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Nightmare Image
Metascore
62

Generally favorable reviews - based on 7 Critic Reviews What's this?

User Score
8.4

Universal acclaim- based on 133 Ratings

  • Summary: Following the unexpected death of drummer Jimmy Sullivan, the metal band's latest release is a reflection on death and despair that fits the menacing mood, which has shaped its sound over the years.
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  • Record Label: Warner Bros.
  • Genre(s): Emo, Pop/Rock, Alternative/Indie Rock, Post-Hardcore, Alternative Metal, Heavy Metal
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Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 3 out of 7
  2. Negative: 0 out of 7
  1. Kerrang!
    80
    Nightmare marks the point which the Huntington Beach crew put away childish things and became men. [24 Jul 2010, p.50]
  2. Nightmare is the group's best work yet. It's a sweeping, quasi-thematic epic whose nearly 67 minutes mixes punky abandon with prog-rock ambition and muscle with musicality.
  3. If there's criticism, it's that Nightmare still falls back on cliches, building with aggressive force to then rely on a safe melodic chorus. However, there's enough of a change to see A7X lash out beyond their core sound, making Nightmare their greatest achievement to date.
  4. Nightmare is a completely different offering; even though it still has highly questionable moments, it's obvious that a genuine effort was put in, and that's enough reason to listen.
  5. Luckily, the sound of the band remains unchanged, and as one of the best drummers in the business, Portnoy picks up the reigns and rides the Deathbat's double kick in complete synchronicity with Gates, Christ, and Vengeance.
  6. With imagery haunted by death and lyrical allusions to alienation and angst, Avenged Sevenfold's fifth full-length is almost impossible to appreciate unless you fit the prime demographic: tormented teenage boys.
  7. Avenged Sevenfold continues to sound like five different bands on every album, none of them particularly good.
Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 25 out of 29
  2. Negative: 1 out of 29
  1. Jun 21, 2012
    10
    Very good album. Totally awesome tribute to The Rev as well. These guys do still sound good, but it won't sound the same without The Rev inVery good album. Totally awesome tribute to The Rev as well. These guys do still sound good, but it won't sound the same without The Rev in there. This album had great music, as do all of the other A7X albums. Hope they can keep up the awesome work. A7X rocks! Expand
  2. Dec 9, 2015
    10
    Best album by this amazing band! The record contains great instrumental work, amazing agressive vocals and great dark atmosphere with bothBest album by this amazing band! The record contains great instrumental work, amazing agressive vocals and great dark atmosphere with both really hard and emotional content. The album is more heavy than self-titled, but still contains the classic sevenfold sound of guitar, which is more "heavy metal" than the guitar in Hail To The King. Expand
  3. Jan 11, 2011
    10
    Avenged Sevenfold did an amazing job making this album a tribute to Jimmy. There is so much emotion through each and every song. They evenAvenged Sevenfold did an amazing job making this album a tribute to Jimmy. There is so much emotion through each and every song. They even went back to play some heavy material, something that hasn't quite been done since Waking the Fallen. These guys are not afraid to be their true selves when it comes to their music, and I think that is what makes this band so great. If you are looking for an album to go on an emotional roller coaster trip, this would be the one to listen to. Expand
  4. Apr 11, 2012
    9
    This album is not just an Avenged Sevenfold album, it is an emotional acknowledgement of their former drummer Jimmy "The Rev" Sullivan. YouThis album is not just an Avenged Sevenfold album, it is an emotional acknowledgement of their former drummer Jimmy "The Rev" Sullivan. You must respect them for this, because even though some of the songs are not completely devoted to the drummer, the album is a respectable piece of work. Songs such as the title song, "Welcome To The Family", "Buried Alive", "Natural Born Killer", "Save Me", "Fiction", and "So Far Away" are tear jerking ballads to Jimmy. "Nightmare" is a return to the style of "City of Evil"'s songs, and "God Hates Us" is a return to their metal-core roots. Avenged Sevenfold is grieving , respect them for it. Expand
  5. Oct 21, 2010
    8
    Although it didn't beat City of Evil or Waking the Fallen in my opinion, Avenged came very close. Although the death of the Jimmy "The Rev"Although it didn't beat City of Evil or Waking the Fallen in my opinion, Avenged came very close. Although the death of the Jimmy "The Rev" Sullivan is tragic, that couldn't stop them. I know the Rev is proud. I hope they all knoww that. Expand
  6. Dec 3, 2011
    8
    It's a good album. The album have a return to metalcore with "God Hates Us" that remember that M. Shadows can still doing an amazing vocalIt's a good album. The album have a return to metalcore with "God Hates Us" that remember that M. Shadows can still doing an amazing vocal work. So Far Away is a really touching song, with a great solo by Gates. Natural Born Killer is a fantastic thrasher song, like the City of Evil songs. Fiction is a beautiful song and the last song writted by The Rev. And Save Me, I think that song is one of the better songs by Avenged Sevenfold. The song have a great bass drum work by Mike Portnoy, a emotional bridge by M. Shadows and the awesome ending too. Collapse
  7. Mar 30, 2011
    0
    All the songs on the album sound almost exactly the same!
    The problem appeared slightly in their fourth album but now its impossible not to
    All the songs on the album sound almost exactly the same!
    The problem appeared slightly in their fourth album but now its impossible not to notice in nightmare. This is mostly due to the guitars backing down once shadows starts to sing every line the same (daaaaah daaaaah daaaaaah daaaaah daaaaaaaaaaaaaah) while dropping down a note each time. Its just getting really old. I believe the band does not know where to go from this point.
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