Avenged Sevenfold at the Vibrant Arena at the MARK -- March 18.
Monday, March 18, 6:30 p.m.
Vibrant Arena at the MARK, 1201 River Dive, Moline IL
Touring in support of 2023's Life Is But a Dream ... – an album in which, as stated by Classic Rock, the musicians have “transcended their metal peers for good” and “created their definitive artistic statement" – Avenged Sevenfold headlines a March 18 concert event at Moline's Vibrant Arena at the MARK, the band's latest also inspiring Karrang! to rave that the hard rockers "haven't just made an album that's more out-there than any they've put their name to before – they've delivered a set of songs that are simply far more fun."
Formed in 1999, Avenged Sevenfold's current lineup consists of vocalist M. Shadows, rhythm guitarist Zacky Vengeance, lead guitarist Synyster Gates, bassist Johnny Christ, and drummer Brooks Wackerman, and the group is revered for their diverse rock sound and dramatic imagery in album covers and merchandise. The band emerged with a metalcore sound on their debut album Sounding the Seventh Trumpet and largely continued this sound through their second album Waking the Fallen. However, the Avenged Sevenfold style had evolved by their third album and first major-label release, City of Evil, into a more traditional heavy metal style. Yet the musicians continued to explore new sounds with Avenged Sevenfold's self-titled release and enjoyed continued mainstream success before their founding drummer, Jimmy "The Rev" Sullivan, passed away in 2009. Despite his death, Avenged Sevenfold continued on with the help of ex-Dream Theater member Mike Portnoy, and released and toured in support of their fifth album Nightmare in 2010, which debuted atop the Billboard 200, making the recording their first number-one debut.
In 2011, Arin Ilejay joined the band on tours and recording, with the group's sixth studio album, 2013's Hail to the King, marking the only Avenged Sevenfold album to feature the drummer. Boasting a heavy metal and hard rock style and composed as a tribute to their influences. Hail to the King charted as number one on the Billboard 200 and the U.K. Albums chart. Following Ilejay's replacement by former Bad Religion drummer Brooks Wackerman, the band then surprise-released their seventh studio album The Stage in October of 2016, which debuted as number four on the Billboard 200 chart. The Stage is Avenged Sevenfold's first conceptual album and marked another stylistic change for the band, moving toward a progressive metal sound, with the highly experimental Life Is But a Dream ... debuting last June
To date, Avenged Sevenfold have released these eight studio albums, one live album/DVD, two compilation albums, and 18 singles and have sold in excess of 8 million albums worldwide. Their records have also received numerous certification awards, including five platinum-album awards from the RIAA, and the artists have also created four original songs for the Call of Duty: Black Ops series, all of which were compiled together in the 2018 EP Black Reign. Avenged Sevenfold was also ranked on Loudwire's list of Top 50 Metal Bands of All Time.
Avenged Sevenfold bring their "Life Is But a Dream ... North American Tour Pt. 3" to the Moline amphitheater on March 18 alongside special guests Poppy and Sullivan King, admission to the 6:30 p.m. concert event is $39.95-129.95, and tickets are available by calling (800)745-3000 and visiting VibrantArena.com.
