Vocalist and Drummer talks Avenged Sevenfold, Life Is But A Dream... 

I´ve listened to this album daily since it came out, but I´ve had nobody to really share it with... until I stumbled upon this video. Thank you so much for doing this!

You:"his vocals are so soft" Matt:"DO UNTO THE MUUUUDD!!!" 😂😂😂

From what I understand of Cosmic is about a couple who falls in love, and after every death - through time- they find each other over and over. (Re-incarnation to an extent). So he is saying not to worry because no matter who dies first and leaves the other person alone, to not worry cause they will see each other again. It's honestly a very deep concept and blows my mind when reading the lyrics in that context. Thank you for this! Love the album so friggen much!

Musical genius to this degree, makes me proud to be a die hard Avenged fan lol

Thank you all so much for your comments! I am incredibly happy there are so many a7x fans who feel the way I do

It never ceases to amaze me how many A7X fans are shocked when there’s a change of style. The band throws everyone for a loop with a new direction on every album. Although this isn’t my favorite A7X album Cosmic and Mattel are some of their best tracks ever

Brooks has been doing the hi-hats live recently, they didn't at first because they were throwing off everyone's time, it took them time to get used to it.

Every album they put out gets better and better, this is no exception, utter genius! So much fun, wacky wild, entertaining as hell, epic! Everything music should be, easily my favourite album of 2023!

Cosmic is my favorite song i think they have ever done. It made me cry. Especially when I understood the meaning of it.

This totally affirms how perfect of a fit I knew Brooks would be for this band.

My A7X listening journey started this year just by chance. I live in central FL and on a Friday afternoon in May my roomate calls and says his boss just gave him 2 vip tickets to Rockville that night and if I wanted to go with him. This is like 2 days after this girl I was seeing and I broke up. I was like yeah sure. We got there late so we only got to see evanescence and A7X. But their performance changed something in me. Literally didn’t know any of their songs but their performance was so dope I was just bopping my head along to the music. The next couple days we’re spent listening to all their albums, then waiting for LIBAD to come out. Incredible album. Cried the first time listening to cosmic. It’s crazy how just by chance my roomate gets free Rockville tickets and here I am 3 months later listening to A7X pretty much every day and they have become one of my favorite bands.

Ive only been a fan for about a year. I’ve listened to pop,rap, and classical music for 14 years (im 19) and then i discovered metal. Heard metallica, megadeth, ect. Then i heard a7x. It changed me. I can almost find nobody (nobody?) to talk about them. They are my favorite band ever. Love everything they have did and this album made me jaw dropped from beginning to end. Thank you for being like me 😭😭😭

the ending of mattel feels like a game over screen in a video game and i love it

What was so cool is that this is not a first reaction video. I saw them all when the album came out but I was looking for a discussion from someone who has spent some time with the music and digesting it - you. Thanks for a great job. I loved watching you enjoy it. I listen to Life Is But A Dream once a day on headphones lying on the bed, concentrating. I just love all the layering, of both music and lyrics. Soooo intricate! The last time I was so blown away by music was when Sgt Pepper came out - when I was 17 - 73 now! I have listened to all good rock all my life after the Beatles, including Pink Floyd, Yes, Led Zep, Talking Heads, Smashing Pumpkings, Nirvana, Soundgarden, Seether, etc. So I have some reference points, but this has blown my mind. Like someone said, and not to offend either The Beatles or A7X, but this is like heavy metal Sgt Pepper!

This is probably the best breakdown of the album I’ve watched. Ya earned a sub😎 There is so much to unpack with the album as a whole. I pre ordered this album even though at first I was not super keen on the new singles but once I listened to it as a whole I fell completely in love with all of the songs. Everything is so well thought out it’s insane. This has been super influential for me and my band mates while recording our new stuff.

This was an amazing breakdown of the album. I wish more people would enjoy this album like we do. I think it's up there with the greats. Also, I recommend listening to it back to front. It makes so much sense, that I believe they did it on purpose. Ending the album with game over and the last line "life is but a dream...anyway" gave me chills.😅

This was a great breakdown of a really thought provoking album; I’ve loved Avenged for years now and I love that they’re still pushing creative boundaries. I can’t get enough of this album right now, the lyrics, the atmosphere, the themes of it all, it’s huge. And this was a really cool video! 🙏

Cosmic was written about how Matt and his wife felt they were interlinked through many timelines and were always going to find each other in all their lives. The drums are octobons that Brooks uses intentionally to give it a little bit of an eclectic 80s vibe. It can have multiple interpretations and is my favorite tracks. Life, death, rebirth and the endless journey into the future, space and time. Beautiful.

My expectations on this album were way low. But from the moment it came out I keep listening to it (or at least parts of it) almost everyday. In my opinion this is one of the freshest music pieces I heard in the last 10-15 years, you can clearly hear a band who know how to experiment and let be influenced by so many generes. I mean the outro guitars in “Easier” are hendrixish as hell, not to mention all the other influences you mentioned in the video. I feel it as an album that needs to be listened in its entirety, it lives as a whole. Even if many of the songs are so good taken alone too. Cheers for the video, brilliant analysis!!

I don't remember the last time I watched an hour and 30 minute video without pausing or skipping, but your commentary was very good in this video. Love this album.

Our band deeply admires/appreciates this album. It's a work of art. It's unpredictable. Top 3 tracks are We Love You, Cosmic and Mattel. G-O-D is interesting and very different Avenged Sevenfold. For sure those three songs are either going to flip the A7X fans switches - Love it/ Hate it. And who'd have thought the album would end with a 4 and a half piano solo by Synyster Gates? Again... expect the unexpected. I can only imagine that the boys in the band were surely certain that the fans would freak after listening to the album for the first time. The song that really won me over was Beautiful Morning. Sounds like a nod to Alice in Chains and somehow in the bridge the band finds themselves paying homage to The Beach Boys. What the?? Brilliant. 👏

Wow … just wow. I only knew AS from the Album "Waking the Fallen" and would have enjoyed listening to this new one too, but man … with all the information and stories behind it you share it makes it so much better! The last few songs on this album give me heavy 70s rock vibes. You called it Kanye and Daft Punk, but I would go even further back and say it resembles Pink Floyd, Motown Disco and Electric Lightorchestra (EXCUSE ME?! That vocoder?!). Also, how eclectic the orchestra gets at the end … heavy, heavy Pink Floyd feelings. Loved this video, thank you for taking the time and sharing!

Absolutely wonderful to hear from somebody that has done this deep of a dive on the album. I’ve only got one friend that knows/enjoys/appreciates this album or even just the band so it was awesome to hear from somebody else that feels the same way about it as i do. Really good job on this. The thought and detail you put into this is crazy. Thanks!

There's so much I love about this album honestly. Very existential, begging the questions of what is life? Why are we here, what does it mean to have free will, do we have control, what is life outside the body etc. Feeling like a somebody in your own eyes but also like a nobody amongst the crowd of 8 billion people, like, who the hell am I? What is this shit!? Lol. Everything about this is how my brain works and wonders about life and existence. This video has been so much fun so far, I'm half way through cosmic right now. I haven't felt this chilled out in a while, like I'm sat with a friend just enjoying music! Gonna learn that we love you riff on guitar though, their music is so fun on guitar 🎸

OMG,SHE IS SO FREAKING CUUUUUUUTE

Nothing like getting to see these songs live, If you get the chance you should go. Matt's voice was INCREDIBLE

Been saying there is a lot of Mr. Bungle all over this album and it's so awesome! G is maybe my favorite song on the album, Mattel is super close.

From all the reviews I have watched yours by far has been the most insightful, thanks for sharing your thoughts.

I must say i walked on this video thinking it was not gonna be good (not tryna be sexist at all) but because usually girls that react to metal don't really know shit and just do it for views, u were absolutely amazing! Above and beyond what I expected, hope to see more reactions of a7x from u.

The first song I think, at least in my eyes represents life flashing before someone's very eyes moments before taking their own life, hence it being so speedy and erratic. Thousands of pictures, melodies and memories all flooding your sanity at once.. Incredible!

This was such a cool and insightful video, I don't think it's the best album they've ever done but it's by far the most unique and interesting. This was a great dive into the album and its themes both lyrically and musically : )

every instrument is following what's the songs theme. like mattel guitar solo, syn's want to make his guitar sound like video games. it just my though, but that so insane!🔥 thank for these video, i love it! great job! and great breakdown too🤘🔥

When Matt said "when robot?" i felt that Jokes aside, I think I enjoy the G O D trilogy the most. It's admittedly taking me a while to get into this album, but now that I know what they were going for it's really grown on me!

This is such a good video. Thank you for bringing all of us with nobody to talk about the album with together.

How did I never make the connection of that Mattel vocal effect to Bad Guy? Nice callout! I love your breakdown of this album, and I'm only 10 minutes in!

This album very quickly became top three of their albums for me so in depth and it came at a time in my life where it resonated with me in every sense I love it and I loved this reaction it was awesome

I love your take on the music...not just the sonic parts, but the engineering parts. You rock!

There's so much I wanna say. ha. I love how they really gave Johnny free reign on this album. He really showcases his abilities. He needs more credit!

2:24 is like the calm before the storm, that's how I like to think of it anyways. This album is truly another masterpiece by a7x ❤

For anyone who has a VR headset it is a must to watch the We Love You video. The amount of work put into it alone is spectacular.

I love your input on the album as much as I love the album itself. The creation of this album is just extremely scary for listeners who are comfortable in their world. It's great that they have guitar solos and prog rhythm for your taste, but this is .... just amazing to hear a concept of truth.

i really enjoyed listening to your views on this album and it feels good to know there are still people existing who aren't so close minded especially on something as subjective as music, it just feels refreshing to hear someone like you who appreciates band like avenged sevenfold, band which requires you to respect their freedom of choice, creativity and musicianship, they have already done music that is for the audience only and they have done it perfectly because eventually they became massive band, at this point in their careers they just wanna make every desire they had in the past to come true and listening to this album made me sure that they enjoyed making every piece of this album

Jimmy would love the album.

Love your thoughts on this album. Finally someone who see’s music the way I do! 😌

Love this breakdown, makes me wanna do one of of my own for this album. I got to hear majority of the album live, it was bombastic and massive, when you do get to see them it is so damn worth it.

The (you walk on water but the water swallow you part), I believe is about EGO, the incredible thing that you did, is making you believe that you are better than other around you.

49:00 they might really be artificial drums to match the vibe of the voice and change of the tone of the song at the end going from real to robotic/fake. Love this album

20:55, he is actually tapping the notes!

Incredible video!! Love the way you’re giving facts about the song! Just a little correction Matt did not write Nobody on MDMA but on DMT (psychedelic)

Cosmic is my absolute favourite, first time a song has made me tear up :)

I hate the number of people who don't respect this album as an 'experience', it's subversive for all the right reasons imho

People usually traditionally go with shamans to do dmt/ Ayahuasca which has a certain chemical in it that brain breaking down you're naturally occurring DMT which totally makes sense as ive been there myself and the song really nails that experience very existentialism

Thank you so very much for your analysis. It is so refreshing to hear in detail why this album is a true work of art. Cheers!

I would love for you to do a reaction to some Avenged Sevenfold songs from the Nightmare album for example "Save Me" "Danger Line". Great video.

It's really nice to see someone who enjoys and knows this album as well as me. Nobody was seriously the song I listened to every day when I was traveling in Italy in May It's one of those songs that can bring you back to a certain point in time so you can relive the memories. Thanks, you are very cool and have a new subscriber :) \,,/

People that say it is not Avenged Sevenfold are Tripping hahaha Love the research you did for the album

Death might just be the best song they've ever written.

loved this! finally someone who's as passionate about this record as I am haha, really their best work to date i think :)

I did see a few reactions to this album, but its first time i see a reactor actually get that Nobody is inspired by the shamen experince Matt did have, also many reactors pass the story of Wes and the artwork done for album, so i was happy to see you included these facts. Cosmic is my favorite, its a song about 2 lovers that live through many lives as a pair, they die, and rejoin in the next life, so in the end where Matt sings there you´ll find me, thats all the diffrent charecters they lived, in diffrent lives. I do think Synester Gates did most of the piano work?? im not sure if he did all, but he did the end track right, Life is but a dream, and have been practicing some piano, that i know. Easier is actually a old demo A7X made, took up again and polisihed.. You cant really seperate any song from the GOD trilogy, G is this ashole god, that the (angels or humans) think is so chick, and like what he done to the place, and the song end with God pressing delete, and say when robot, then (Ordinary) kicks in, with the robot making this kind of love song to becoming more human, and control it all, and (Death) i link a lot to the end of of Nobody video, where the skeleton(soul) is leaping to a fall, so connecting this to that song yes. Also as Matt say himself, you can see it from 2 perspectives, is this a ego death exprience, or is this charecters really commiting suicide.. and that takes us back to think of first track once again..

Really good break down. Loved all of it.

Matt screamed in some previous albums too. He screamed in "The Stage" for a small line and "God Hates us" from Nightmare album. But how you said, whatever fits the song. I think Matt has been listening to Knocked Loose alot lately and wanted some screaming in this album lol 😅

I love this album. I've been listening to it nonstop since it came out. Fun fact the end of mattel is syn beat boxing :) great video!!

Amazing video! Watched it all the way through.

@1:11:28 i cant remember the interview matt did, but i do remember him saying way back in the self titled era that he didnt like the choice of auto tune in Lost. This album just goes to show how much more satisfied they are with their new directions and artistic views. I love you're analysis too

This is the definitive video for anyone wanting to know every small detail of this album and what to expect from it. A lot of people don’t understand that the album is meant to be experienced as a whole and in a world full of pumping out singles and moving onto the next thing, I’m very grateful for this album.

Holy shit this is about most badass review vid I seen , hmm not just on this hell of an album but it’d be fucking cool if more people did this and with other albums too

Ordinary is a Daft Punk tribute. This album is insane! Thanks for the review I really enjoyed it.

I love your insight of the album. Avenged Sevenfold has been my favorite band since highschool and I'm always nervous about new A7X music. I really liked this album but you've made me like it even more. Thank you.

I love how excited you are to talk about this album, I really love it too.

They definitely delivered on this album it's perfect this is one thing I like about this band they always try something different they evolved.

I highly suggest listening to Jamie Ford's remix of We Love You in A7X's old school style and he replicates that vibe they had back then perfectly, reminds me of a song that would be on City of Evil.

You're so right about IT IS Avenged Sevenfold. I'm like helloooo have you listened to City of Evil or Self Titled? They experimented a TON in those albums. People also have rose colored glasses. A lot of people hated CoE and Self Titled when they came out and look how they are revered today.

Brooks' ghost notes are so good. Ugh.

Great video! definitely hit that sub button. This Album grew on me so much to the point i play the entire album through and through every day. Been an Avenged sevenfold fan since i first heard their songs in COD zombies and ended up becoming a massive fan.

last time matt screamed was "god hates us" From Nightmare

I saw them at their first show for this NA tour and the show was perfect. Their setlist and performance were incredible.

Just a heads up the drug of choice was DMT(psychedelic) not MDMA(meth stimulant.) Him and Syn both enjoyed the shaman trip😮‍💨 Anyways, amazing video. Such an amazing and existential album!

Fun fact about Beautiful Morning; it was actually Lionel Richie who was supposed to do that psych-pop part of the song, not Stevie Wonder. Thought I'd help correct that info there! Love the video analysis of the album, such a great album ❤

Great video! I had a lot of the same points you talked about! Glad someone else caught them too :) Can't wait to see them in October 🤘

I think that dreams are referring to lifetimes and the lyrics “good night” refer to death or dying. When you fall into the good night you ultimately end up in another dream (lifetime) because your part of the cosmos of dreams which ultimately means your nothing more than a manifestation in a series of dreams going through the cycles of life until dying and have no control over it, which means you’re a nobody that lives in a fake setting under illusion of living a life. I tried, thanks.

I got to watch Aveneged Sevenfold Live, they performed SO well, and it was amazing. I got to hear the stage, Nobody, Roman Sky, Blinded in Chains, Save Me, Hail to the King, Shepherd of Fire, Mattel, Bat country, Nightmare, Unholy Confessions, We love you, and Game Over i cant remember if Game oVer was llayed for sure but i remember the rest clear as day. It was Indianapolis where i got to dee them live, with PIT TICKETS. I actually moshed for We love you, Shelherd of Fire, and Afterlife. It was amazing. The vocals were killer and on point, the playing was spot on and they had it tuned perfectly. And the whole crowd SANG EVERYONE not one person i think didnt sing at least once and it was so good. I cant praise their live performances any higher, it was THAT good, although their chocie for Tourinf partners was odd Poppy was straight up wierd, Sullivan king was cool but not on the level of Avenged Sevenfold.

19:40 brooks playing that song live is amazing. Didn't miss a beat

Some folks may or may not this but the song FICTION from nightmare was originally going to be called DEATH. I guess in a strange way the Rev will always be in the band.

Best album review on this album. Great job! Thanks

Well as they say, you have great taste! Dope review as well, I enjoyed all the tidbits about the album and your enthusiasm or love for music shows most def... ty,,, this album is a jam for me. Cosmic is truly a fave fs.

Lionel Richie was supposed to do the vocals for that section in beautiful mourning. Also I think on the album it is Matt but live it's probably syn

Awesome video. This album is a masterpiece imo. I get it if it's not for you, but that's how art works, it's not meant to be for everyone. You get it or you don't, no big deal, if this doesn't click with you there's bound to be something else that does so focus on that rather than trying to tear down something. Someone else probably mentioned this but it was Lionel Richie they wanted to sing the bridge in Beautiful Morning but he was busy with America's Got Talent.

The chorus riff from Nobody are tapped arpeggios. Syn just does it at absolute hyper speed

Jimmy would love this record and would be very proud of his legacy. Such a great analysis. I fear that non musos might not understand this. I recommend the earlier albums for them x

Cosmic is almost like a eulogy. Saw Queen's comment in the video saying "end of times?". I feel like it's the opposite... We've always been here, we'll always be here. Earlier in the lyrics Matt says something along the lines of death found us, but we'll see each other again.

blessings!

For the "Beautiful Morning" guest vocals, it was supposed to be Lionel Richie, but he was too busy with American Idol.

Ordinary reaction is all of us!😹👑❤️

Amazing analysis! Love that! I see A7x,i click, i subscribe! 👑

My belief is Cosmic is about someone dying, descending to hell then fighting your way out. And when that transition happens after the solo that’s when you escape hell and arrive to the gates of heaven. From there then it’s you seeing the holy kingdom for the first time then leading into you seeing and meeting friends and family again all the way to the end….idk that’s how I like to see it at least. But LOVED your reaction and breakdown, great job!:)

55:20 i would say this part of the song is more akin to the Beach Boys as opposed to The Beatles, but i 100% see the influence from both

First video of yours that I have watched, I fell in love with you 6+ minutes in. Thank you.

Great review, I understand this album as much as you do

One thing that I think is that due to Easier and Beautiful Morning getting leaked, they decided to make them into full fledged songs. I know Matt said that the demo I leaked was one of many versions out there, but I question whether or not the song would have seen the light of day had I not put it out.

Really good job! Enjoyed listening to your thoughts of the songs and I learned plenty of new stuff. And this album really is a masterpiece :)