It would be near impossible to diminish the musical impact that Avenged Sevenfold has had on the world of music. From stage appeal to sound to lyrical concepts to music videos and everything in between, Avenged Sevenfold have been a force to be reckoned with since releasing Sounding the Seventh Trumpet over 20 years ago. I had the absolute luxury of catching them at the end of their Life is But a Dream ... North American Tour Pt. 2 along with Kim Dracula & Falling in Reverse at the Dickies Arena in Fort Worth, TX. This had to have been easily one of the best concert experiences of my life & I owe it all to A7X.
Kim Dracula started the night off with a bang. From what I heard, Kim Dracula is still fairly new in the music scene & they're already opening for Avenged Sevenfold? Damn! While the music was absolutely flawless in every way, my attention was mainly fixated on the stage performance. Between taking out a chainsaw to repeatedly smashing a mic stand on stage, it seemed like Kim Dracula absolutely knew how to keep the attention of the crowd. I highly doubt this will be the last time we hear of Kim Dracula.
Next to take the stage was Falling in Reverse. Yes, that Falling in Reverse. Formed about 15 years ago back in 2008, Ronnie Radke & Falling in Reverse have been making waves ever since. With 4 solid albums in their discography and nearly a dozen stand-alone singles since their last album release, Falling in Reverse are always making headlines. Listen. I don't care who you are or your feelings about the band, but you have to admit that their debut album The Drug in Me is You is a certified banger from front to back. Every release since then, we have seen the band grow, change their sound, style, lyrical focus, and almost usher in a new era of the band with each release. And, it is obvious that the fans in Fort Worth were just as psyched for Falling in Reverse as they were for Avenged Sevenfold. I saw constant circle pits, mosh pits, and fans jumping and singing their hearts out while Radke was on stage. With a vocal range some singers could only dream of obtaining while effortlessly switching between gutturals and rapping, the crowd a sea of euphoria.
After a long night of moshing, it was finally time for Avenged Sevenfold. Currently comprised of vocalist M. Shadows, guitarists Zacky Vengeance & Synyster Gates, bassist Johnny Christ, and drummer Brooks Wackerman, the band has been, some would say, on the level of "Metal Gods" since the early 2000's. And, who could argue with that statement? Certainly not I with such albums as 2003's Waking the Fallen, 2005's City of Evil, 2007's self-titled Avenged Sevenfold, 2010's Nightmare, & 2013's Hail to the King. Even their newer work (2023's Life is But a Dream... & 2016's The Stage), has shown the constant evolution of Avenged Sevenfold. If you were to tell me you watched the music video for Unholy Confessions or A Little Piece of Heaven, and didn't immediately think, "This band is going to be my entire personality now", then you're lying. I still remember going to the mall and buying an Avenged Sevenfold shirt, coming home and showing my parents, and immediately getting put in the car to return it. Ah. Such happy memories.
The entire night was full of musical madness and amazingness. It was absolutely incredible to hear some songs I haven't heard or listened to in close to 10 years, but still remember every single word! I'm sure the people of Fort Worth could agree with me when I say there were 2 moments that tied for "Best Moment of the Night". First one was hearing "So Far Away" played live again. This time of year is rough for me in terms of loss & that song was on repeat nonstop to help me cope and deal. Replaying moments in my mind while singing those words brought me to tears. And not even the cute crying, just ugly crying. And, it was amazing. After I wiped the tears away, I felt a huge weight lift from my shoulders. Moment #2 though. Oh baby. This had me on my feet covered in goosebumps. Getting to hear "Nightmare", "Bat Country", Unholy Confessions", & "A Little Piece of Heaven" in that order. OH. MY. GOD. Avenged Sevenfold knew what they were doing when they orchestrated that & damn, it hit SO good! What I would give to go back and relive that show again. Fingers crossed we get Avenged Sevenfold to come through the area again soon because I'm already in need of it.
