{"id":561918,"date":"2026-08-07T15:44:10","date_gmt":"2026-08-07T15:44:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/561918\/"},"modified":"2026-08-07T15:44:10","modified_gmt":"2026-08-07T15:44:10","slug":"review-avenged-sevenfold-statica","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/561918\/","title":{"rendered":"Review: Avenged Sevenfold – Statica"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Published by Vince<\/a> on 2026\/08\/072026\/08\/07<\/p>\n

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Artwork by: Wes Lang<\/a><\/p>\n

Style: Industrial Rock, Electronic Rock, Electronica (Clean Vocals)
Recommended for fans of: Bring Me The Horizon, Motionless in White, Atreyu
Country: United States (California)
Release date: 23 July 2026<\/p>\n

Avenged Sevenfold are no strangers to alienating their fans. Despite elevating the band into the big leagues with radio hits \u201cBat Country\u201d and \u201cBeast and the Harlot\u201d, City of Evil courted oodles of hate from OG fans who decried M. Shadows\u2019 \u201cemo\u201d vocals and the distinct lack of the metalcore sound which had previously made them underground darlings. Further forays into country and Danny Elfman worship (\u201cDear God\u201d, \u201cA Little Piece of Heaven\u201d) on their self-titled release did even less to win back haters, while Hail to the King landed them plenty of ridicule for playing a tad too close to their inspirations. Yet, much like UK heavyweights Bring Me The Horizon, these California raisins have always\u2014for better or worse\u2014marched to the beat of their own drum. Personally, I\u2019ve been a fan of their pivot towards cosmic sci-fi-themed progressive metal, starting with 2016\u2019s The Stage and metastasizing further on 2023\u2019s Life Is But a Dream\u2026, which saw the band plunging headlong into surreal compositions, reckless genre-mixing, and a more pronounced cocooning of their real-world performances in an electronic sheen.<\/p>\n

All this is to say, when I heard their new EP, Statica, was an electronic record, I hardly (death)batted an eye. The writing had already been etching itself upon the wall, and last year\u2019s single, \u201cMagic\u201d was nothing short of confirmation. Take into account the band\u2019s more current focus on blockchain and NFTs<\/a>, and one can see how a shift into the digital realm of Statica comes to be. But, as I\u2019ve stated previously, I\u2019ll always champion artistic bravery over safe and staid execution. The big question, of course, is whether Avenged Sevenfold\u2019s new musical explorations continue to win me over. So grab your cyberdecks, plug in, and mind the black ice, chooms\u2014we\u2019re diving in.<\/p>\n

Let\u2019s start with the good: on the whole, the entirety of Statica\u2019s eighteen minutes are vastly more listenable than \u201cMagic\u201d. The VGM-inspired tone sounds at home with the band\u2019s electronic fixation, and despite cramming in a whole lot of bleeps, bloops, whirrs, and other textural hokum, there\u2019s still a focus on actual instrumentation\u2014though how much is synthesized and how much is the band actually performing, I couldn\u2019t say. The band understand how to write hooky moments still; the drumming on \u201cStatica\u201d creates an infectious rhythm that lends some gravitas to the punchy, if repetitive, synth and offers a solid roadway for the song to travel along. Likewise on \u201cRejoice\u201d and \u201cAshes\u201d. This is hardly close to the expressive kitwork Brooks Wackerman showcased on Life Is But a Dream\u2026, but there\u2019s at least some pulse to it. Guitarists Synyster Gates and Zacky Vengeance dredge up some decent riffs on \u201cRejoice\u201d, and they sketch some color throughout the album\u2019s background. However, the duo\u2019s trademark virtuosity and centering riffage is largely persona non grata here\u2014expected, perhaps, from an electronic album, but disappointing all the same.<\/p>\n

M. Shadows continues his effects-heavy vocal performance, sheathing his nasally cleans in robotic warbles and autotuned pitching. Considering the musical aims of the project, and the band\u2019s ongoing direction, this is hardly news, and the approach more or less meshes within the cybersea of synthesizers and heavily affected instrumentation to create a unified sonic template. Of course, \u201cworks\u201d doesn\u2019t automatically translate to \u201cenjoyable\u201d and while I\u2019d hesitate to label Statica a dumpster fire or the death knell elements of A7X\u2019s fanbase (and the Metal reactosphere) would make it out to be, this is not a project I would necessarily return to. Much like Bring Me The Horizon\u2019s 2019 EP Music To Listen To\u2026, Statica feels like a detour rather than a prolonged stay. At least, I can only hope so: part of Avenged Sevenfold\u2019s appeal lies in the creativity and strength of their instrumentation, especially as they\u2019ve spiralled further and further into the progressive metal arena with The Stage and LIBaD. And while I can applaud the band for sticking to their weird guns and continuing to make the music they want rather than what they think we want, Statica\u2019s sole interest feels tied to the \u201cshock\u201d of A7X releasing a strange electronica album, rather than any musical merit. There\u2019s nothing particularly standout in any of the EP\u2019s four tracks\u2014again, aside from some decent rhythm setting by Wackerman. It\u2019s otherwise very placid, very okay VGM worship ensorcelled by the band\u2019s ongoing acid-trip aesthetics.<\/p>\n

Avenged Sevenfold have done something few big mainstream \u201cgateway\u201d bands have: wield their clout to forge a path separate from expectations and fuelled entirely by their own desires. From scrappy metalcore to mainstream rock, heavy metal worship to spaced-out prog epics centered on virtual realities and AI\u2014not to mention leaving the system behind for creative independence\u2014the California quintet should stand as an example of what\u2019s possible just by following your whims. Granted, those whims don\u2019t always satisfy the rest of us, but that\u2019s okay. In fact, that\u2019s how it should be. While Statica is not representative of the experience I\u2019d like to have with Avenged Sevenfold moving forward, I appreciate they at least are continuing to try new things. Maybe next time, they\u2019ll try a little better, is all.<\/p>\n

Recommended tracks: Statica, Rejoice
You may also like: Four Stroke Baron<\/a>, Doodseskader<\/a>, Kaosis<\/a>
Final verdict: 4\/10<\/p>\n

Related links: Official Website<\/a> | Facebook<\/a> | Instagram<\/a><\/p>\n

Label: Independent<\/p>\n

Avenged Sevenfold is:
\u2013 M. Shadows (vocals)
\u2013 Zacky Vengeance (guitars)
\u2013 Synyster Gates (guitars)
\u2013 Johnny Christ (bass)
\u2013 Brooks Wackerman (drums)<\/p>\n

\n\tRelated\n<\/p>\n