6 takeaways from M. Shadows of Avenged Sevenfold’s Artist Friendly interview

Ahead of their eighth studio album, Life Is But A Dream…, Avenged Sevenfold frontman M. Shadows stopped by the Artist Friendly podcast for an unforgettable episode. Though the band’s new record is a focal point of his conversation with Joel Madden, the duo ended up getting into a deeper conversation about their own philosophies, religion, and what drives them to create great art. Essentially, it’s a wild episode from start to finish, and it’s available now wherever you listen to podcasts. Avenged Sevenfold also appear on the cover of AP’s summer issue.

Read more: 10 most criminally underrated Avenged Sevenfold songs

Before you dive into the new episode, we rounded up some takeaways from their conversation. Check them out below.

Avenged Sevenfold have a higher standard of music

Across eight studio albums, Avenged Sevenfold have stayed true to their own way of doing things — and creating their own timeline. Shadows believes artists should make a record because they’re “bursting at the seams” to put it out, rather than getting trapped into the mindset that it’s just what they should do when they get off tour. “It even bleeds into the fans because it’s gotten so far to where [they] would rather just be handed some crap. How are you even grading music? It all has to be requestioned, in my opinion. It starts with bands that can be in a position like us to lead the way,” he asserts. Whether it’s getting involved in blockchain or waiting years to release their next album, A7X have certainly set a good example.

Wes Lang designed the album cover for Life Is But A Dream… spontaneously

From creating the album artwork for the Grateful Dead’s box set Spring 1990 to designing Kanye West’s Yeezus tour merchandise, Shadows says Wes Lang has built a “timeliness culture.” So of course he wanted the acclaimed artist to craft the cover for Avenged Sevenfold’s new record. After asking Lang several times and getting turned down, Shadows stopped pressing him. “One day he hits me up — and I’ve been sending him demos of the record — and he’s got like five things. He sends a picture, and he’s like, ‘Did this for the album.’ Then he keeps sending them. He knocked them all out in two or three days,” Shadows recalls on the podcast.

100 gecs are Shadows’ latest favorite band

Shadows is constantly inspired by new music and says there are records that are “blowing [his] mind.” They’re even encouraging him to get back into the studio. His latest favorite? 10,000 gecs by hyperpop duo (and former AP cover stars) 100 gecs. “I put on [10,000 gecs], and I was like, ‘This is like my brain on fireworks.’ But it’s done so well. As somebody who puts music together, I’m like, ‘This is not what’s on the surface,’” he tells Madden. It evoked a similar feeling when he first heard Kanye West’s Yeezus and Weezer’s Pinkerton, as well.

Shadows remains a positive and empathetic person

Though he looks formidable from a distance, cast your judgments aside. Shadows is an incredibly friendly, positive, and empathetic person who thinks great art takes time, so don’t be too hard on yourself. “You have one shot at this, and it’s OK to fail every time. As long as you’re doing something and you feel good about it, it’s OK. No one is comfortable enough in their own skin where they can judge you,” he says on the podcast. He also has compassion for those who haven’t found their way yet. “If you don’t have the ambition to get up and go do something, you need to forgive yourself first, realize you are what you are, and then find the thing that makes you happy,” he urges.

He believes there’s no real purpose to life

Shadows has spent most of his life reading books, but one of the most impactful is Albert Camus’ 1942 novella The Stranger. Ultimately, he believes there’s no purpose to life — and that’s not a bad thing. “Once you realize that, then you’ve unlocked all the doors because now you can do whatever you want,” he explains on the podcast, reveling in the freedom of that philosophy. “I don’t believe morals are given to us by a higher being. I believe people are inherently good, and I don’t need someone to tell me what’s right and wrong. I can feel it just by how I would want to be treated.”

Avenged Sevenfold’s single “Nobody” is inspired by a DMT experience

Throughout the podcast episode, it’s clear that Shadows is driven by curiosity. So naturally, that’s led him to experiment with DMT — and the experience informed their new album’s lead single “Nobody.” “A lot of the philosophy that I believe in is that there is no you. That’s what ‘Nobody’ is about — there’s no you. You are one with the whole universe now. God might have his hands around the whole universe, but at that point, you’re in an ocean,” Shadows explains. While he says experiencing ego death was “scary,” it was clearly worth it, as it led to the creation of an epic first preview of their new record.