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M. Shadows mini-bio: 
Matthew aka M. Shadows in his youth had a reputation for disorderly misbehavior. he's saiad that "I was in between a good kid and a terrible kid - I had a good heart, but a terrible attitude." Hewas expelled from middle school in the eighth grade attended Huntington beach High. When the band was just starting out he was the darker soul so to speak and therefore the reason of his stage name. Matt used to play piano and as he got older started to play guitar. He listened to alot of punk Like the Misfits and H2O. After seeing Guns n Roses on Headbanger's ball his father boughthis Their album Appetite for Distruction. The founding member, song writer & lead vocalist of Avenged Sevenfold while he was still in high School played in the punk band Successful Failure in which A7X drummer The Rev was slotted to play but was admittidly too good. While in Successful Failure he penned the song Streets and would later be recorded on avenged Sevenfold's first album Sounding the Seventh Trumpet which was a metalcore sound and mostly scremed vocals. THe scream singing decreaed with each Avenged Sevenfold that came out evolving as the Band matured.
Matt formed A7X in 1999 Along with High School friends, Zachy Vengeance, The Rev & Matt Wendt. Not long after that Teh Rev's friend and Pinkly Smooth bandmate Syn Gates joined. The band's name Avenged Sevenfold (tho' not a religious band) came from a biblical reference in the book of Genesis and was Chosen over the Lips of Deceit; yet another Biblical Reference. (I wonder what the name of the band would have been if even each of the guys brought in one name each.)
M. Shadows (or as some fans call him Shads) said in an interview he chose his stange Name M. Shadows because he thought of himself as "the darker character in the group. The M. in place of his First name Matthew; to which he did not want in his stage name because of the way it sounded. He also adds that the band chose stage names because some of the bands & musicians that influenced them were successful took stage names Like Slash (formerly of Guns -n- Roses and The Ege from U2)
Matt has mentioned that his singing influences and performing style are of classic metal like Guns -n- Roses, which is his biggest influence. He commented in an interview that "He loves that band" and are a huge reason why he's even a band and writes music himself. Metallica, Megadeath & Pantera are also big influences and the reason why Avenged Sevenfold try to include a classic metal sound. Matt having very close friends in the military strongly supports our troops over seas. Song's like M.I.A., Gunslinger (tho' it can be for anyone away from home missing their familie's) and Danger Line are all for about that. While Critcal Acclaim off the self-tited album can be interpreted as an attack to those who criticize the soldiers overseas in Iraq.
While Matt started out screaming on their first album sounding the seventh Trumpet, as evolved to just singing, which while recording Waking the Fallen told Manager Larry Jacobson it would be half scream and half singing but The next album (City of evil) will be all singing. The screaming style gradually decreased in later albums into more conventional clean singing and had been almost completely jettisoned except some screamed backing vocals. Some think Matt's admitted throat surgery is what keeps him from the old scream singing.. Where in the past he'd sing all the parts of a song during live shows, which helped with the rumors he was no longer able to scream or growl. Possibly becoming fed up with the claims, Shads has resumed the Scream tactics during live shows which can be seen on the LIVE @ the LBC DVD in which he does a 5 to 7 second long scream in almost all the songs, as wel as does some screamed vocals in Second Heartbeat and unholy Confessions. Matt needed the throat surgery because if he said he was popping the vessels in his throat each night and the doctor said if it keeps up he'woldn't even be able to talk.
M. Shadows has even made guest appearances working with other musicians.
- Synyster Gates and M. Shadows worked on Good Charlotte's song and Music Video 'The River'
- Syn & his Dad wrote & recorded The PIE song to the Jeff Dunham Show
- The pair also worked on Bleeding Through's "Savior, Saint, Salvation" also featuring (feat. M. Shadows and Synyster Gates of Avenged Sevenfold)
- Syn has also worked on Burn Halo's Dirty Little Girl & Anejo tracks on The bands's Debut Self Titled album
M.Shadows produced The Confession's 2007 album which is a step that lead Avenged Sevenfold to produce their self-titled album . - In 2007 Shadows was also featured on the Confession's song The End is near as well as the following:
- Cowboy Troy's song Buffalo Stampede Cowboy Troy's MySpace
- Kisses for King's Like Always with Tony Lovato, formerly from Mest. Official KFK MySpace
- Steel Panther's "Turn Out the Lights," off of the album Feel the Steel
- Matt Shadows has also worked on (Former Guns n Roses Guitarist) Slash's self titled solo album on the track Nothing To say
- Then the Dirty Little Head 's song Check the Level (remix) with Slash
- on Hell or Highwater song Go Alone on the album Begin Again (due out August 9th 2011)
| VITAL STATS | | Eye color: Hazel | | Height: 6'1" | | Nickname(s): M. Shadows Shadz | | Notable feature(s): check out the notables on this page http://www.flixster.com/actor/avenged-sevenfold | | Education: | Family:
Wife- Valary DiBenedetto
Dog- Bella
Dad =Gary,
Mom=Kim
Younger sis named Amy | | Resides in: | | Religious affiliations: | | Political affiliation: | Personal interests/hobbies:mixed martial arts, jujitsu, Core Performance, classic American muscle cars
| | Charities/Causes: | | Other: | | |
