Avenged Sevenfold to release Black Reign EP on Friday

Avenged Sevenfold

Avenged Sevenfold have announced that they’ll release the Black Reign EP this coming Friday (September 21) via Warner Bros Records.

It’ll feature all four of their tracks that have been in Treyarch’s Call Of Duty: Black Ops video game series – including new single Mad Hatter, which launched yesterday and will appear on Call Of Duty: Black Ops 4, out on PlayStation 4, Xbox One and PC on October 12.

It’ll be joined on the digital EP by Not Ready To Die from Call Of Duty: Black Ops, Carry On from Call Of Duty: Black Ops II and Jade Helm from Call Of Duty: Black Ops III.

A7X vocalist M Shadows says: “Black Ops 4 looks insane and is something completely new for fans, so we felt that we should take a similar leap with the music and go for something bigger, darker and more cerebral.”

As for the inspiration behind Mad Hatter, Shadows adds: “Watching the initial trailers and looking at production sketches reminded me of the S-Town podcast and its main protagonist, John B. McLemore, who was rumoured to have suffered from mercury poisoning, or Mad Hatter disease. 

“The idea of Mad Hatter and what it does to the brain is as frightening as the images we were shown. So I decided that the lyrics would shadow McLemore’s life. The result is a thick-grooved song that’s dynamic and has a weightiness to it.”

Shadows continues: “We have a very deep relationship with the team at Treyarch. We’re proud to be part of the family and extremely excited for people to enjoy this next chapter and our contribution to it.”

News of the band working on material for Call Of Duty: Black Ops 4 first came to light earlier this year.

Call Of Duty: Black Ops 4

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The latest instalment in Activision's smash hit Call Of Duty series is set to fire its way on to PlayStation 4, Xbox One and PC in October. Don't miss out of what will be yet another explosive experience.

Scott Munro
Louder e-commerce editor

Scott has spent more than 30 years in newspapers, magazines and online as an editor, production editor, sub-editor, designer, writer and reviewer. Scott joined our news desk in the summer of 2014 before moving to the e-commerce team in 2020. Scott maintains Louder’s buyer’s guides, scouts out the best deals for music fans and reviews headphones, speakers, books and more. He's written more than 11,000 articles across Louder, Classic Rock, Metal Hammer and Prog and has previous written for publications including IGN, the Sunday Mirror, Daily Record and The Herald, covering everything from daily news and weekly features, to video games, travel and whisky. Scott's favourite bands are Fields Of The Nephilim, The Cure, New Model Army, All About Eve, The Mission, Cocteau Twins, Drab Majesty, Marillion and Rush.