Give us a bit of info about the band for the unfamiliar? Members. Short history. All the good stuff.

Shadows: Well, I was thinking of starting a hardcore band after the break up of my punk band, junior year in high school, so when senior year came around I got my long time best friend "The Reverend" and long time bassist Matt to start it with me. After a little searching we found Zacky Vengeance who was playing in a punk band called MPA that also went to school with us. So the summer of '99 going into senior year the band actually started. After a couple months we released a 3 song demo. It sounds like absolute shit, but we liked it at the time, then a few months after that we were asked to release 2 songs on a couple compilations on Sadistic Records, so we headed back into the studio and recorded 2 new songs. Basicly we sent them to Good Life and now we have found a home there. Matt went to college and we picked up Synyster Gaytes a couple of months ago for a second guitar. Justin Sane has replaced Matt on the bass. We are tighter and more confident then ever and have the musicians to pull of ANYTHING we want or write. So we are all very happy.

You're sound is very untypical of what most hardcore bands are doing right now. Instead of crossing hardcore with extreme metal like most bands (ie Dillinger Escape Plan, Poison the Well and all the clones) you basically took hardcore and blended it with 80s glam rock. Not only that but it seems that you avoid the hate/death/despair themes that a lot of bands explore and instead focus on more positive emotions like love/etc. Give us some insight about all this? Was this a goal of the band from the start or did you guys just get together and that was the end result?

Shadows: You can only go so far by copying other bands and redoing their shit. We play whatever we want, because there are too many bands trying to make it big. We just wanna play what makes us happy, and we write however and whatever we want regardless of what others are doing. Ill be the first to admit you'll find me listening to old Skid Row or Guns n Roses album before any hardcore band. It's not the only type of music I like but we all love that stuff. So why not throw in a ballad if we like it so much? Most of the stuff isn't like that, but alot of the clean vocals are definitely influenced alot by it. We also mix alot of punk in our songs because it's what me and Zacky grew up on. So it's fun to be in a band without a label, and it's fun to write however the fuck you want. It's the only way I'll do it. I write the lyrics whenever I get an overwhelming feeling, that's why there is so much variety. If I feel close to my girlfreind at the time I'll write it. If I feel like killing someone I'll write it. If I feel like crying I'll write about it. There are no boundaries for us, and that's what I love about this band. So the goal has always been "be happy about what your doing and dont let anyone bring you down about it, do whatever the fuck you want".

Zacky: We just came to rock and burn bridges.

How did the deal with Goodlife Recordings in Europe come about? Are they handling things to your liking? Any benefits/drawbacks to dealing with a label that is in another country?

Shadows: Like I said before, they got our demo and asked us to be on the label. I am good friends with Ed. People have said bad things about him with Poison the Well and shit, but we have given him a clean slate and he has done nothing but great things for us. If other bands have a problem with him, that's their problem, but you're hearing it first hand from us, he has been nothing but great towards us. Only draw back is sending shit here and there costs a forture and they are 9 hours ahead so phone calls are really late at night or early in the morning, and the phone bill gets big.

Zacky: Goodlife is rad. Ed takes care of us.

When will you be making it to the East Coast? I can't wait to witness the live show.

Shadows: When we have the money we will be there every month. Hopefully very soon, we need to get out there.

Zacky: Hopefully soon cuz I'm sick of Orange County.

Why were the full length "Sounding the Seventh Trumpet" and the "Warmness on the Soul" EP released so close to each other? And why was the EP first even though it contains re-worked versions of songs from the full length?

Shadows: We recorded the full length in November and sent it to Good life and they were very excited about it and wanted to give it alot of promotion so that it didn't just get released and forgotten about quickly. So they decided to have us go back in the studio and re-record "Warmness on the Soul" and make a video for it. Synyster just got in the band so we deceided to show off his guitar skills and made the "To End the Rapture (heavy metal version)" for fun. So they put out the video with the 3 other songs just for promotion, basically, of the full length. I also heard "Warmness on the Soul" is on the radio in Europe, so I guess it's working out.

Zacky: It's subliminal mainly.

I haven't heard the full length yet. Are there any things on it that might surprise me or any other fan that only knows Avenged Sevenfold from the material on the EP?

Shadows: Well, I'm sure you'll be suprised by some of the songs and parts in The full album. I think this album takes the best in punk, metal, hardcore and 80s rock and blends it perfectly. I have a bias opinion since I'm in the band, but I think alot of people are catching on. The album is actually very intense, but also very melodic. We've been sitting on it so long I just wanna get that shit out there.

Zacky: Umm...the full length kills. Watch for the surprise guest vocals.

What's next for the band after the release of "Sounding the Seventh Trumpet"?

Shadows: We will tour and hopefully have another album ready in a year or two. Don't wanna rush things by throwing out another album. We are just going to repeat the song writing steps which means anything goes that sounds good, no matter what style (except rap rock) haha.

Zacky: Sit back and watch the money roll in...or tour. Whichever comes first.

Do you guys get a lot of chicks since you write the sweetest love songs ever heard in hardcore?

Shadows: No, The Reverend still pays for hookers or waits until girls are passed out. Zacky always has gotten girls. Synyster doesn't like them unless they are under 16 and Justin impregnates every girl he meets, and I got my girlfriend.

Zacky says: I think my cheesy guitar solo makes girls wet.

What would you be doing if you weren't doing Avenged Sevenfold?

Shadows: I'd be in the NBA stopping Kobe Bryant. Nah, I'd just be in the NBA. The Reverend would still be homeless and Synyster would just play his guitar and Justin would overdose on something.

Zacky: Some other girl or heroin and cocaine.

What's the band's greatest accomplishment thus far? And what things do you hope to accomplish?

Shadows: Our greatest accomplishment so far has been releasing a real CD in stores and staying true to ourselves and doing it our way. We hope and will accomplish so much I'm not gonna bother writing it down. I'm just happy to be playing music I like with my friends. And the Assault Team rules.

Zacky: I'm proud of alot of things we've done but I'm not gonna be truly metal until we rule the world.

If you could remove one band, person, thing, whatever from the hardcore scene or from the Earth who/what would it be and why?

Shadows: Every hardcore band that has a picture of a bunch of kids yelling in a mic on their CD cover.

Zacky: Cool hair cuz thats not hardcore.

Why do The Reverend and Synyster act so mean in interviews? Is it to try to contradict the boy band atmosphere surrounding Avenged Sevenfold on account of the song "Warmness on the Soul"?

Shadows: They are mean because we get interviews and I print them out for us to answer and we sit there and laugh at all the stupid questions. So we just start writing shit down and they won't give serious answers, so I just edit it all and let them keep some of their answers. If I printed it all 99% of people would be truly offended. So when the live interviews come we are fucked. Oh well, thats them.

Top 5 All-Time Favorite Albums?

Shadows:

1) Guns n' Roses - Use Your Illusions part 1
2) Blind Guardian - Nightfall in Middle-Earth
3) Bad Religion - Receipy for Hate
4) Helloween - Keeper of the Seven Keys part 2
5) NOFX - The Decline
6) Children of Bodom - Hatebreeder

Zacky: Don't really have any all-time favs but Guns and Roses and Elvis Costello definately rule. The new God Forbid kills it too.

Any last words? Things to promote? Shoutouts? Putdowns? Etc.

Shadows: Pick up the album when it's released June 15th or so. You won't be dissappointed. Also, thank you Dan, Ed, Birger, and the Assault Team.

Zacky: To all my homies in lockdown, this 40 goes out to you.