Not Ready to Die
Encyclopedia
"Not Ready to Die" is a song by the American heavy metal
band Avenged Sevenfold
, featured on the soundtrack to the 2010 video game Call of Duty: Black Ops
, on the Zombie map "Call of the Dead". Recorded by the band in April 2011, the song was released as the lead single
from the album on 2 May 2011. The song is available to purchase as a digital download
from iTunes. "Not Ready to Die" marks the first release recorded with drummer Arin Ilejay
. In an interview with Revolver
, M. Shadows
says the song was completely inspired by the game, which he is a big fan of.
In the song, which is also featured on the game's zombie expansion map "Call of the Dead", the band's lyrics are of defiance, power and survival, themes that run throughout the widely popular first-person shooter game. In fact, one of the lines in the song is specifically referencing the game.
The song is also notable for featuring a strong return back to their metalcore
roots, as there is a heavier use of breakdowns and screamed vocals.
Charts, they are now #70, #1 on UK Rock Chart
s and #126 on UK Singles Chart
s.
Heavy metal music
Heavy metal is a genre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s, largely in the Midlands of the United Kingdom and the United States...
band Avenged Sevenfold
Avenged Sevenfold
Avenged Sevenfold is an American heavy metal band from Huntington Beach, California. Formed in 1999, the group consists of vocalist M. Shadows, lead guitarist Synyster Gates, rhythm guitarist Zacky Vengeance, bassist Johnny Christ....
, featured on the soundtrack to the 2010 video game Call of Duty: Black Ops
Call of Duty: Black Ops
Call of Duty: Black Ops is a first-person shooter video game developed by Treyarch, published by Activision and released worldwide on November 9, for Microsoft Windows, Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, Wii consoles, with a separate version for Nintendo DS developed by n-Space. Announced on April 30, 2010,...
, on the Zombie map "Call of the Dead". Recorded by the band in April 2011, the song was released as the lead single
Lead single
A lead single is usually the first single released by a musician or a band before the release of its home album.During the era of the grammophone record, all music arrived in the marketplace as what is now termed a single, one potential hit song backed by an additional song of generally less...
from the album on 2 May 2011. The song is available to purchase as a digital download
Music download
A music download is the transferral of music from an Internet-facing computer or website to a user's local computer. This term encompasses both legal downloads and downloads of copyright material without permission or payment...
from iTunes. "Not Ready to Die" marks the first release recorded with drummer Arin Ilejay
Arin Ilejay
Arin Ilejay is a drummer who is currently playing for the American metal band Avenged Sevenfold as their new supporting drummer...
. In an interview with Revolver
Revolver (magazine)
Revolver is a bi-monthly rock and heavy metal magazine published by Future US. Before covering heavy metal, rock & hard rock solely, it was a more mainstream oriented magazine. The magazine is structured in a manner similar to publications such as Spin while covering many avenues within the heavy...
, M. Shadows
M. Shadows
Matthew Charles Sanders , better known by his stage name M. Shadows, is the lead vocalist, songwriter, and founding member for the American metal band Avenged Sevenfold.-Early life and musical beginnings:...
says the song was completely inspired by the game, which he is a big fan of.
In the song, which is also featured on the game's zombie expansion map "Call of the Dead", the band's lyrics are of defiance, power and survival, themes that run throughout the widely popular first-person shooter game. In fact, one of the lines in the song is specifically referencing the game.
The song is also notable for featuring a strong return back to their metalcore
Metalcore
Metalcore is a subgenre of heavy metal combining various elements of extreme metal and hardcore punk. The name is a portmanteau of the names of the two genres. The term took on its current meaning in the mid-1990s, describing bands such as Earth Crisis, Deadguy and Integrity...
roots, as there is a heavier use of breakdowns and screamed vocals.
Reception
On U.S. Billboard Hot 100Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
Charts, they are now #70, #1 on UK Rock Chart
UK Rock Chart
The UK Rock Chart usually refers to the Top 40 Rock Singles and the Top 40 Rock Albums Chart compiled by the Official Charts Company from physical record sales in British retail outlets with larger than average genrespecific sales....
s and #126 on UK Singles Chart
UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
s.
Chart position
| Chart | Peak |
|---|---|
| US Billboard Hot 100 Billboard Hot 100 The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday... |
70 |
| UK Rock Chart UK Rock Chart The UK Rock Chart usually refers to the Top 40 Rock Singles and the Top 40 Rock Albums Chart compiled by the Official Charts Company from physical record sales in British retail outlets with larger than average genrespecific sales.... |
1 |
| UK Single Chart | 126 |
Personnel
Avenged Sevenfold- M. ShadowsM. ShadowsMatthew Charles Sanders , better known by his stage name M. Shadows, is the lead vocalist, songwriter, and founding member for the American metal band Avenged Sevenfold.-Early life and musical beginnings:...
— lead vocals, keyboardsKeyboard instrumentA keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments... - Synyster GatesSynyster GatesBrian Elwin Haner, Jr. , better known by his stage name Synyster Gates or simply Syn, is an American musician, best known for being the lead guitarist of the American heavy metal band Avenged Sevenfold.-Early life:...
— lead guitarLead guitarLead guitar is a guitar part which plays melody lines, instrumental fill passages, guitar solos, and occasionally, some riffs within a song structure...
, backing vocals - Zacky VengeanceZacky VengeanceZachary James Baker, better known by his stage name Zacky Vengeance, is the rhythm guitarist and backing vocalist for the American metal/rock band Avenged Sevenfold.-Biography:...
— rhythm guitarRhythm guitarRhythm guitar is a technique and rôle that performs a combination of two functions: to provide all or part of the rhythmic pulse in conjunction with singers or other instruments; and to provide all or part of the harmony, ie. the chords, where a chord is a group of notes played together...
, backing vocals - Johnny ChristJohnny ChristJonathan Lewis Seward, , better known by his stage name Johnny Christ, is the bassist of the American heavy metal band Avenged Sevenfold. Johnny was the fourth bassist to join Avenged Sevenfold in 2002, replacing former members Matt Wendt, Justin Sane, and Dameon Ash...
— bassBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick.... - Arin IlejayArin IlejayArin Ilejay is a drummer who is currently playing for the American metal band Avenged Sevenfold as their new supporting drummer...
- drums, percussion