Daily Dischord’s Review Of Avenged Sevenfold’s Glasgow Show.

Avenged Sevenfold, however, offer a different proposition entirely. With the rear of the stage decked out like a graveyard entrance, complete with railings adorned with their logo and flame-throwing pillars, the emphasis has clearly shifted towards theatre as dry ice engulfs the stage ahead of the sonically-levelling opening strains of ‘Nightmare’. Yes, every visual trick they turn tonight was done to death in the 80s, but taken together with a remarkably proficient live performance, it’s still a pretty spectacular package. While it’s arguable that ‘Bat Country’ is a pretty drastic omission from the set, it’s a trite criticism of a setlist which heads back as far as Waking The Fallen for a brutal dose of ‘Unholy Confessions’, as well as delivering a fair amount of material from new album Nightmare, and a suitably diverse selection in between.
Invariably, the mid-point in the set is marked with a nod to former drummer Jimmy ‘The Rev’ Sullivan, whose tragic passing late last year at one point threw the future of A7X into question. The tribute paid tonight is fitting without being overblown, and the chants of his name that come in the wake of ‘So Far Away’ foster a real sense of unity amongst the assembled masses. With drum duties now handled by former Dream Theater sticksman Mike Portnoy, Avenged Sevenfold power through tonight’s set with the energy of a band that’s moved through an undeniably dark period and have emerged with their eyes turned firmly towards the future. While their particular brand of rock ‘n’ roll theatre might not be to everyone’s tastes, you’ll be hard pressed to find a more slickly-executed and utterly entertaining show anywhere. Dazzling stuff. 9/10