New Release: Avenged Sevenfold - The Stage

October 14, 2016 Critic Jonni 5 Comments

The Stage - Avenged Sevenfold |

I have searched and searched for a new release single that has a music video, but this is the only one that I have come up with, which is slightly frustrating since I don't like Avenged Sevenfold. However, the song is stuck inside my head at the moment, and this history lesson and political stance of a music video is definitely shocking, to say the least. I'm pretty sure I'm not going to run out of words to say about this music video. Avenged Sevenfold has released this music video for "The Stage" showing the history of the world as well as the concept of the world now politically.

Avenged Sevenfold is an American heavy metal band consisting of M. Shadows, Zacky Vengeance, Synyster Gates, Johnny Christ and Brooks Wackerman. They are one of a few heavy metal bands that do well in the charts globally, especially in America and the UK. If sales figures since midnight are anything to go by, this song could well be their biggest hit to date, already in the top 40 of the UK iTunes chart, they just need to maintain their sales and a push on Spotify might make it their biggest hit. It is quite catchy, so it wouldn't surprise me if it does chart well on Friday. This song was written by Brian Elwin Haner, Matthew Charles Sanders, Brooks Wackerman, Zachary James Baker and Jonathan Seward.

The video was directed by Chris Hopewell. It's quite haunting, with the intro inviting you into a circus tent. Camera and editing tricks are used to make it incredibly freaky as the music starts up. People start buying tickets in a rhythmical fashion, and they take their seats in the audience.

We watch as the curtain reveals a puppet stage booth. It says: 'Professor Batz Fantastical History Of The World'. We watch as we see history unfold.

The first scene is of the cavemen in a mountainous wintry setting. They fight and we watch as one dies. Scene two is of ancient Egyptians, where you can see people being whipped. The third scene is warriors walking up to a castle, and the guards burning the soldiers alive.

Then we are taken to ancient Rome, where we watch the ruler use the controversial thumb motion to kill off two people who are tied together. His thumb is turned down as are the audiences. A lion enters the colosseum and bites off the leg of one of the captors.

The next scene is Vikings jumping off a boat and slaughtering people who offer a gift, whilst burning the village. The sixth scene is from American history, focusing on the ancient Mayans, especially with The Pyramid of Kukulkan in the setting. We watch as the Mayan civilians are shot and killed by a cannon. Next is the Witch Trials, I presume it's supposed to be the Salem Witch Trials since that is one of the most popular, however during the Salem Witch Trials no one was burned to death. Instead, they were imprisoned. We watch as the puppets burn a potential witch.

Scene eight shows a guillotine and the killing of a perpetrator. Then the American Indians with their teepees. They shake hands with the military, but after a few camera shots of the audience laughing, the American Indians are dead with the American flag planted behind them.

Next is war and what we presume is World War I because the poppies follow. We see soldiers amongst the side panels of the stage. The poppies appear next with a cute little dove; before the poppies get crushed by another tank, symbolising World War II.

As World War II is being shown, the previous scenes appear as a memory, a flash back on the history of the world and how death surrounds us all. Smoke fills the circus tent and when it clears, we find out the audience have disappeared. Not something I was expecting.

This is not the end. The audience have been transformed into puppets; now on the stage. This is technically brilliant, but there's more... It's time to see who is controlling the puppet audience... It's five more puppets, all looking similar to the 21st-century world leaders about at the moment. From right to left we have: Kim Jong-un, the supreme leader of North Korea; Angela Merkel, the Chancellor of Germany; Hillary Clinton, American politician and the nominee of the Democratic Party for President of the United States in the 2016 election; Vladimir Putin, the President of the Russian Federation; and Xi Jinping, the President of the People's Republic of China.

Now this is quite the twist, but it gets worst... Because who is controlling the world leaders? Well, we never find out. This person has scaly fingers, one he or she uses to press a button and everything dies... Is this the button that brings on the end of the world? We watch a bit of white noise before we are returned to the caveman scene, but there is only one now and he stands all alone.

Talk about going all out for this video. Avenged Sevenfold has really made people think, all it takes is one button and it's the destruction of everything. I love how it has been released while the big election for the President of the United States is going on. The fact that Hillary Clinton has been chosen to stand amongst the world leaders definitely suggests that they, at least, think she's going to win. Whatever the outcome, this video definitely brings up some political ideas. Vote wisely people.

In a role-reversal music video, this definitely outlines the destruction of mankind. Since when did heavy metal use their influence to seek peace on the world, but that is what they are doing. Has Avenged Sevenfold taken some ideas from Radiohead's "Burn The Witch"? Brilliant video, totally taking a stand on politics and an insight into history. This music video has it all, and I have to give it this rating because it deserves no less!

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