Avenged Sevenfold is an American heavy metal band from Huntington Beach, California formed in the year 1999. Over the years, they have creatively altered their sound. Their first album, Sounding the Seventh Trumpet, went a metalcore direction, and so did their second album, Waking the Fallen. However, they went to a much heavier style on their third album, City of Evil. The band continued to explore new styles on their fourth self-titled album and fifth album, Nightmare. On their sixth album, Hail to the King, they did a homage to the sounds of the classic bands that inspired them such as Metallica, Megadeth and Iron Maiden, among others. And finally for their seventh album, The Stage, they went in a progressive metal direction with heavy thrash metal and slight black metal influences.