"St. James" is a song by American heavy metal band Avenged Sevenfold. The song is a tribute to the band's late drummer, The Rev, who died in December 2009. The song was released as a promotional single in 2013. It was featured on the deluxe edition of Hail to the King and the reissue of Diamonds in the Rough.
| "St. James" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Song by Avenged Sevenfold | ||||
| from the album Hail to the King & Diamonds in the Rough | ||||
| Released | August 27, 2013[1] | |||
| Recorded | 2012 – 2013 | |||
| Studio |
| |||
| Genre | Heavy metal | |||
| Length | 5:01 | |||
| Label | Warner Bros. | |||
| Songwriter(s) | ||||
| Producer(s) | Mike Elizondo | |||
| Avenged Sevenfold singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
Background
edit"St. James" was written about Jimmy "The Rev" Sullivan, who was the group's drummer from their inception until his untimely death on December 28, 2009.[2]
"St. James" was first included on the deluxe edition of Hail to the King in 2013.[3] The song was obtainable through a download code included with the album, and also featured the message, "'St. James' is the light to 'So Far Away’s' dark. 'St. James' is a celebration of Jimmy 'The Rev' Sullivan's heart and color and should be listened to with your favorite beverage!”[4]
On February 7, 2020, Avenged Sevenfold re-released their b-sides album "Diamonds in the Rough.[5] "St. James," along with 4 other tracks, were added to the release,[6] which would mark the first time the song had been available on general streaming.[7]
Personnel
editAvenged Sevenfold
- M. Shadows – lead vocals
- Zacky Vengeance – rhythm guitar, backing vocals
- Synyster Gates – lead guitar, backing vocals
- Johnny Christ – bass guitar, backing vocals
- Arin Ilejay – drums, percussion
Production
- Mike Elizondo – production
- Allen Wolfe – A&R
- Joanna Terrasi – A&R
- Brent Arrowood – assistant engineer
- Chris Sporleder – assistant engineer
- D.A. Frizell – illustrations, treatment
- Adam Hawkins – engineer
- Paul Suarez – pro-tools
- Cam Rackman – paintings, portraits
- Andy Wallace – mixer
- Bob Ludwig – mastering engineer
Charts
edit| Chart (2013) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| UK Rock and Metal[8] | 36 |
| US Rock Digital Song Sales (Billboard)[9] | 42 |
| US Hard Rock Digital Song Sales (Billboard)[10] | 2 |
References
edit- ^ "Avenged Sevenfold – St. James". Discogs. Retrieved April 13, 2023.
- ^ "MTV Newsroom". Newsroom.mtv.com. December 29, 2009. Archived from the original on October 23, 2011. Retrieved October 28, 2011.
- ^ Price, Jeremy (March 27, 2023). "10 most criminally underrated Avenged Sevenfold songs". Alternative Press. Retrieved April 13, 2023.
- ^ "REVIEW: AVENGED SEVENFOLD – HAIL TO THE KING (DELUXE EDITION)". New Transcendence. Retrieved April 13, 2023.
- ^ Munro, Scott (January 17, 2020). "Avenged Sevenfold to reissue 2008's Live In The LBC and Diamonds In The Rough". Louder Sound. Metal Hammer. Retrieved April 13, 2023.
- ^ "Album Review: Avenged Sevenfold - 'Diamonds In The Rough'". The Mic Magazine. March 20, 2020. Retrieved April 13, 2023.
- ^ Lee, William (February 7, 2020). "Avenged Sevenfold Go Digital With 'Diamonds In The Rough'". Anti Music. Retrieved April 13, 2023.
- ^ "Official Rock & Metal Singles Chart Top 40". Official Charts. Retrieved April 14, 2023.
- ^ "Rock Digital Song Sales". Billboard. September 13, 2014. Retrieved December 12, 2016.
- ^ "Hard Rock Digital Song Sales". Billboard. September 13, 2014. Retrieved December 12, 2016.