Metal, Hardcore, Indie, Rock
Avenged Sevenfold guitarist Zacky Vengeance has defended the use of artificial intelligence after artwork accompanying the band’s latest Halloween release drew criticism online. The group has continued its tradition of covering Misfits songs with a version of “Horror Business”, released through its Deathbats Club.
Some commenters questioned whether the cover artwork had been created using AI. Responding to the criticism, Vengeance made his position clear, saying, “I actually fully embrace AI.”
While the guitarist said he values physical artwork and the people who create it, he also criticized what he sees as complacency among some designers he has worked with over the years. He argued that AI should be judged by how people use it rather than dismissed as a technology, and closed one lengthy message by revealing that the message itself had been produced using AI.
In a separate social media exchange, Vengeance said he had financially supported artists by purchasing their work and praising their talent. A further October 29 post took aim at the contradiction he sees in criticizing AI while using social platforms driven by algorithms and data collection.
The American heavy metal band Avenged Sevenfold, often known as A7X, was founded in 1999 and is based in Huntington Beach, California. Vocalist M. Shadows, guitarists Zacky Vengeance and Synyster Gates, bassist Johnny Christ, and drummer Brooks Wackerman make up the band’s current lineup.
Avenged Sevenfold is renowned for their stunning visuals on album covers and merchandise, as well as their varied rock style. The band’s first album, “Sounding the Seventh Trumpet”, gave them a metalcore sound, which they mostly maintained in their second album, “Waking the Fallen”. By their third album and first major label release, “City of Evil”, the band had developed a more conventional heavy metal sound. Before Jimmy “The Rev” Sullivan, the band’s original drummer, passed away in 2009, they continued to experiment with new sounds with their self-titled album and experienced ongoing mainstream success.
