AVENGED SEVENFOLD’s New Album Is ’90 Percent Done’ After 78-Piece Orchestra Records Its Parts

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AVENGED SEVENFOLD's new album is "90 percent done" after the band was able to get a 78-piece orchestra to record its parts for the follow-up to 2016's "The Stage". Earlier today, AVENGED singer M. Shadows shared new photos of the orchestra in the studio along with him and guitarist Synyster Gates giving their "thumbs up" to what they were hearing. "Twas worth the wait," the singer tweeted. AVENGED SEVENFOLD drummer Brooks Wackerman also offered an update on the recording process, writing on Instagram: "Well… this happened on Tuesday. We – AVENGED SEVENFOLD – started writing this record 4 years ago and I can’t believe we are 90% done… One of the perks – in the creative process – is that we are able to track a 78-piece orchestra on our records. The fact that we are able to bring incredible musicians together to enhance our art still gives me chills… "I can't wait for the the world to hear this… all I can say it's unlike anything we've ever released.. ALRIGHT and good night!" Last month, M. Shadows confirmed to Metal Hammer that the band would complete the recording of its eighth studio album this month. "The record's been recorded for a year, but we haven't been able to put the real strings on it, because we couldn't fly out to Prague," he said. "When an orchestra have to social distance and they aren't sitting next to each other, they can get out of tune, and we have just finally got to a place where we can use this 70-piece orchestra as we intended. We finish the record in February, mix it in March." Regarding the musical direction of the follow-up to "The Stage", M. Shadows said: "There are so many influences… We're very influenced by Kanye West. The thing about Kanye is that he is pulling from such great soul music. I didn't grow up with that stuff — my dad listened to BOSTON and Alice Cooper [and] I didn't get that taste of black music and old soul. So, diving deep into jazz musicians… We're not trying to do a jazz record, but the chord changes and progressions are so eye-opening to us." AVENGED SEVENFOLD kept a low profile during 2019. A blood blister on M. Shadows's vocal cords forced the band to cancel a summer 2018 tour with PROPHETS OF RAGE and THREE DAYS GRACE. "The Stage" was surprise-released in October 2016. The release of the disc, which was announced the night it went on sale, earned the lowest sales of an AVENGED SEVENFOLD album in 11 years. It sold 76 thousand copies in its first week, 73 thousand of which were physical. "The Stage", AVENGED's debut for Capitol, sold less than half as many copies in its first week as the group's two previous efforts, 2010's "Nightmare" and 2013's "Hail To The King".