Zacky Vengeance: 'If It Wasn't For Our Fans There Would Not Be Avenged Sevenfold'

Avenged Sevenfold guitarist Zacky Vengeance tells AOL's Noisecreep that when the band's drummer, Jimmy "The Rev" Sullivan, passed away last year, the group was finished. "When we called each other and got the call that Jimmy had died, literally it all ended right there," Vengeance, whose real name is Zachary Baker, says. "Everything we've ever known as human beings, everything we've ever known as a band, changes at that moment, and you can't think clearly. You can't see anything, you can't talk, you can't make any sense of anything. It was just done. You don't care about music, there's just nothing."

As to what changed their minds, Zacky says, "I can honestly tell you if it wasn't for our fans, there would not be Avenged Sevenfold right now. The fans would send in hundreds and thousands of letters, and they'd make books begging us to keep going and thanking us for what we have done and honoring Jimmy. They held vigils all over the world. . . If it wasn't for them, we certainly wouldn't have had the strength to get back there and basically walk through the fire at the hardest time in our life."

Avenged Sevenfold recently tapped famed video director Wayne Isham to helm the clip for the band's new single, "Nightmare".

Wayne Isham, 52, is an American movie director who has directed music videos of many popular artists such as Metallica, Mötley Crüe, Simple Plan, Pantera, 'N Sync, Shania Twain, Godsmack, Britney Spears, Leona Lewis, Pink Floyd, Sheryl Crow, Joss Stone, Madonna, Avril Lavigne, Def Leppard and Bon Jovi, among others.

"Nightmare" was the No. 1 most added track at Active Rock radio in the United States last month. It was also the No. 1 rock song on iTunes in the United States, selling over 23,666 units in its first day. Additionally, in the United Kingdom, "Nightmare" was the No. 1 rock song on iTunes. On the band's official web site, "Nightmare" premiered via a YouTube "lyric" Video that received over 275,000 plays in 24 hours.

The band will co-headline this summer's Uproar Festival tour with Disturbed, starting on August 17 in Minneapolis.

Avenged Sevenfold Drummer's Death Caused By 'Accidental Drug Overdose'

The death of Avenged Sevenfold member Jimmy Owen Sullivan was caused by an accidental drug overdose.

The drummer, nicknamed The Rev, passed away on December 28 2009 at his home in southern California at the age of 28.

At first Sullivan's death was ruled as inconclusive, but now according to Rolling Stone, toxicology reports suggest he suffered "acute polydrug intoxication due to the combined effects of Oxycodone, Oxymorphone, Diazepam/Nordiazepam and ethanol."

Meanwhile, Orange County Deputy Coroner Mitchell Sigal revealed that Sullivan also had an enlarged heart, which was marked in the coroner's report as a "significant condition", and may have played a role in the drummer's death.

"To all of us who loved Jimmy, the only thing relevant about December 28 is that is the night we lost, too soon, a son, brother, friend and one of the most talented artists in the world," the band's manager Larry Jacobson said about the ruling. "Every day, his parents and sisters, and his brothers in Avenged Sevenfold smile at the many memories they have of Jimmy and his fans around the world revel in the musical legacy he left them."

Avenged Sevenfold decided to carry on as band following Sullivan's death, recruiting Dream Theater's Mike Portnoy to tour with the group this summer.

Jimmy “The Rev” Sullivan Wins In “Modern Drummer” 2010 Readers Poll

Every year, Modern Drummer Magazine asks their readers to vote for their favorite drummers, and every year Pro-Mark artists are at the top of the list! Congrats to the following Pro-Mark artists for being voted the best of the best by those who matter most - the fans!

ROCK
Runners Up:
Barry Kerch
Todd Sucherman

METAL
Winner:
Jimmy “The Rev” Sullivan
Runners Up:
Joey Jordison
Chris Adler

PROG
Runners Up:
Mike Portnoy
Jimmy “The Rev” Sullivan
Neil Peart

COUNTRY
Winner:
Rich Redmond
Runner Up:
David Northrup

UP & COMING
Runners Up:
Joe Rickard
Steven Spence

PERCUSSIONIST
Runner Up:
Pete Lockett

CLINICIAN
Winner:
Rich Redmond
Runners Up:
David Northrup
Todd Sucherman

EDUCATIONAL PACKAGE
Runners Up:
Methods & Mechanics (DVD) by Todd Sucherman
The Language Of Drumming (DVD) by Benny Greb

RECORDED PERFORMANCE
Winner:
Rich Redmond Wide Open (Jason Aldean)
Runners Up:
Jimmy “The Rev” Sullivan Live In The LBC (CD/DVD) (Avenged Sevenfold)
Barry Kerch The Sight Of Madness (DVD) (Shinedown)
Carter Beauford Big Whiskey & The GrooGrux King (Dave Matthews Band)