M. Shadows of Avenged Sevenfold recently turned a few heads with his comment that the band’s forthcoming album is “very influenced by Kanye West.”
Speaking recently to Metal Hammer, Shadows said:
“We’re very influenced by Kanye West… The thing about Kanye is that he is pulling from such great soul music. I didn’t grow up with that stuff — my dad listened to Boston and Alice Cooper, I didn’t get that taste of black music and old soul. So, diving deep into jazz musicians… we’re not trying to do a jazz record, but the chord changes and progressions are so eye-opening to us.
“In January, we’re going in to finish the strings on the record… The record’s been recorded for a year, but we haven’t been able to put the real strings on it, because we couldn’t fly out to Prague. When an orchestra have to social distance and they aren’t sitting next to each other, they can get out of tune, and we have just finally got to a place where we can use this 70-piece orchestra as we intended. We finish the record in February, mix it in March.”
Now, in a reinforcement of that Kanye admiration and influence, Avenged Sevenfold guitarist Synyster Gates posted this on Instagram:
“Yo Family! This months #AOTM [album of the month] is very special to me because I believe that you will learn so much from it. ‘My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy’ by the eccentric @kanyewest is a clinic on songwriting, arrangement, dynamic, the eclectic, performance, and mixing.
I don’t expect all of you to be thrilled about this rec but this album and this artist has elongated my bands career by inspiring us to create when it felt like we had no more to say.
Today, what compels me to write music and play the guitar, is when I hear someone make music sound like nothing I’ve ever heard before. And to do it with master craftsmanship is the icing. Kanye delivers on all fronts with this heavy hitter.”
View this post on Instagram
Expanding further on their forum, Syn said:
“I have to be honest, hearing someone shred or play a rad riff on the guitar no longer inspires me to pick up mine. Over the last decade I have made it my life’s work to go through the YouTube rabbit hole to source new techniques, equipment, and beyond. I’ve done this to help create the world’s greatest guitar school. I also use these techniques and tricks in solos and I feel that it gives me an edge so, win win.
So I spent a lot of time in deliberation with @Jamie London trying to decide between this one and his album Ye. If you are inspired by this first record, please check out Ye. It might not be his best album ever but Ghost Town is my fav track he’s ever written and the dynamic throughout the entire record is like nothing I’ve ever witnessed.”
Welp, it’s incredibly safe to say that the Avenged Sevenfold gents REALLY like Kanye West. Will this make for some great music? Guess we shall soon find out.
***
Words by: The Pit Staff
Read next:
Avenged Sevenfold’s M. Shadows Says Their New Album Is “Very Influenced by Kanye West”
