Losing a member of a band can be devastating, and in many circumstances can lead to a group’s demise. When James Sullivan (better known as The Rev) was found dead on Dec. 28, 2009, Avenged Sevenfold found themselves at a crossroads.

The heavy metal band could have taken the route the legendary rockers of Led Zeppelin took after the untimely death of their star drummer and contributing songwriter, John Bonham, and disband. Or they could pull through and keep making music. Sevenfold chose the latter and about 8 months after The Rev’s death, they released their fifth studio album, “Nightmare.”

“Nightmare” is certainly a somber and dark record, with themes of death and despair being prominent in nearly every one of the album’s 11 tracks. The lead single and title track opens the record with heavy guitars and hard-hitting drums provided by The Rev’s stand in, Mike Portnoy (of Dream Theater). The title-track, along with “Welcome to the Family,” features a Metallica-esque, heavy metal sound that will be loved by metal heads and avid Guitar Hero fans.

“Nightmare” consists of several face-melting guitar solos that are featured on a majority of the album’s tracks. The stellar solo in “Danger Line” carries an otherwise forgettable song. And the opening riff in “Buried Alive” is one of the standout moments, musically, of the album.

Lyrically, “Nightmare” is very hit and miss. For every thoughtful and vulnerable lyric such as, “Much has changed since the last time, and I feel a little less certain now,” there are several lyrical duds. On “Danger Line,” lead singer M. Shadows screams, “Nothing shocks you like a bullet hole …  suffering no man ever should know,” which comes off sounding like something written in an angsty preteen’s personal diary.

Shadows and company are at their best on songs like “So Far Away,” which is softer, more emotional, and one of the most sincere songs on the album. The quietest moment on the 60-plus minute album is one of the most interesting. The quiet acoustic guitar is a nice break from the heavy distorted guitar and screaming, and allows the band to show their true feelings for their fallen friend.

The following track, “God Hates Us All,” is a complete change in direction however. The soft guitar played in the opening and ending of the song is the only interesting aspect of the track because the rest is, as the opening lyrics say, a “total nightmare.” The heavy up-beat guitars and screaming is loud and without direction. The track is easily the worst track on the album, and the chuckle-worthy lyrics almost seem satirical, with lines like “Liar, rape, kill, love, hate, fear.”

Luckily, the band bounces back quickly with another standout track, “Victim.” With one of the best choruses on the record, Shadows claims that “we are all just victims of a crime.”

The album’s most emotional and powerful track, which is also the last song the Rev ever wrote, is the climactic “Fiction.” The song opens with an eerie rolling piano, played by the Rev. The track also features haunting vocals provided by the late-drummer which almost sounds like he’s speaking to the group from his grave when he sings, “I hope you’ll find your own way when I’m not with you.”

The almost tear-jerking song sounds like a dialogue between the Rev and his band mates as Shadows sings, “So tell everybody, the ones who walked beside me, I know you’ll find your own way when I’m not with you tonight.”

The album closes with the near 11-minute long epic “Save Me.” With stadium-sized sounding drums and heavily distorted guitars, it ends the album on a musical high. But as a conclusion to a very dark album, it leaves the listener with a sense of despair and hopelessness with lyrics like, “Tonight we all die young.”

While there are a fair amount of flaws on the record, “Nightmare” effectively puts the listener in the mind of the members of Avenged Sevenfold, as they are dealing with the tragic death of their friend and band mate. 

“Nightmare” is definitely a must-listen for any metal or heavy rock fan, as it is already considered by many to be one of the group’s finest offerings. While there are certainly a handful of records that music listeners not familiar with metal can enjoy, much of the record may not appeal to them.