Listen to a synthwave version of Avenged Sevenfold’s (O)rdinary, officially endorsed by the band

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All The Damn Vampires’ synthy reimagining of one Life Is But A Dream… track has received Avenged Sevenfold’s blessing

Avenged Sevenfold
(Image credit: Press/Brian Catelle)

A synthwave reimagining of the Avenged Sevenfold song (O)rdinary has been released and received an official endorsement from the band.

The track – which first appeared on the California metal outfit’s 2023 album, Life Is But A Dream… – was reworked by Los Angeles-based electro/dance project All The Damn Vampires.

In its original form, (O)rdinary was an avant-garde funk piece with electronic elements. All The Damn Vampires’ take retains the vocals of frontman M. Shadows and some of the guitar, but quickly moves into more ’80s-style synth-rock territory.

Avenged Sevenfold have promoted the redo on social media, writing: “I wanna be the human you be…. (O)rdinary synthwave edition by All The Damn Vampires out now on all streaming services.”

All The Damn Vampires was started in 2019 by musician Davey Oberlin. The project’s Bandcamp promotes it as “a synth lovers dream” and says, “With strong emphasis on nostalgia, chill inducing guitar leads, and webs of neon bliss. This modern synthpop act creates a cinematic and mesmerizing aesthetic vibe.”

Oberlin has also performed as the touring keyboardist for nu metal pioneers Korn. He previously collaborated with Avenged Sevenfold by handling the sound design on the band’s 2014 video game, Hail To The King: Deathbat.

Avenged Sevenfold released Life Is But A Dream…, their long-awaited followup to 2016’s The Stage, last year. The album received critical acclaim, with Metal Hammer’s Dave Everley awarding it a 9/10.

Everley wrote in his review: “Yes, Life Is But A Dream… is indulgent. Of course it is. A lot of people won’t want to come along for the ride, and how this stuff is going to fit alongside their older material live is anyone’s guess.

“But Avenged Sevenfold have scaled the mountain and looked out over all that surrounds them, then plunged headfirst into the void, not knowing where, when or even if they’ll land. What kind of madness is this? The very best kind.”

Avenged Sevenfold will headline Download festival in Donington, UK, in June, alongside Queens Of The Stone Age and Fall Out Boy. The set will mark their first British show since 2017.

Matt Mills
Matt Mills
Contributing Editor, Metal Hammer

Louder’s resident Gojira obsessive was still at uni when he joined the team in 2017. Since then, Matt’s become a regular in Prog and Metal Hammer, at his happiest when interviewing the most forward-thinking artists heavy music can muster. He’s got bylines in The Guardian, The Telegraph, NME, Guitar and many others, too. When he’s not writing, you’ll probably find him skydiving, scuba diving or coasteering.