2. Avenged Sevenfold - City of Evil (2005)
Notable Tracks: Burn it Down, Bat Country, Sidewinder, Beast and the Harlot, The Wicked End I had quite a bit of trouble placing this album ahead of 10,000 Days, but as an entire album, they don't get much better than this third release by Avenged Sevenfold. I mentioned before how Avenged altered their musical style in 2003, which led to their mainstream success. Well, two years later, they did it again! The style you heard in Waking the Fallen has evanesced, and this 2005 style really broke the mold. Jimmy "The Rev" Sullivan really came into his own on this record. He displayed that he has a pure, unhinged talent on the drums. What's even more surprising is the growth guitarist Synyster Gates displayed. His solos are flawless, incredibly difficult to replicate, and so damn exciting. What compelled me to place this ahead of the Tool album was the ability Sevenfold showed in altering their music style with such incredible success. Further, now that The Rev has passed (R.I.P.), true A7X fans can see how unbelievably talented the young man was. The songwriting isn't nearly as impressive now and the lack of Jimmy's drumming prowess really shows. But, if you want to be entertained by some interesting stories, imagery, and musical talent, this album will hook you then reel you in for a great time.