Avenged Sevenfold have been in the studio working on their follow-up to 2016 album The Stage. During the summer, they released a statement which suggested that they're putting the finishing touches to their eighth full-length release.
They must have finished the album, surely, because what band would throw a horror-themed party for their fans, sink a load of booze and start tattooing their fans as though their skin was like a doodling pad?
We're looking at you, Synyster Gates.
As part of a Death Bats club get together, the band met with fans in California's Huntington Beach on October 29. Once the booze began to flow, the A7X guitarist kicked off a side hustle in tattooing willing fans.
Step forward one brave Avenged fan, who gave Gates permission to tattoo him ahead of the party.
"Texted weeks ago saying I wanted him to tattoo me," he tweeted. "Whatever he wanted, wherever. My name is Alex Cain He tattooed 'Awex Came' on my knuckles."
Frontman M. Shadows, however, seemed to take the whole experience a little more seriously, sitting down to ply his craft and wearing sterile gloves – a must in any tattoo shop.
Check out the duo's permanent handiwork in the photos and video clip below.
Texted @SynysterGates weeks ago saying I wanted him to tattoo me. Whatever he wanted, wherever.My name is Alex CainHe tattooed “Awex Came” on my knuckles pic.twitter.com/phEd5lMQcNOctober 31, 2022
When @SynysterGates tells you your first in line for #drunkInk, you go for it, but you spend the whole time hoping like hell he’s not gonna “owe you one” after he’s done. @DeathbatsClub #truth @jamie__london knows… pic.twitter.com/YTo2zgImIEOctober 30, 2022
Little tattoo session with @shadows_eth and @SynysterGates from last night's @DeathbatsClub horror night pic.twitter.com/GSL9nY3BStOctober 30, 2022
Yup lol 🤪 #drunkink@SynysterGates @DeathbatsClub pic.twitter.com/tujyJ4RJrBOctober 30, 2022
In other Avenged news, their bandmates – Zacky Vengeance, Johnny Christ and Brooks Wackerman – recently reconvened to pay tribute to the Misfits for the second time with a cover of Last Caress, taken from the New Jersey horror punks 1980 EP Beware.
The trio recorded a cover of Hybrid Moments in October 2021.