Enis, Eli (May 13, 2022). "Avenged Sevenfold in Las Vegas: See Wild Photos of First Show in 5 Years". Revolver . Retrieved May 16, 2023. No matter what you may think you know about Life Is But a Dream, listening to it from start to finish creates a brand-new world for the listener — one that is far from devoid of chaos and conflict, but one that is clearly of incredible interest to Avenged Sevenfold. Now, with "Life Is But A Dream..." , the band have once again morphed. This time, they've released a collection of songs that bring together so many different sounds, it's almost overwhelming, from jazz to grunge to electronic to psychedelia. Perhaps the METALLICA comparisons will finally be put to rest with this one?

Ultratop.be – Avenged Sevenfold – Life Is but a Dream..." (in French). Hung Medien. Retrieved June 11, 2023. When reflecting on Life Is But A Dream… in all its spectacularly gutsy glory, perhaps Mike Shinoda says it best of all. Chatting with M. Shadows about the record and giving his assessment, the Linkin Park man recently told Avenged Sevenfold’s singer of the band’s non-conformist approach that it’s like a “splat”. Bear with him on this one – it’s a compliment, honest. Nobody was released as one of the lead ‘singles’ and it does stand up on its own. When listened too as part of the album, it fits so much better. The arc of the story of the album talks about our path towards the end. From the suicidal end of Game Over, through Mattel and Nobody, it is a bleak start but one that speaks of truth. Italiancharts.com – Avenged Sevenfold – Life Is but a Dream...". Hung Medien. Retrieved June 10, 2023.Over the past two years, frontman M. Shadows has hinted that the upcoming release will be the band’s most experimental and daring release to date. According to the singer, the album is also set to feature the unlikely influence of Kanye West. Avenged Sevenfold Completes Mixing Long-Awaited New Album". Blabbermouth.net. September 29, 2022 . Retrieved March 15, 2023. a b Simon K. (June 2, 2023). "Review: Avenged Sevenfold - Life Is But a Dream..." Sputnikmusic . Retrieved June 2, 2023. New Avenged Sevenfold album features music & lyrics written by The Rev". The Point. May 25, 2023 . Retrieved June 5, 2023.

AVENGED SEVENFOLD's next two albums, 2010's "Nightmare" and 2013's "Hail to the King", took them from underground status to revered, buoyed by chart-topping singles such as "Hail to the King", "Nightmare" and "Welcome to the Family". Then, AVENGED SEVENFOLD changed their sound yet again with 2016's surprise release, "The Stage", which introduced a prog edge to their meat-and-potatoes heavy metal sound. We’ve got this melody that we’ve sung our whole lives so even if people didn’t like it or get it, it was something that was emotionally cool to us. A thing we’ve all had as a group of friends.” That aside, there’s a deftness to AVENGED SEVENFOLD ’s musicality. They’ve been a successful unit since 1999 and pipped to be a generation’s METALLICA for a reason. The shred on display is undeniable and we aren’t going to dispute that. When set against the contrasting flutes and violins of the mid-section, we hear what the band is trying to do. “ I don’t belong here ” could refer to the mundanity of life this song surrounds, or AVENGED SEVENFOLD’ s standpoint of wanting to transcend genres. It’s also very funny in places. One of many knowing winks on the album, Game Over contains the lyric, ‘ The bestest part of waking up.’I actually think there are people who put us in [the make-up and duelling guitars] box that don’t like that box who would love this record, that are not gonna give it a chance,” Shadows says. “And there’s a bunch of people that love Avenged Sevenfold that just want the old stuff. And that’s the risk you run, but what are you gonna do?! ( Laughs) You’re gonna go write that stuff again? Or go beg these other people to listen? There’s nothing to do. Running into (O)rdinary , titular God has pushed the red button and erased the human race, leaving a solitary robot behind. On a bed of funk guitars this robot begs to become sentient and asks “ will you give me my own soul ”. This shouldn’t and doesn’t work. Questioning what it means to exist against the bounce and two-step of funk confuses the song and us. Though not more than the ominous swell which opens into (D)eath ’s classical violins reminiscent of a Charlie Chaplin movie. Shadows ’ attempt at crooning speaks to the mundanity of waking hours against the grandiosity of dreams, either living or on the cusp of death.