Metal giants Avenged Sevenfold have released a brand new version of a song from this year's critically acclaimed ...Life Is But A Dream album, We Love You, featuring Pussy Riot's Nadya Tolokonnikova on guest vocals and helping to raise awareness of the plight LGBTQ+ people are currently facing in Russia.
As well the song itself, now titled We Love You Moar, Avenged and Pussy Riot have teamed up to design a special and very limited edition balaclava, featuring the logos of both bands, that is available to buy online from the official Avenged Sevenfold website. Priced at $50 and only available for a limited run of 300, all proceeds from sales of the balaclava will go towards aiding the LGBTQ+ community in Russia's North Caucasus region.
“We collaborated with Nadya to create a custom balaclava with proceeds going to SOS North Caucasus," explain Avenged in a statement. "Limited to 300 – with each purchase you’ll be helping LGBTQ people facing mortal danger and persecution in the North Caucasus, Russia.”
The rights of people from the LGBTQ+ community in Russia have been of concern to human rights organisations for some time, with reports of illegal detentions and the torturing of gay and bisexual men in Chechnya emerging in recent years. Those looking for more information on the issue can visit the SOS North Caucasus website.
Listen to Avenged Sevenfold's new version of We Love You featuring Pussy Riot's Nadya Tolokonnikova below.
Earlier this year, Avenged Sevenfold frontman M Shadows explained to Metal Hammer that despite knowing it'd be a divisive move in terms of their fanbase, the band had no doubts about putting out an album as experiment and off the wall as ...Life Is But A Dream.
“I want to make an impact. I want to make bold art”, he said. “I think after people get used to it, it won’t be so crazy. And then it’ll be like, ‘Well, what’s next?’ That’s the journey we’re all on.”
The band have been touring the album through much of the year, most recently stopping off at Aftershock Festival in California yesterday (Thursday, October 5).
