better review than that 2 stars it was given. >:( M.I.A., Trashed and Scattered, and Seize the Day are the best on the album. :D

D3318
adult
 
Great band, but a bad messages. Still, love it!!
Avenged Sevenfold is such a talented band, and I think that it IS a cd for more mature audiences. However, I know that you can find a clean version of the cd in many stores. I happen to own the clean cd and I think that it's still great without the swearing! No one needs to hear all of that bad language, so why not just buy the clean version? The messages are a little twisted, so you might want to listen to the cd to see if you approve before your kids listen to it. Yes, there's some iffy stuff, but it's an overall great cd.

heavymetalfanatic
teen, 14 years old
 
A7X rocks!
AWESOME BAND!! AWESOME MUSIC!!! KEEP UP THE AWESOME WORK AVENGED SEVENFOLD!! I LUV U!!!

way245
teen, 14 years old
 
Awesome music
Contains one f-bomb. This is metal so there is alot of yelling and hardcore singing/guitar playing. Great music

petewentzlove095
teen, 16 years old
 
I LOVE AVENGED SEVENFOLD
i think the common sense review is retarded no offense this cd is amazing and deserves at least four stars yeah so it has some language, so dont b*tch and moan about it get the edited version or just dont let ur kid listen to it just cuz their stupid enough to repeat the language thats not the bands fault its the parents for not teaching their kids not to repeat that kind of language and if parents really worry that much about a kid using language than dont get them albums with parental advisory and this album is fr***in tame compared to most of their albums ur kids could be listening to much worse so quit complaining

FezesAreCool
kid, 12 years old
 
11+ if clean, 16+ if PA
I have listened to the CLEAN version of City of Evil and I love it. The guitar, bass and drums are amazing. All right the songs have swearing such as f**king parasite, f**king with me, don't mean s**t, god d*mn mother f**kers and god d*mn imposter and some of the subject matter is slightly dubious but there's nothing amazingly bad for the PA (parental advisory) sticker on the front of the album cover. Some of the songs like Seize the Day have good messages in. However there are clean versions of all the tracks and if you ignore the swearing it is really impressive music. Not for you if you don't like gruff singing and the sound of muted swearing or actual swearing. Great if you like hard rock with strong guitar and powerful vocals. To all the A7X haters out there: "You goddamn motherf**kers always wasting my time!"

DangerDaysTheT ...
kid, 10 years old
 
It is good enough to be on GH2
Beast and the Harlot is a good song

Ink_Punk
teen, 16 years old
 
Oh yeah
This is a great CD to really rock out to but you need to be aware of what it is before you let your kids listen to it

dicapriofreak94
teen, 15 years old
 
This is definitely one of my more favorite albums out there. I love anythying by Avenged Sevenfold anyways, but this one has a lot of songs on here that I really like. They do say the f word quite a bit in this cd, and do talk about some disturbing things, but definitely worth it :)

12foREVer28
teen, 17 years old
 
GREAT BAND!
Love the band! Some of their songs (in this album and others) are religous.

Plague
parent
 
City of Evil
Good album. I wouldnt say its amazing, but its really good. I would recommend this album/band for children 13+.

dido6661
parent of 17 year old
 
BEST EVER
this album has positive messages like seize the day, or bring our troops home. i see nothing wrong with this band. they get alot of their song ideas from religios stories. the name itself is from the bible.

aaaat2
adult
 
omg!!!!!!
this is the greatest album ever created! it is pure musical genius! sure it does include some iffy stuff such as the f-word, suicide, and a hint of sexuality. but musicwise it is genius. A7X is the greatest band on earth!(except for led zepplin)

Brenny
adult
 
Intense, dark, but very good guitar and drumming
This is music that seems a bit dark. Yes, there is quite a bit of violence. There is one song that contains nudity, "Beast and the Harlot". There is quite a bit of swearing, too. Do not buy this album if you do not like hearing the f-word. They say it several times in "Trashed and Scattered". Overall, I like this album, it has some Guns N' Roses feel to it. This was what Avenged Sevenfold was inspired by.

 
what a load of crap..
avenged sevenfold is a band trying to "find their individuality" but failing miserably and just blending in with all the other "emo" bands such as my chemical romance, slipknot, adien, and coheed and cambria. a7x is moslty poetry put to words...never intended to be music. i think they should have kept it that way. if trying to decide wheater to buy this cd or not...my advice is...dont.

mark c
adult
 
awsome
this cd is a great cd not to bad couple songs with some choice words other than that great cd EXTREMELLY AWSOME GUITARING IN HERE ZACHI VENGENCE AND SYNASTER GATES ARE AWSOME AND THE REV IS AWSOME AT THE DRUMS AND EVERYOEN IS GREAT LEAD SINGER IS GOOD SOUNDS GOOD GREAT CD for everyone

 
Amazing Singing with Guitar Work
Not as extreme or as violent as past cd's but the amazing guitar work is unequaled. Dualing Guitars, amazing solo's, and astonishing guitar melodys make this CD and Band an amazing addition to any CD collection.

MCRsaveslives
teen, 15 years old
 
Know your kid, A-OK past that hurdle.
A7X is where it gets tricky...you have to know your kid. If you've brought them up to like Iron Maiden and Slayer and Metallica, this CD is for them. If they can't handle the sheer awesomeness of this record...it's not for them. Get to know your kids before you get them this record.

sonicd
adult
 
love it
not as good as "Sounding the seventh trumpet' but still good

xXxWhiteNoisexXx
teen, 16 years old
 
best stay on the safe side
I'd say the age doesn't matter, as long as listeners are comfortable with the content, but I would recommend that children under 13 not listen to it.

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ON: Content is appropriate for kids this age.
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