Photo of Avenged Sevenfold
Photo: Giada Conti from Pisa, italy · CC BY 2.0

Band

Avenged Sevenfold

Active1999-present
OriginHuntington Beach, California
Albums8
Tracks89

Most frequent collaborator: Matthew Sanders  ·  82 tracks

Heavy MetalHard RockMetalcore
100%
Authorship
Complete Artist

Holds writing credit on 89 of 89 tracks

Does Avenged Sevenfold write their own songs?

Yes. Avenged Sevenfold write all their own material from within the lineup and never use outside hit-writers. M. Shadows handles most of the lyrics while the whole band shares music credits, and the late drummer The Rev wrote a large share of the early-to-mid catalog, including material that surfaced posthumously.

By the Numbers

8
Studio Albums
89
Tracks Credited
100%
Self-Written
over 8 million
Records Sold
27
Years Active
12
Collaborators

Authorship Breakdown 89 / 89 self-written

Who wrote the songs?

Across all 89 tracks: how many Avenged Sevenfold wrote alone, how many they co-wrote, and how many were written by others. The bracket marks every track they hold any writing credit on.

Avenged Sevenfold has a writing credit100%
100%
Sole author0tracks0%
Co-written89tracks100%
Outside writers0tracks0%

Role Fingerprint how they contribute

Lyricist Performer Composer Producer
Avenged Sevenfold's roles across the catalogue

Share of all 89 tracks where they are personally credited, by role.

Lyricist (words)100%
Composer (music)11%
Producer63%
Performer100%

Member Credit Breakdown share of tracks each member is credited on

Percentage of all 89 tracks, across every album, where each member holds a credit - split by role.

MemberPeriodLyricsMusicProductionPerformance
M. Shadows 1999-present
92%
0%
0%
100%
Zacky Vengeance 1999-present
67%
0%
0%
0%
Synyster Gates 2001-present
60%
0%
0%
1%
Johnny Christ 2002-present
40%
0%
0%
0%
Brooks Wackerman 2015-present
11%
11%
0%
0%
The Rev Died December 28, 2009 1999-2009 (died December 28, 2009)
40%
0%
0%
9%
Arin Ilejay Former 2011-2015
0%
0%
0%
0%

Authorship Over Time writing credit per album

Avenged Sevenfold's writing credit per album, in release order. Hover any bar for the album.

avg 100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
2001Sounding the Seventh Trumpet
2003Waking the Fallen
2005City of Evil
2007Avenged Sevenfold
2010Nightmare
2013Hail to the King
2016The Stage
2023Life Is but a Dream...
Early · 100% written
Mid · 100% written
Late · 100% written

Authorship by Decade track-weighted

100%
2000s
Sounding the Seventh Trumpet, Waking the Fallen +2 more
100%
2010s
Nightmare, Hail to the King +1 more
100%
2020s
Life Is but a Dream...

Authorship Spectrum pure performer to complete author

Where Avenged Sevenfold sits on the scale from a pure performer (0%, sings songs written by others) to a complete author (100%, writes everything). The bright marker is their catalogue authorship score, plotted against other artists on the site.

Avenged Sevenfold
Other artists on the site

Reference artists spread across the scale, closest by genre and era.

Metro Boomin0%
Britney Spears32%
Jennifer Lopez46%
TLC59%
Destiny's Child69%
Guns N' Roses78%
Powerman 500089%
100%Avenged Sevenfold
Pure Performer0%
Songwriter~50%
Complete Author100%

Who Really Wrote the Hits signature songs

Unholy Confessions
Waking the Fallen
Written by M. Shadows, Zacky Vengeance, Synyster Gates, Matthew Sanders, Zachary Baker, Brian Haner Jr.
Co-wrote
Bat Country
City of Evil
Written by M. Shadows, Synyster Gates, Zacky Vengeance, The Rev, Matthew Sanders, Brian Haner Jr., Zachary Baker, James Sullivan
Co-wrote
Beast and the Harlot
City of Evil
Written by M. Shadows, Synyster Gates, Zacky Vengeance, The Rev, Matthew Sanders, Brian Haner Jr., Zachary Baker, James Sullivan
Co-wrote
Almost Easy
Avenged Sevenfold
Written by The Rev, James Sullivan
Co-wrote
Afterlife
Avenged Sevenfold
Written by The Rev, James Sullivan
Co-wrote
Nightmare
Nightmare
Written by M. Shadows, The Rev, Matthew Sanders, James Sullivan
Co-wrote
Welcome to the Family
Nightmare
Written by The Rev, M. Shadows, James Sullivan, Matthew Sanders
Co-wrote
Hail to the King
Hail to the King
Written by M. Shadows, Zacky Vengeance, Synyster Gates, Johnny Christ, Matthew Sanders, Zachary Baker, Brian Haner Jr., Jonathan Seward
Co-wrote
Shepherd of Fire
Hail to the King
Written by M. Shadows, Zacky Vengeance, Synyster Gates, Johnny Christ, Matthew Sanders, Zachary Baker, Brian Haner Jr., Jonathan Seward
Co-wrote
The Stage
The Stage
Written by M. Shadows, Matthew Sanders, Zachary Baker, Brian Haner Jr., Jonathan Seward
Co-wrote
God Damn
The Stage
Written by M. Shadows, Matthew Sanders, Zachary Baker, Brian Haner Jr., Jonathan Seward
Co-wrote
Nobody
Life Is but a Dream...
Written by M. Shadows, Zacky Vengeance, Synyster Gates, Johnny Christ, Brooks Wackerman, Matthew Sanders, Zachary Baker, Brian Haner Jr., Jonathan Seward
Co-wrote
We Love You
Life Is but a Dream...
Written by M. Shadows, Zacky Vengeance, Synyster Gates, Johnny Christ, Brooks Wackerman, Matthew Sanders, Zachary Baker, Brian Haner Jr., Jonathan Seward
Co-wrote

Discography 8 albums

Collaborator Network who they worked with most

Avenged Sevenfold89 tracks
MS82 ZB71 BH64 JS47 JS36 AM23

Bubble size = tracks worked on together. MS Matthew Sanders · ZB Zachary Baker · BH Brian Haner Jr. · JS Jonathan Seward · JS James Sullivan · AM Andrew Murdock

The Writers & Producers Behind Avenged Sevenfold 6 key collaborators

MS
Matthew Sanders
Songwriter
Sounding the Seventh Trumpet / Waking the Fallen / City of Evil / Avenged Sevenfold82 tracks
ZB
Zachary Baker
Songwriter
Sounding the Seventh Trumpet / Waking the Fallen / City of Evil / Avenged Sevenfold71 tracks
BH
Brian Haner Jr.
Songwriter
Waking the Fallen / City of Evil / Avenged Sevenfold / Nightmare64 tracks
JS
Jonathan Seward
Songwriter
Waking the Fallen / Avenged Sevenfold / Nightmare / Hail to the King47 tracks
JS
James Sullivan
Songwriter
Waking the Fallen / City of Evil / Avenged Sevenfold / Nightmare36 tracks
AM
Andrew Murdock
Producer
Waking the Fallen / City of Evil23 tracks

The Authorship Story

Data Insight

Avenged Sevenfold is a high-authorship band: every song is written from within the lineup, never farmed out to outside hit-writers. M. Shadows handles the bulk of the lyrics while music is credited across the members, so the lyricist and composer columns are populated almost entirely by the band's own legal names. The clearest authorship wrinkle is the late drummer The Rev, James Sullivan, who wrote a large share of the early-to-mid catalog and whose posthumous contributions still surface as late as the 2023 album. The only outside writing appears on cover songs released on deluxe editions, which sit outside the standard track lists.

Quick Facts

  • FrontmanM. Shadows on lead vocals, the band's primary lyricist
  • BreakthroughCity of Evil (2005) and its hit 'Bat Country'
  • No. 1 albumNightmare (2010) topped the Billboard 200 after The Rev's death
  • Records soldOver 8 million worldwide
  • Classic lineupM. Shadows, Zacky Vengeance, Synyster Gates, Johnny Christ, and the late The Rev
  • Studio albumsEight, from Sounding the Seventh Trumpet (2001) to Life Is but a Dream... (2023)

Creative Fingerprint

A fully in-house metal band: every song is written within the lineup, with M. Shadows handling most lyrics and the whole band sharing music credits, plus a large early contribution from the late drummer The Rev.

The Story

Avenged Sevenfold, often abbreviated A7X, is an American heavy metal band formed in Huntington Beach, California in 1999. The group built its reputation on a restless, theatrical sound that moved from melodic metalcore on its early records to a broad hard rock and heavy metal style, and later toward progressive and avant-garde territory. The band writes its own material as a unit, with vocalist M. Shadows serving as the primary lyricist and the full lineup sharing music credits. Its 2005 breakthrough City of Evil and the 2007 self-titled album made it one of the biggest metal acts of its generation, and the 2010 album Nightmare topped the Billboard 200 in the wake of drummer The Rev's death. The classic lineup of M. Shadows, Zacky Vengeance, Synyster Gates, Johnny Christ, and the late drummer The Rev defined the band's sound, with Arin Ilejay and then Brooks Wackerman taking the drum chair after Sullivan's death.

Awards & Recognition

Nightmare debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 (2010)
Over 8 million albums sold worldwide
Kerrang! and Revolver awards for their live shows and albums

Frequently Asked Questions Avenged Sevenfold

Does Avenged Sevenfold write their own songs?
Yes. Avenged Sevenfold write all their own material from within the lineup and never use outside hit-writers. M. Shadows handles most of the lyrics while the whole band shares music credits, and the late drummer The Rev wrote a large share of the early-to-mid catalog, including material that surfaced posthumously.
Who is the lead singer of Avenged Sevenfold?
M. Shadows, whose real name is Matthew Sanders, is the lead singer and primary lyricist of Avenged Sevenfold. He co-founded the band in Huntington Beach, California in 1999.
Who wrote 'Bat Country'?
'Bat Country' was written by the members of Avenged Sevenfold, with M. Shadows on lyrics and the full band sharing the music credit. It appears on 2005's City of Evil and became their breakthrough hit, reaching number two on the Mainstream Rock chart.
What happened to The Rev?
James 'The Rev' Sullivan, the band's founding drummer and a major songwriter, died on December 28, 2009 at the age of 28. The band's 2010 album Nightmare, which topped the Billboard 200, was recorded in the wake of his death, and his contributions still appeared on later albums.
What is Avenged Sevenfold's biggest album?
Nightmare (2010) was their commercial peak, debuting at number one on the Billboard 200, while City of Evil (2005) and the 2007 self-titled album broke them internationally. Their sound moved from metalcore to hard rock and later toward progressive metal.
How many albums has Avenged Sevenfold released?
Avenged Sevenfold have released eight studio albums, from Sounding the Seventh Trumpet (2001) through Life Is but a Dream... (2023). Their classic run spans Waking the Fallen, City of Evil, the self-titled album, and Nightmare.
How many records has Avenged Sevenfold sold?
Avenged Sevenfold have sold over 8 million albums worldwide, making them one of the biggest metal bands of their generation. City of Evil and the self-titled album are among their best sellers.
Who wrote 'A Little Piece of Heaven'?
'A Little Piece of Heaven,' the theatrical, orchestral track from the 2007 self-titled album, was written largely by The Rev, James Sullivan, who also sang parts of it. It showcases his ambitious, dark songwriting style.

Sources

Wikipedia: Avenged Sevenfold Wikipedia: Avenged Sevenfold discography Wikipedia: List of Avenged Sevenfold band members Wikipedia: The Rev