Credit: Found On Internet

This European tour has been absolutely awesome," declares guitarist Zacky Vengeance of Californian hardcore rockers Avenged Sevenfold, currently chatting on a cell phone backstage at the Astoria.

"It's been great to come back here and see how much our audiences have grown since last time. I mean, last time was just like this promotional tour and now, it's really kicked off."

That last time was some six months ago, prior to their major label debut City of Evil on Warner Bros. Records. An album of outright effervescent aggressive hooks and religious lyrical imagery (sin, fire, death, suicide, heaven, hell and blazing guitar solo's). Though released in the States mid last year, Warners UK picked up on the record some time later and the band have been putting in the leg work with this tour, a fact which has Vengeance particularly pleased.

"Oh man, I love it. The UK isn't like anywhere else. It's a cool place. The fans have been really great too. I mean this why we do it, it's for the fans."

Avenged Sevenfold formed over seven years ago, spearheaded by fronton M. Shadows in Orange County, California and influenced by the usual diet of Iron Maiden, Pantera and Metallica. After tweaking the line-up over the years, the band released two independent records before finding themselves signed to a major label and realising that they could be possibly destined for greatness. Total Request Live went crazy with their Hunter S. Thompson inspired Bat Country, and it soon became an MTV staple.

"It was incredible when we got picked up," Vengeance confirms of the MTV rotation. "I mean, me and Shadows started this band when we were teenagers, and from day one, we knew this is what we were gonna be doing for the rest of our lives. It never crossed my mind that it could ever dissipate or dissolve and that's why I think we're still here. We've always believed in ourselves."

Certainly going by the many A7X websites the band has clocked up all over the Internet - the fans also believe. A number of sites show just how hardcore some of their fans are as they argue over Shadows real name (Matt Saunders) and how they scored on their A7X online quiz. For the record this journalist took the Avenged Sevenfold test and the results reveal I am most like the band's frontman. It reads: Your voice is soothing during your melodies and raging and powerful during your screaming. I report this to Vengeance, who laughs "I had no idea there is such a quiz but hey, nothing wrong with that!"