Fiction by Avenged Sevenfold

Album: Nightmare (2010)

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This track was written by the band's drummer Jimmy "The Rev" Sullivan three days before he was found dead on December 28, 2009, making it the last song ever to be written by The Rev. It was originally titled "Death."

Vocalist M. Shadows told Kerrang! the words proved eerily prophetic. "He wrote all these lyrics about finding the way when he's not there any more," the frontman said. "It was as though he knew he wasn't going to be with us much longer."
The song features the deceased drummer singing as it was decided The Rev's demo vocals should be kept on the track as a tribute to him.
This is also the only Avenged Sevenfold song to have no guitar.
Former Dream Theater percussionist Mike Portnoy, who filled in for 'The Rev' after his death, discussed this track with Modern Drummer: "This track is one-thousand-percent Jimmy. I don't know if I would have played the drum parts that way - I would have done less. It's such a strange heartfelt song for those guys. The original demo had Jimmy playing piano and drums and singing. When I tracked the song, I played along to his demo. The band played all the other tracks with me, but this was just me and the Rev playing a duet."

Comments: 13

Maeve from IrelandR.I.P The Rev, today 14 years ago... This song f--ks me up hard to listen to :(
Branden from Orange Park, FlRev is one of the best drummers that has ever existed in A7X he is and always will be forgotten forever!
Branden from Orange Park, FlRip rev!!! They played this song live at Rockville...A7x4life!
Steve Psolka from PittstonWho was singing at beginning of fiction was that m shadows I think the Rev was only In one part.
Alex from Charlotte, NcIt was changed from "Death" to fiction because Jimmy always said his life was like fiction and had the word tattooed in his stomach.@Gary He didn't start writing the song until the recording process of Nightmare, however he could have used some of the instrumental in previous writing. Also he didn't have cancer, he had a heart disease that caused his heart to continue growing until eventually it would rupture and cause a painful death. They were not expecting him to live past 30. Also it didn't help the situation that he was a rock star, meaning lots of drugs and alcohol on top of his various heart medications.
Alex from St. Catharines, Onsong still gives me chills every single time i hear it, very erie that it was finished just 3 days before jimmy's death
foREVer
Cheyenne from Prentice, WiThe Rev was a great man and made a wounderful kick ass drummer for a great band and he will be missed alot. ~ foREVer.
Joclyn from Lovelock, NvRIP 'The Rev' he was an amazing drummer! I am so honored to have the opertunity to listen to music that he was apart of A7X will never be the same without him :)
Gary from Rensselaer, NyThis song was origionally written back in the early 2000's by the rev for Pinkly Smooth but never finished it until 3 days before his death also @ Jairo the rev didnt have a great personal life because at one time he lived in the laundromat he worked at and he also was kicked out of several schools as a child. also the cancer could be a possiblilty from exessive drinking
Jairo from Summerville, Sc@Blake, Well at the time he had a big problem with drugs. And idk about his personal life, but it doesnt seem it was the best one because of the begging lyrics (Now i think i understand, how this world can overcome a man). and maybe he knew something no one did, like possibly cancer (I'm saying this because of the lyrics "Not that i can or that i would, let it burn, under my skin, let it burn) I'm just guessing on this one. But there had to be a reason for it.
Blake from Vacaville, Cayeah. makes sense.. and the fact that the songs working title was "Death", written almost completely by Jimmy alone, its kinda eerie.. would he have any motives for killing himself at such a time?
Robin from Svenljunga, Sweden@Levi I totally agree with you. If you think of it as a suicide note and then listen to it, every single piece of the text fits
Levi from Ephraim, UtIt seems to me to be a suicide note. RIP REV

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