Unholy Confessions

Last updated
"Unholy Confessions"
Unholy confessions singlecover.jpg
Single by Avenged Sevenfold
from the album Waking the Fallen
ReleasedAugust 2, 2004
RecordedApril – June 2003
Studio
  • Third Stone, Hollywood, California
  • Mates Inc, Hollywood, California
Genre
Length4:43
Label Hopeless
Songwriter(s)
[3]
Producer(s)
Avenged Sevenfold singles chronology
"Eternal Rest/Chapter Four"
(2003)		"Unholy Confessions"
(2004)		"Burn It Down"
(2005)

"Unholy Confessions" is a song by American heavy metal band Avenged Sevenfold, released as the lead single from their second album, Waking the Fallen , although "Eternal Rest" and "Chapter Four" were previously released as a promotional double A-side single. It is the band's first official single after their 2001 debut EP release Warmness on the Soul , and was the first single by the band to receive mainstream exposure, being heavily rotated on MTV2's Headbangers Ball . [4] The song is about a couple who find out they are both cheating on each other.

Contents

Background

"Unholy Confessions" was written by members Zacky Vengeance, M. Shadows and Synyster Gates. The main riff was written by Vengeance, and had been floating around for a while before the rest of the band completed the song, and the chorus and lyrics were written by Shadows. [3]

"Unholy Confessions" was one of the first Avenged Sevenfold songs to predominantly feature clean singing. [5] [6]

The song appeared on the Metal=Life compilation in 2005. [7]

Music videos

The band, along with director Thomas Mignone, filmed the song's concept video on December 7, 2003, [8] [9] featuring the band performing the single at an abandoned warehouse. After a few months, they posted on their website's blog about their discomfort with the video, and the decision to re-shoot the video. The concept video eventually got released on YouTube, along with the 2014 re-release of Waking the Fallen.

In February 2004, the band shared the plan to film the new video, which was this time a live performance. [10] The video was directed by Greg Kaplan. [11] The video also features many fans filming at their homes getting ready for the show, whether by promoting, driving to the concert, among other things. The performance was shot on March 6, 2004, at the Henry Fonda Theatre.

Critical reception

"Unholy Confessions" is widely regarded as one of the band's best songs. [12] In 2020, Louder Sound and Kerrang ranked the song at number six and number two, respectively, on their lists of the 20 greatest Avenged Sevenfold songs. [13] [14]

Track listing

12" single [15]
Side A
No.TitleLength
1."Unholy Confessions"4:43
2."Eternal Rest"5:12
Side B
No.TitleLength
1."Eternal Rest" (Live at the Ventura Theatre; recorded January 3, 2004)5:16
DVDr
No.TitleLength
1."Unholy Confessions" (Music Video)4:50
Promo single
No.TitleLength
1."Unholy Confessions"4:43

Personnel

Credits are adapted from the album's liner notes. [16]

Certifications

RegionCertification Certified units/sales
United States (RIAA) [17] Gold500,000‡

‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Avenged Sevenfold</span> American heavy metal band

Avenged Sevenfold is an American heavy metal band from Huntington Beach, California, formed in 1999. The band's current lineup consists of vocalist M. Shadows, rhythm guitarist Zacky Vengeance, lead guitarist Synyster Gates, bassist Johnny Christ, and drummer Brooks Wackerman.

<i>Sounding the Seventh Trumpet</i> 2001 studio album by Avenged Sevenfold

Sounding the Seventh Trumpet is the debut studio album by American heavy metal band Avenged Sevenfold, released on July 24, 2001, through Good Life Recordings. The album was reissued on March 19, 2002, through Hopeless Records, featuring a slightly different cover art. Although the album only sold 300 copies in its first week of release, it has sold 370,000 copies worldwide, with 310,000 sold in the United States, as of November 2010.

<i>Warmness on the Soul</i> 2001 EP by Avenged Sevenfold

Warmness on the Soul is the first EP by American heavy metal band Avenged Sevenfold. It was released on April 10, 2001, through Good Life Recordings. The release features the video for the title track "Warmness on the Soul" as an enhanced CD bonus. It is the band's first release to feature guitarist Synyster Gates, who joined the band in February 2001. All of the songs were later included on Avenged Sevenfold's debut album, Sounding the Seventh Trumpet, except for the heavy metal version of "To End the Rapture", which was featured on the album's re-release.

<i>Waking the Fallen</i> 2003 studio album by Avenged Sevenfold

Waking the Fallen is the second studio album by American heavy metal band Avenged Sevenfold, released on August 26, 2003, through Hopeless Records. It is the band's first full-length album with new lead guitarist Synyster Gates and bassist Johnny Christ.

<i>City of Evil</i> 2005 studio album by Avenged Sevenfold

City of Evil is the third studio album by American heavy metal band Avenged Sevenfold, released on June 6, 2005, through Warner Bros. and Hopeless Records. Co-produced by Andrew Murdock, City of Evil contains a more traditional heavy metal and hard rock sound than Avenged Sevenfold's previous two albums, which showcased a predominantly metalcore sound. The album title is derived from a lyric in the song, "Beast and the Harlot". The album is notable for the absence of fry vocals. M. Shadows worked for months before the album's release with vocal coach Ron Anderson, whose clients have included Axl Rose and Chris Cornell, to achieve a sound that had "grit while still having the tone". In order to increase stamina and strength on the pedals, The Rev would sit for hours practicing until he could get up to 210 beats per minute.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">M. Shadows</span> American heavy metal singer

Matthew Charles Sanders, known by his stage name M. Shadows, is an American singer and songwriter. He is the lead vocalist and a founding member of heavy metal band Avenged Sevenfold. In 2017, Shadows was voted third in the list of Top 25 Greatest Modern Frontmen by Ultimate Guitar.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Synyster Gates</span> American guitarist

Brian Elwin Haner Jr., better known by his stage name Synyster Gates or simply Syn, is an American guitarist, best known as the lead guitarist of heavy metal band Avenged Sevenfold. He ranks No. 9 on Guitar World's best metal guitarists of all time. Gates was voted as Best Metal Guitarist in the World by Total Guitar in 2016 and once again in 2017.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Avenged Sevenfold discography</span>

American heavy metal band Avenged Sevenfold has released eight studio albums, one soundtrack album, one live album, two compilation albums, 24 singles, two video albums and 29 music videos. Formed in Huntington Beach, California in 1999, the band originally featured vocalist M. Shadows, guitarist Zacky Vengeance, bassist Matt Wendt and drummer The Rev. Synyster Gates joined as lead guitarist in 2001, just after the group released their debut album Sounding the Seventh Trumpet on Good Life Recordings, which was later reissued on Hopeless Records.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bat Country</span> 2005 single by Avenged Sevenfold

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Burn It Down (Avenged Sevenfold song)</span> 2005 single by Avenged Sevenfold

"Burn It Down" is a song by American heavy metal band Avenged Sevenfold, the second track from their third studio album, City of Evil (2005). It was the first song to be written for the album. It was released as the lead single from the album on June 5, 2005, but was received poorly by fans. A live performance of the song was used for a music video. The video was directed by Nick Wickham. The song was featured on the compilation MTV's Headbangers Ball - The Revenge, as well as the soundtrack for Saw III.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Afterlife (Avenged Sevenfold song)</span> 2008 single by Avenged Sevenfold

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nightmare (Avenged Sevenfold song)</span> 2010 single by Avenged Sevenfold

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References

  1. ↑ Martins, Jorge (2024-05-15). "Top 10 Era-Defining Metalcore Songs from the 2000s to Make Former Scene Kids Nostalgic". Ultimate Guitar . Archived from the original on 2024-05-15. Retrieved 2024-05-15.
  2. ↑ "The Story Behind The Song: Avenged Sevenfold's Unholy Confessions". Louder Sound. Metal Hammer. 5 March 2021.
  3. 1 2 "Avenged Sevenfold - TRAX Podcast: "Unholy Confessions" (Episode 6)". YouTube . 16 February 2023. Retrieved 22 May 2023.
  4. ↑ "Avenged Sevenfold — Unholy Confessions". discogs.com . Retrieved 2014-02-23.
  5. ↑ "AVENGED SEVENFOLD 'WAKING THE FALLEN': HOW BAND'S BIGGEST RISK LED TO HUGE SUCCESS". Revolver Mag. 26 June 2010. Retrieved 11 October 2022.
  6. ↑ "Avenged Sevenfold "Waking the Fallen" Album Review". Paul's Awesome World. January 27, 2012. Archived from the original on July 12, 2012.
  7. ↑ "AS I LAY DYING, AVENGED SEVENFOLD, MADBALL Featured On 'Metal=Life' Compilation". Blabbermouth . November 17, 2005. Retrieved 4 April 2023.
  8. ↑ "Avenged Sevenfold prepare to shoot video". Lambgoat. 30 November 2003. Retrieved 26 October 2022.
  9. ↑ "Avenged Sevenfold website". 2004-01-02. Archived from the original on 2004-01-02. Retrieved 2021-09-29.
  10. ↑ "The Story Behind The Song: Avenged Sevenfold's Unholy Confessions". Louder Sound. Metal Hammer. 5 March 2021. Retrieved 11 October 2022.
  11. ↑ "Avenged Sevenfold: Unholy Confessions". IMDb. Retrieved 16 April 2023.
  12. ↑ "FAN POLL: 5 BEST AVENGED SEVENFOLD SONGS". Revolver Mag. 5 February 2020. Retrieved 11 October 2022.
  13. ↑ Alderslade, Merlin (February 5, 2020). "The 20 best Avenged Sevenfold songs ever". Louder Sound . Retrieved March 23, 2022.
  14. ↑ Law, Sam (May 29, 2020). "The 20 greatest Avenged Sevenfold songs – ranked". Kerrang . Retrieved March 23, 2022.
  15. ↑ "Avenged Sevenfold – Unholy Confessions". discogs. Retrieved 11 October 2022.
  16. ↑ Waking the Fallen: Resurrected liner notes. Hopeless Records. 2014. p. 9.
  17. ↑ "American single certifications – Avenged Sevenfold – Unholy Confessions". Recording Industry Association of America . Retrieved March 19, 2021.
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