Avenged Sevenfold, also known as A7X, is an American heavy metal band formed in 1999 in Huntington Beach, California. The group features vocalist M Shadows, rhythm guitarist Zacky Vengeance, lead guitarist Synyster Gates, bassist Johnny Christ, and drummer Brooks Wackerman. Renowned for their evolving sound and striking visual style, Avenged Sevenfold began with a metalcore approach on early albums but soon transitioned to a more classic heavy metal and progressive style with releases like City of Evil and The Stage. Their music is marked by experimentation, ranging from hard rock tributes to conceptual and experimental records. With over eight million albums sold worldwide and multiple platinum awards, A7X have achieved mainstream success, including several chart-topping albums such as Nightmare and Hail to the King. The band is also recognized for their contributions to the Call of Duty: Black Ops series and continues to push creative boundaries in modern metal.