Afterlife (Avenged Sevenfold song)

"Afterlife"
Single by Avenged Sevenfold
from the album Avenged Sevenfold
Released	January 29, 2008
Format	Digital download, CD single
Recorded	2007 at Sunset Sound Recorders in Los Angeles, California, Eldorado Recording Studios, and Burbank & Capitol Studios in Hollywood, California
Genre	Heavy metal, hard rock
Length	5:54 4:01 (radio edit)
Label	Warner Bros.
Writer(s)	The Rev
Producer	Avenged Sevenfold
Avenged Sevenfold singles chronology
"Almost Easy" (2007) "Afterlife" (2008) "Crossroads" (2008)

"Afterlife" is a song by American heavy metal band Avenged Sevenfold. The song is released as the third single from their self-titled album. The song itself features a string orchestra and was written by the band's drummer, The Rev. It was voted the best song of the new album on the band's homepage. The single and a live-action music video were released in early 2008.

The music video is directed by Wayne Isham who has shot videos for bands like Bon Jovi, Judas Priest and Mötley Crüe. As a side note, in the album version, there are violin parts in the intro and later in the song, both of which are cut out of the video, along with the bridge of the song, which features The Rev's vocals.

The song is available as downlodable content for Rock Band and Guitar Hero 5, and is featured in the video game NHL 09.

Music video

The music video (legally released on March 12 by Avenged Sevenfold and Warner Bros.) consists of the band performing, on a small stage and shows clips of M. Shadows running, Zacky Vengeance ballroom dancing, Synyster Gates in a candle-lit room with a skull in his hand, symbolic of the play Hamlet, Johnny Christ holding and then releasing several pigeons but they were portrayed as doves, and The Rev lying down with a tarantula crawling across his face and body. The intro, prior to the band coming in, is cut out of the music video, as well as the bridge of the song with a portion of the solo. The removal of this content took the length of the song down to 4:02 long. Parts of the song were also removed in the Beast and the Harlot and Bat Country music videos.

Lyrical meaning

The song is about a man who dies early and finds himself in heaven. Upon entering, he realizes that he has too many things to do on Earth, and to go back and make it right he has to escape from the afterlife. (This part was mentioned by Zacky Vengeance in the "Making of 'Afterlife'" video) In years since the death of The Rev, fans have discovered the irony in that Jimmy wrote the song, being in the position he is now.

Formats and track listings

1. Afterlife [Album Version]
2. Critical Acclaim [Live version] [Live In Hollywood]

Chart positions

This is so far the highest charting single released after the first singles from both albums, Bat Country and Almost Easy, by charting in the top 20 on both rock charts.

Chart (2008)	Peak position
Billboard Mainstream Rock Tracks	11
Billboard Modern Rock Tracks	20
UK Rock Chart	1

Personnel

Avenged Sevenfold

• M. Shadows - lead vocals
• Synyster Gates - lead guitar, backing vocals
• Zacky Vengeance - rhythm guitar, backing vocals
• Johnny Christ - bass
• The Rev - drums, backing vocals, strings