City of Evil

On their third album, Avenged Sevenfold abandon the brutalizing sounds of their previous records to mine the melodic metal of their heroes. Vocalist M. Shadows soars above The Rev’s blitzkrieg drumming and Synyster Gates’ blazing guitar leads, trading in his scream for a Chris Cornell-style approach on standout track “Seize the Day.” City of Evil is epic in scope, drawing on weighty tomes like the Book of Revelation for lyrical inspiration. Over the course of its 72 minutes, Avenged Sevenfold never falter.