when did avenged sevenfold release their first album
Avenged Sevenfold Before the release of their debut album, the band recorded two demos in 1999 and 2000.[7][8] In mid-2001, it was reported that Meacham had attempted suicide[9] by drinking excessive amounts of cough syrup.[10] The attempt affected the band's Take Action Tour.[9] During his hospitalization he remained in poor condition and was replaced by Dameon Ash.[10] In an interview, lead singer M. Shadows said of Meacham that "he perma-fried his brain and was in a mental institution for a long time, and when you have someone in your band who does that, it ruins everything that's going on all around you, and it makes you want to do something to prevent it from happening to other people."[10] Avenged Sevenfold's debut album, Sounding the Seventh Trumpet, was recorded when the band members were in their late teens and still in high school. It was originally released on their first label, Good Life Recordings in 2001.[11] When lead guitarist Synyster Gates joined the band after the album was released, the introductory track "To End the Rapture" was re-recorded featuring a full band element. The album was subsequently re-released on Hopeless Records in 2002. The band started to receive recognition, performing with bands such as Mushroomhead and Shadows Fall and playing on the Take Action Tour.[12][13]