Hail to the King

Hail to the King is the sixth album, on which Avenged Sevenfold pushed its respect for classic metal to the front. It is the only album with new drummer Arin Ilejay, produced, as with the previous record, by Mike Elizondo. Deliberately restraining virtuoso solos and complex development, it aims for weighty, simple mid-tempo songs recalling Metallica, Iron Maiden and Black Sabbath. Big choruses and dignified riffs run throughout. The lead single "Hail to the King" became a signature song with its stately riff, and "Shepherd of Fire" and "This Means War" also carry robust hooks. Lyrical songs like "Crimson Day" are placed too, keeping a balance of light and shade. Its homage to past heroes is strong, and choosing inheritance over originality drew mixed opinion, but it debuted at number one on the US Billboard 200. A powerful record that showed a new side of the band.