LABEL: Warner Records
VINYL RELEASE DATE: 8/27/2013
ORIGINAL RELEASE DATE: 2013
VARIANT: Black Vinyl 2LP
Avenged Sevenfold had tweaked their sound on every album prior, but the one constant was their virtuosic instrumentation. Hail to the King was an exercise in restraint, limiting themselves to plodding grooves and simple, sturdy riffs in order to harness the pure, hardened essence of groove-metal. It’s their least flashy album to date, but they’ve never sounded tighter or more self-assured. Hearing it unfurl from on 2LP wax is the best way to explore its wrecking-ball charm.