Avenged Sevenfold

Avenged Sevenfold came together in Huntington Beach, California in 1999. The band took their name from a story in the book of Genesis in The Bible about the brothers Cain and Abel. ("But the Lord said to him, therefore whoever slayeth Cain, vengeance shall be taken on him sevenfold.")

The members of Avenged Sevenfold were still in high school when they recorded their first album, Sounding the Seventh Trumpet, in 1999. The album was re-released on Hopeless Records in 2002.

On December 28, 2009, Avenged Sevenfold drummer James "The Rev" Sullivan was found dead in his home. He died due to heart failure brought on by a combination of several prescription drugs. After his death, Avenged Sevenfold considered disbanding. In February 2010, the band announced they had decided to continue making music and that they had begun recording new material with Dream Theatre drummer Mike Portnoy.