Avenged Sevenfold - Nightmare (pianist reacts to metal head friend’s suggestion)

[@gashix]

The guy on the left sitting with headphones vibing on the music looks like Ben Affleck's Batman waiting for his next task from the Justice League lol

[@BattleBean762]

Also, the song "Exist" on their album "The Stage" is a 16-minute song that is 80% instrumental and represents the big bang. HIGHLY recommend that one, especially if he likes the guitar work. AND Life is But a Dream, the title track of the same album is all piano and is stunning. His voice really calms down in the later albums, give them a go!!!

[@mikaelakerfeldt27]

instead of Waking the fallen, please consider Exist richard. Love your picks, keep going.

[@iamdondawson]

Exist, and then Cosmic :)

[@MortonCammar]

A lot of people have a problem with matt's vocals, I don't understand it I absolutely love them. But I recognise that lots of people dislike his vocals, so fair enough. Can never go wrong with Synyster's playing, he is an amazing guitar player. Great reaction, I love your incite into this song and you clearly have great musical understanding.

[@deadhead_01]

Honestly i think a huge portion of Matt’s vocal issues come from production. He seems way too out front and needs to be pushed further into the mix to blend him with the band better. This is entirely just my opinion, but seems to be the primary issue for me.

[@leomahmet7555]

It's really hard to love a badly mixed and mastered falsetto, Matt broke his throat singing more than once and that really shaped his voice we hear on each album... Its not for everyone but it is absolutely beautiful because music isn't about perfection first but about soul and emotion.

[@Naturalvelocity]

I think he'd have the most fun with "Save Me" from this same record. It's their most beautiful and complex composition with deep layering. It's also their epic send off of the last song they worked on with The Rev's final ideas. It's not as well known, but it is, in my opinion, their finest work. Dense af- Judson could spend hours dissecting this beautiful monster.

[@alyssahudson1743]

I agree 100 hundred percent with out a doubt the best song they ever did

[@PedrovskiTV]

Also a fantastic mix of The Rev's and Mike Portnoy's drumming.

[@Spot-t]

As an a7x fan, and a human, I approve

[@Holster13]

Yes, please

[@shoesr21]

he might enjoy I won't see you tonight, for the piano work

[@Spot-t]

Seeing so many A7X fans like myself nerd out in these comments and appreciate you guys makes me happy. Love all around people.

[@rahbeat9785]

'A Little Piece of Heaven' would be cool

[@bernata5494]

Yes please. Avenged's best song

[@IROCZSPEED]

They are ready for it!

[@David-dd2fs]

Nooooo, it'll turn them off of a7x and they won't listen to them anymore

[@nanakixd7436]

if this is a +1 to you guys reacting: my first time actually taking piano lessons with a teacher, I showed him that song A little piece of heaven, and he asked me "do you wanna play this?" he said he really liked the song, and this is what we were gonna start with. I spent the rest of the year studying that one song. I feel like the guy in this video would actually like that one, it's so harmonically rich

[@st.boanerges]

AGREE

[@sproutpits]

Excited that you covered this one. "Bat Country" might be worth it, too.

[@lizardkingof1968]

Judson, I have to say that your arrangements are beautiful.

[@rebelmetal4233]

Damn Judson. Great song.

[@josephchavis3905]

So crazy cool fact the studio version the rev recorded his drums first which he never did and victim I belive and fiction he does raw backing vocals. But it was his last recorded album.

[@alexandrerheaume]

I just can't get enough of this chanel...spend hours watching judson's reaction

[@toreetotz6661]

It's a crime not to have him listen to Save Me, Exist, and Cosmic. Yes ... an actual crime.

[@mattwood1814]

You guys are becoming my favourite very quickly. Much love from Australia!! Parkway Drive please??

[@vdi419]

I love M Shadows' voice but I can see why some wouldn't

[@casteliero]

And I 100% get what Judson is saying about those words and how they sound. Been pondering with same topic every now and then. And can’t really listen many songs on my native language, cause I will get the lyrics instantly and then most songs just sounds cheesy and ruins the whole song. But in English, I get the words, but not whole meaning instantly and then those words becomes more like instrument. How they are singed, pronounciation and so on. Much more enjoyable that way music wise.

[@ShounenN]

Loved the reaction and loved Judsons interpretation in the end guys! -A7X is one of my favorite bands ever and I can say as well that I really dislike this song, very generic by their standards.. Save me next please!!! Godly song. In my opinion, one of the greatest metal songs ever.. (Would also recommend Sidewinder after that one)

[@robertalp3878]

Loved the reaction and your thoughts-without fear or favour! 👍

[@ExtremeMonke]

I would love to see what you guys think of the stage, which was their 2016 album. It's very different from this song and In my opinion their best work. Any song off the album would be great.

[@SuperDoomspoon]

Mike Portney of Dream Theatre fame finished the Album on Drums…the Rev recorded some Drum and Vocal tracks before passing…Save Me and Fiction,The Rev is on the Actual track!👍🤟

[@Rodrigo_Holanda]

since you're wearing the shirt, i would like Judson to hear "Apparition".

[@AnthonyTrejo-lo3cz]

Although i love everything about the band myself i love to see people giving their honest thoughts and opinions, unlike other reactors who will just say whatever will make the fanbase that recommended the song happy.

[@MichaelDavis-si9bv]

I love the instrumentals of A7X and I don't mind the vocals not being perfect. The band wouldn't be who they are without their lead singer so I am grateful for all the bros on the band. \m/

[@Kickenwing13]

Love it. This got into the genre of them that kind of started losing me but I can openly admit that might just be because they got really popular about that time or a little before. Now, Trivium 'Shadow of the abattoir' Merry Christmas

[@puppetmaster8551]

HTTK is the only album of theirs that’s not very good, nightmare was really big but it still had incredible non radio songs like save me or god hates us etc, HTTK tho was pretty bland for them and very radio friendly? Did you not like the stage? That album was a massive bounce back for them and is a fantastic prog metal album, seems with that album they pretty much stopped giving a shit about their music having super widespread mainstream appeal

[@michaelpage4242]

You’ve gotta do something off their new album. Matt’s vocals have gotten so much better over the years

[@brunosantos1730]

My favorite band ever!

[@manoi8]

Interesting that on the first listen a lot of people don't like his voice, but some also just instantly love it the first time I'm somewhat in the middle, as it really doesn't matter at first and his voice grows on me. Probably because I don't understand english as much as a teenager

[@chrislaudermilt7286]

Unholy Confessions would be a good one. That’s where my guitar obsession started lol

[@rebelmetal4233]

Save Me...that's the song the piano player would like from A7X

[@3ddietroy]

Gota show him “The Stage”

[@DM-of7ys]

Save me would probably be up his alley

[@mike2590rrr]

I've loved A7x since Waking the Fallen was released and will continue to do so, however, the reaction Judson gives at 4:07 matches how I feel about that particular tone that Shadows uses. I hate to use the word "whiney", but it seemed like he was using it more and more after he had surgery done sometime between Waking the Fallen & City of Evil (iirc). Not a fan of that aspect, but love mostly everything they've done. Glad to see you're swinging back to Fallen and have Save Me in the works. That should be an epic reaction from Judson with all that song has in it. Thanks for the video! Thinking about it for a second, I get were it comes from, Axl Rose seems to do it in a lot of live videos I've seen and GNR is a big A7x influence, so that is probably it. Either way, not a fan of that bit of A7x. End rant.

[@deminybs]

🎶🥰🤟 with the vocals i feel the same about dream theatre as y'all do about avenged lol

[@travisyoder5169]

Recently found your channel and love what you guys are doing! Hopefully you get into some really heavy stuff like Humanity’s Last Breath, that would be fun to see Judson’s reaction 😂

[@Greatmeasures]

Welcome aboard! We’re going to sprinkle in some heavier stuff as we go along.

[@IROCZSPEED]

A7X A Little Piece of Heaven would be the craziest darkest video you could ever react to! Hide the children!

[@77Samuel75]

Hope y'all had a Merry Christmas!

[@Greatmeasures]

We did! Same to you!

[@77Samuel75]

@@Greatmeasures TY!

[@forafewpossumsmore]

Ton's of great picks from Waking the Fallen. I think Judson might like the weird song structures in the City of Evil record too.

[@billbrasky1288]

Im a casual fan of Avenged Sevenfold. I can rock out to them. The lead singer’s voice never bothered me at all.

[@darvoid66]

I love you guys SO much. I look forward to every new video even if I don't love some of the screaming monster music that happens once in a while. I just love your friendship and Judson's input on the songs. Purely phonaesthetically beautiful is what Tolkien said about cellar door.

[@Greatmeasures]

Thank you

[@TroyBoyleAtheistAdvocate]

I've been an A7X fan since Waking the Fallen also, and I've had the same problem with Matt's vocals all this time. You want him to "pick a lane" but he's such a fan of Axl Rose that HE thinks he has to have 5 voices/treatments/characters in every song. There's probably some Mike Patton influence in there, too. He has TWO great tones - his "Seize the Day" pop voice, and his Graham Bonnet-like harsh vocals. If he would stick to those two, they'd be legends. It's when he mixes in those nasal attacks and poor growls and falsetto that he goes off the rails. I still love A7X. Hahaha.

[@SteveCoronado2]

😂😂😂I think you broke Richard 😂😂😂

[@oscarbariteau8488]

A7X !!!!!!!!!!!

[@AffossumTv]

At 5:54 they switched up into a waltz did he notice that?

[@tlnr2f]

Do "I won't See You Tonight" next! :)

[@kimeriksson7166]

I totaly agree with you guys on the sound of his voice. I would like to see a reaction on judas priest Reckless from album turbo 30.

[@mattwalsh6367]

In truth- Shadows has been clearly influenced by Hetfield- I would say that fallen and city would be his best work vocally - musically for this song I would agree the guitar playing is top notch- as is the drumming (being a Portnoy fan)

[@TrevIEnt]

As an ex-mega-fan of Avenged Sevenfold, there's certainly a lot of songs by them that are hard to leave behind and there are certainly many that are easy to forget. I love that you guys were honest with your criticism; I agree with everything you guys feel today. I eventually started listening to a lot more progressive music, jazz, the "modern wave of metal" (ie. Polaris, Periphery, Polyphia back in '13, TesseracT, etc.), so any time I revisit Avenged Sevenfold, I can only do so for so long before I'm like "yeah, that's enough of that" haha

[@mattblatchley2061]

ex? what did they do?

[@TrevIEnt]

@@mattblatchley2061 Nothing. I just found a whole world of new music, dove in head-first and when I swam back to shore, I didn't really like Avenged anymore. Strange, how our interests can change.

[@mattblatchley2061]

good point! I think I am recently pretty new to A7X so I am refreshed by the novelty...@@TrevIEnt

[@stevenscharmer1765]

You might like a lot of their newest album. It's very progressive, even a bit jazz fusion-like in a couple songs.

[@TrevIEnt]

@@stevenscharmer1765 It's not bad work, but nah. Don't care too much for it.

[@schlumpf12]

You have to Show him Breakdown of Sanity🫡

[@7Kithara]

I agree with most of the sentiments about the vocals. Desecrate through Reverence, I won't see you tonight part 1, and 2 would all be great songs from Waking the Fallen.

[@Will-sg1qq]

would love to see both of you react to jared dines biggest shred collab of 2023, he gets all of the best guitar players to make one big video of virtuosic goodness highly recommend, also love the vids its nice getting a classical musicians thought on more extreme genres

[@snitchex5087]

apart from what you have in mind for next avenged sevenfold reaction i think it would be interesting for Jutson to react to: bat country, the wicked end, save me (sorry if name is wrong, i am european, can not spell that name since it's my first time hearing that name)

[@Tyler_Cussen]

"So Far Away" or "Dead God" next from A7X

[@jerryflick7187]

Lots of Axl influence/ style vocals and he did take lessons from Axl.

[@kylewelsh_krossdesu7700]

I know what you mean. Avenged Sevenfold was huge when I was in middle school (2004-2007) and all my friends loved them. I could never get into them though, specifically because I didn't like the vocal style. I still find it odd but there are a few tracks I eventually came across that I love, and they kinda helped me get over it. Megadeth was like that for me at first too. I've listened to all of their albums more times than I can count now, but it took years to get into them because the vocals put me off.

[@BarrackObamna]

This is how I am with most metal. I love the instrumentals, but hate screaming. So A7x isn’t the hardest to listen to but a lot of new shit I literally look for vocal-less tracks because the vocals have always irked me and most of it sounds like shit. I’d rather hear a shitty voice actually sing in their style than hear “REEEEEEEEEGHGHHGH BLRUGHHHHJHHHHHHHHHHHJHHHHHHHHH REREE GHGHHHHHHHRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR”

[@bradr9903]

I like this song. Whole album actually. Didnt Portnoy fill in on drums for this one? I thought i remembered hearing that, but its been awhile....haha. Rock on' gentlemen! \m/

[@nim4464]

yea he's on this

[@joshlansdown2810]

Love it 🤘 A Little Piece of Heaven is definitely a masterpiece worth reacting to, Fiction is a really good one too. Then Almost Easy, St. James, Critical Acclaim, Afterlife all great ones. There are many more!

[@infosecdefender]

he sounds like Jason from True Blood

[@jamesfarganne528]

Bon Jovi on bath salts.

[@alexisgordon5456]

I wonder if he would like some Termina

[@joshmorris9908]

I never got in to them

[@kelseyoakes803]

You should check out the song Fiction, it was the last song that The Rev wrote before he passed away

[@egilskronbergs9846]

Avenged sevenfold save me

[@dew2334]

I think you guys should react to Avenged Sevenfold “Cosmic” off their new album life is but a dream . Great reaction 🔥🙏

[@neypascoalbeer]

React 'Save Me' and 'Acid Rain' too!! Please!!!

[@casteliero]

This is what we call frat house metal. Kinda soft and clean, bit douchy. It’s like to metal what Nickelback is for rock. Very consumer and radio friendly stuff.

[@connorfoley6185]

Found the judgmental metal snob

[@Clamster555]

You're thinking of their entire Hail to the King album....

[@casteliero]

@@connorfoley6185 didn’t say it was bad. If you like it, go for it, no judgement here. That’s just one mans opinion, you can have yours. We’re free like that, you know

[@connorfoley6185]

@@casteliero lol I don’t even like avenged sevenfold but calling it douchy frat metal and comparing it to nickleback is pretty judgemental if you ask me

[@casteliero]

@@connorfoley6185 yeah, but it still is an opinion, not a fact.

[@craiglindecamp9589]

Would love to hear react to early A7X, chapter four or unholy confessions

[@artursspade7429]

I'd like to suggest "The Faceless - Autotheism Movement III: The Deconsecrate" video.

[@robertalp3878]

After the untimely death of The Rev for me they lost their ‘magic’ 😢

[@-Kailinn-]

My friend was really into A7X a long time ago and he introduced me to their music. I felt exactly the same, love the sounds, but sometimes the vocals can be grating. He does a lot of seemingly intentionally nasally stuff that's pretty annoying. At other times I quite like his voice, and I wouldn't want him to be replaced in that band because he is that band. I like his voice in So Far Away for example.

[@stenjk]

Soon: 2 metalhead reaction:D PS: don't forget the reaction to the mastodon

[@Greatmeasures]

I won’t. We’re making our way down the list. 🤘

[@user-yd7ug3jb4t]

Please play Avenged Sevenfold's "A Little Piece of Heaven". It's a fantastic... Little piece of musical art. ;)

[@blade5597]

Are you guys planning to react to Spawn of Possession's 'Apparition' someday? 🤘

[@Greatmeasures]

Absolutely!

[@brunoarchanjo9728]

Hey guys, how i can suggest some songs for ya?? There's some from "yes" and from "Andre Matos" that wouod be really nice to listen with you. ^^ BR here

[@513SBF]

Show him Bat Country or at least something off of the city of evil album like sidewinder

[@ronaldschenderlein2135]

Whats up guys! Spawn of Posession, one of the tech death I like! Not a big Avenged fan but they have some good songs I like. JAGUAR GOD - MASTODON PLEASE...........

[@BattleBean762]

please do anything from their albums, "The Stage" or "Life is But a Dream"

[@soakedbearrd]

That’s the thing about av7x, m shadows vocals are very hot or miss. On one song he’s meant to sing in it, and in another song he doesn’t fit. It’s like a weird love hate thing for me.

[@bumblefluff79]

It's probably the ever present grunger in me but I prefer my music to come from a place of passion and integrity. Don't know what tests I'd use to evidence the presence of that stuff, but this just doesn't feel like art to me. Can't knock all the individual elements, it just feels like a clinical tick box exercise in how to write a radio friendly hard rock song that appeals to a big enough demographic for them to get rich. More power to them because it clearly works!

[@Greatmeasures]

I respect the hell out of them being able to stick to the formula that they found. Not everyone can pull it off

[@bumblefluff79]

​@Greatmeasures1 Realised my issue with them is the same I have with Linkin Park. Think I'm just an old fart!

[@SuperDoomspoon]

You should have Judson listen to Dade Bryant on KZbin…he has several Piano covers of A7X!👍🤟

[@yarv884]

mr bungle please

[@GabrielNobre021]

André Matos Fairy Tale, pleaseee

[@darksparda07]

Try to react to the Avenged Sevenfold Afterlive lyrics version.

[@mattblatchley2061]

M. Shadows has a different voice...but that's kinda the point of listening to a different group...I'm glad he doesn't sound like Robert Plant...cuz Robert Plant already does...

[@The_KlaVra]

Please for the love of everything saint and holy make him react to A Little Piece of Heaven, his mind will break.

[@puppetmaster8551]

As others have said you’ve absolutely got to have him do “save me” and “the stage”, save me is considered by a lot of fans as their magnum opus and the stage is just an incredible song, I think he’d appreciate those 2 more than stuff like HTTK or nightmare even tho nightmare is still a good song

[@The_Billzebub]

I love the hate for Avenged. They’ve always been my favorite band

[@brandon78835]

Same. I respect the criticisms and all but when I read them, it's obvious to me that people don't really digest their music properly so certain elements seem random or gimmicky. Watch dicodecs breakdowns and he explains them well

[@dudee499]

Giving this video a like only because of Mike Portnoy

[@guylaub8505]

Glad you said you'll return to Waking the Fallen, its their best album by far in my opinion and it is highly underrated by newer fans of the band. The Self Titled album is also pretty good. The rest of the albums are kinda mehh with the occasional good song.

[@ShounenN]

Objectively not even close, The stage would be probably their magnum opus. For me personally The Stage, Self Titled and LIBAD are their best. I respect your opinion totally tho.

[@Greatmeasures]

Waking the Fallen was a gateway for me into so many other bands. It will always be special to me. I love that different albums mean so much to different people. It’s probably my favorite thing about reading everyone’s comments. There’s rarely any insults or name calling, just open dialogue and I’m here for it. 🤘

[@ShounenN]

That's what music is all about man, sharing the love, knowledge, thoughts and ideas. Everyone is totally entitled to their respected opinion and that is fine and how the world should work. - I'd love to get you guys hooked on A7X because you listened to not really great things from them imo, so I am really anticipating next reactions haha (I'd recommend next Save me, or Sidewinder to really spice it up) Freaking loving your videos guys, it provides such relief during work hours honestly, love your insight into the musical world. @Greatmeasures1 ❤

[@Greatmeasures]

@@ShounenN Well said. I’m going to designate you the title of our resident A7x expert. If you say “Save Me” should be next after one from Waking the Fallen, then that’s what we’ll do. Sound good?

[@ShounenN]

@@GreatmeasuresNo need for that haha I'd love everyone's input to be equal 😅 (Also Save me is not from Waking the Fallen album, it is actually the same album as this one, Sidewinder is from City of Evil) Later on I will recommend some amazing songs from The Stage. Pretty cool that you reply to comments and engage in conversations, we need more of this on youtube these days..

[@valhallaschosen709]

Sabaton-1916

[@WhereIsPancakesHouse]

I don’t think this song gets its due. It’s a brilliant tune - music, lyrics, production.

[@yodaphobic96]

Not being a fan of Matt’s vocals is insane

[@Bogeyman19DidNotScareMyAss]

His “as your nightmare comes to life” part sounds like a direct rip off of Axl rose and it’s awful. Parts are good. Parts are real bad.

[@Matias_colman]

Pls react to Zenith - Ghost

[@brandon78835]

Ironically, their less popular songs are better musically. Also anything from city of evil or the stage has plenty of interesting compositions

[@TheBlindGuardian20]

He literally sounds nothing like James Hetfield at all

[@majurbludd]

I would of picked something off the "white" self titled album first. Nightmare can be cringe.

[@thetrentmeister]

This band has never done it for me. Cheesy as it can be. I look forward to Judson’s reaction.

[@rahbeat9785]

Same, i was never a 'fan' of them really. but i do enjoy Bat Country/ Beast and the Harlot and a couple of other early tracks

[@torekommode]

Have you checked out their latest? None-cheesy imo.

[@chlaco2005]

@@torekommode i love the band but their new album is trash

[@thetrentmeister]

@@torekommode I’ll check it out. I agree with the lads on this reaction. Gates and Portnoy are great here, but the singing is not to my taste.

[@torekommode]

@@chlaco2005 I have never liked them, until this album. :D

[@TheLevrion]

Day 3 of asking for Clowncore - hell

[@Jelado-xo9iy]

Afterlife will be more interesting

[@colui_5392]

Do exist

[@foxbodyjosh8737]

A little piece of heaven next!

[@syntezjaofficial4240]

For me that's worst M Shadows performance. Other songs like God Hates Us, Save Me or So Far Away have much better vocals.