Avenged Sevenfold recently announced the title and cover art for their next album. Titled “Hail the King” is set to release on August 27, 2013. I know a lot of people have been waiting for new music from Avenged Sevenfold and you don’t have much longer to wait. This album with the first to featuring drummer Arin Ilejay who replaced the late, great Jimmy “The Rev” Sullivan died in 2009.
Amidst all the excitement about the new album, there has been quite a bit of controversy around the cover art in addition to the rehashed discussion on A7X similar logo to one of my favorite bands, Overkill. You can check out the similarities below for the logo. Personally, I don’t think Overkill was the first to ever use bat wings along with a skull, that pretty much is just another image or icon from the metal or rock world and many bands use them.
Now let’s bring up the cover art. The cover art has been compared to Lich King’s cover for “World Gone Dead”. They both have the crowned robed king with the fiery skies and the undead around them. Again, even though here I do see much more similarities I don’t think of it as ripping off or copying. I just think it is like when you come up with a great idea and you are all excited about it and you share it with someone and it turns out to be a blend of your own imagination and a Seinfeld episode. It is a bit of reality blended with your own imagination. I don’t think anyone intentionally set out to take the logo and change it up a bit and then call it their own. Lich King did address this on their Facebook page by showing a side by side comparison with the following post:
“A lot of people have been tipping us off to Avenged Sevenfold‘s new album cover and its similarities to our own World Gone Dead. Crowned, robed skeletal dude, army of the undead, hazy orange sky, lots of spears and lances and axes in the background.
Maybe it’s a rip-off, maybe it’s not. Maybe they got tired of people noticing that they were ripping off Overkill‘s mascot.
All I know is that what they SHOULD be stealing are our riffs.”
Here are the full cover arts from both albums:
Again I feel it just has a lot of iconic images that are popular in metal, i.e. axes, bats, skeletons, fire, crosses, etc. Honestly to me it actually looks like it be a new cover for a Ghost album.. It has brought up a lot of the usual cross fan fighting that has become so popular lately and truly is one of the negative things that the Internet has given us. The gift of haters, bullies, trolls, etc. It used to be when you had a band that you liked you expressed it, you shared it by playing their music, wearing their concert t shirts, and going to their shows. You didn’t have to show your love for that band by trolling on other bands’ pages to spew hate and negative crap. You just let people enjoy what they like! I guess this has become a way for fans to show their support for a band. I would much rather see them show their support by buying their music, going to their concerts and sharing the good things about their favorite bands. Anyway back to A7X.
I know one thing, I am excited for this album and I am looking forward to it! “Hail to the King” has been produced by Mike Elizondo and to celebrate their release, you can see Avenged Sevenfold for for free at the Palladium on August 26th in Los Angeles. Shortly after Avenged Sevenfold will be playing on September 15th at the Aftershock Festival in Sacramento, Ca. We will be at that event and will be bringing you interviews with the bands and much more. Stay tuned!
For now, check out the video teaser from Avenged Sevenfold for their new album:
~ Marisol
Information & Links:
- Website: www.avengedsevenfold.com
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/AvengedSevenfold
- Twitter: www.Twitter.com/theofficiala7x
- Youtube: www.youtube.com/avengedsevenfold
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/theofficiala7x
I’m with you. I’ll always let the Metal do the talking. The skeleton king on the A7X cover has demonic wings, where the Lich King skeleton king has none. Besides, how many countless Metal, Death Metal and especially Black Metal bands have used the upside down crucifix!
Hey, he’s right about the logo, Queensrythe used the same skull-bat earlier than Overkill. Plus I totally agree that the covers have nothing to do with each other, mainly because Lich King is such a poor new age thrash metal outfit, and has not been heard by a massive amount of people. Furthermore the major difference is the hue, skeletons vs zombies, and the fact that the A7X king is killing the horde and not leading them on to a castle for battle. Rant Over.
i feel as tho Lich King can go suck a dick, their riffs suck ass, Zachy and Syn dont need any help, the new album, reguardless of its supposed similarities to other bands albums, will still be fucking awesome, sorry some over jealous washout is upset over Sevenfolds success