Avenged Sevenfold - Nightmare

Double LP pressed on transparent blue vinyl

The album Nightmare by the heavy metal band Avenged Sevenfold on blue vinyl double LP. A bittersweet album of both success and tragedy, Nightmare was the band's first album to reach No. 1 on the charts, ultimately reaching gold record status for sales in both the U.S. and U.K.. Yet, despite the overnight success, the album was always underpinned by the tragedy that it was built upon.

This is because, for fans worldwide, the release of Nightmare signified something more than a new release, it was a homage to the band's renowned drummer, The Rev.

Initially designed as a progressive concept album, the drummer was credited with writing much of Nightmare. However, after accidentally overdosing in the wake of an ongoing heart condition, the death of The Rev back in December 2009 meant that the band were almost ready to call it quits.

Coming to a consensus, Avenged Sevenfold eventually decided to persevere with the album — following the demos meticulously and bringing in the drummer's biggest influence, Dream Theater's Mike Portnoy to record the drums.

Originally inspired by Pink Floyd's The Wall, the band scrapped the idea of a concept album and made it more personal to them. Deciding not to rewrite Nightmare, the lyrics were instead switched to make the songs a homage to the life of The Rev.

No longer a hybrid of thrash and classic metal, Nightmare quickly became the band's most emotional and mature album to date, allowing them to explore new territory and develop the unmistakable and distinctive sound that they're known for today. With songs such as "So Far Away" and "Save Me" dedicated to the passing member, Nightmare instantly became a fan-favorite; highly regarded as the most sombre and heartfelt sound that the band had ever captured.

Retaining demo-tracks with vocals recorded by The Rev, the album brought fans closer to the members for the first time — allowing them to pay a tribute to the beloved member as the band ventured down a new avenue.