The new issue of Metal Hammer features Avenged Sevenfold on the cover, and comes with three exclusive gifts: a Deathbat patch, a laptop sticker of their album artwork, and a reaper print.
Inside, we speak to all five members of the band about the making of their brain-meltingly brilliant new record, Life Is But A Dream…, which is inspired by the likes of Mr. Bungle, Daft Punk and Frank Sinatra – as well as psychedelic toad venom. But will this dramatic change in direction pay off for them?
“I was scared,” frontman M. Shadows says of how he felt once they’d finished the record. “What are people going to think when they get to the end of this thing? But that’s exactly what I want.”
Elsewhere, we fly to Amsterdam for the first date of Metallica’s epic M72 World Tour, and report back on all the action from the Snake Pit. We also remember legendary Slayer guitarist Jeff Hanneman on the 10-year anniversary of his death, and get in the studio with Corey Taylor for an exclusive chat about his next solo album.
Plus, we speak to Maynard James Keenan about the weird birth of Puscifer, celebrate 20 years of Download, and meet the gatekeeper-baiting ‘bimbocore’ heroine Scene Queen.
All this, and: Royal Thunder, Sevendust, Devildriver, Elegant Weapons, Jesus Piece, Sabaton, Unearth, Limp Bizkit, Witch Fever, Demonstealer, Skindred and much, much more!
Only in the new issue of Metal Hammer, on sale now. Order it online and have it delivered straight to your door.
