The Stage
by Avenged Sevenfold
  • Record Label: Capitol
  • Release Date: Oct 28, 2016
Metascore
74

Generally favorable reviews - based on 9 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 6 out of 9
  2. Mixed: 3 out of 9
  3. Negative: 0 out of 9
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  1. Alternative Press
    Nov 22, 2016
    90
    What they did do was stick to their guns. And as the old guard of arena-filling hard rockers begin to diminish (physically, artistically), it’s good to know there’s someone dedicated to keeping the bar high.
  2. New Musical Express (NME)
    Dec 9, 2016
    80
    It’s evident the band have begun a new chapter where they appreciate rather than become their influences. They’ve truly 
arrived.
  3. The Guardian
    Dec 8, 2016
    80
    They have blown the creative doors off, cramming an insane amount of ideas into 74 minutes of prog-metal bombast. Their knack for a chorus is as apparent on the shorter, sharper likes of Paradigm and God Damn, but it’s the outrageous opulence of towering ballads Higher and Roman Sky, and the overblown, starry-eyed Muse-ings of 16-minute closer Exist, that make this such a satisfying forward leap.
  5. Kerrang!
    Nov 22, 2016
    80
    A grandiose and ambitious album. [5 Nov 2016, p.50]
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  6. Classic Rock Magazine
    Nov 22, 2016
    80
    Avenged Sevenfold have lost any previous limitations and inhibitions, and they’ve crafted a landmark metal album.
  7. AllMusic
    Nov 22, 2016
    70
    Stage is more Operation: Mindcrime-era Queensrÿche than it is Muse, and for all its opining on nanotechnology and interstellar travel, it still feels rooted in heavy metal tradition.
  8. Q Magazine
    Dec 13, 2016
    60
    Even if Avenged Sevenfold are guilty of occasionally overreaching in places here, it's undoubtedly made them more interesting. [Feb 2017, p.117]
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  9. PopMatters
    Dec 1, 2016
    50
    Despite being a concept album, The Stage doesn’t break much new ground for Avenged Sevenfold. They sound like the same band doing pretty much the same thing.
  10. Exclaim
    Nov 22, 2016
    50
    Though Hail to the King failed to live up to the royal expectations of its titular disguise, The Stage's grandiosity smells of overcompensation; Avenged Sevenfold's crown lies somewhere in between.

Awards & Rankings

78
#78 Most Discussed Album of 2016

User Reviews

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User Score
8.7

Universal acclaim- based on 77 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 68 out of 77
  2. Mixed: 6 out of 77
  3. Negative: 3 out of 77
  1. Xevon
    Jan 18, 2017
    6
    The Stage is an album that flips flops between good ideas and bad ones, ultimately crafting an uneven record with few consistently great songsThe Stage is an album that flips flops between good ideas and bad ones, ultimately crafting an uneven record with few consistently great songs and much tedium between the genuinely good bits. It's almost as if the album forgoes it's opportunity to be 'catchy' and deliberately goes in the opposite direction to prevent it. It's not to say that The Stage is a bad album, but perhaps distressingly middling for a band of this calibre. Even some of the albums highlight tracks such as 'God Damn' fail to reach the level of songwriting proficiency to be found on recent albums like Nightmare - The Stage seems too preoccupied with being a 'progressive' concept album to actually deliver the musical mastery we've come to expect from Avenged Sevenfold. The band is going to need to do a lot better than this next time around if they want to remain relevant within the Heavy Metal community.… Full Review »
  2. GerardistheWay
    Nov 28, 2016
    10
    Avenged Sevenfold's most focused work in years is also one of their smartest, most inventive, and addictive albums in their repertoire.Avenged Sevenfold's most focused work in years is also one of their smartest, most inventive, and addictive albums in their repertoire. Telling a cautionary tale about the replacement of humanity by artificial intelligence, the band fuses progressive rock style with their classic metal sound for a unique sonic experience you won't forget for a while. As I'm not yet finished listening to it I'll be posting a full review later on, but for right now I must say kudos, boys--you've won back a fan you were on the brink of losing.… Full Review »
  3. Dat_One_Critic
    Nov 27, 2016
    10
    Great Album. It really stands out from their other albums. Avenged Sevenfold having no strings attached, being able to do work with capitolGreat Album. It really stands out from their other albums. Avenged Sevenfold having no strings attached, being able to do work with capitol records gave them this great opportunity. I enjoyed this album all the way though. With Brooks Wackerman on the drums makes the album better. I dont believe the previous drummer would do as good as the new one. This is standout album and it needs to be bought.… Full Review »
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