JOHNNY CHRIST On AVENGED SEVENFOLD's Upcoming Tour: 'We're Going Balls Out Even More Than We Were Before'

In a new interview with Pablo of the Minneapolis, Minnesota radio station 93X, AVENGED SEVENFOLD bassist Johnny Christ spoke about the band's tour in support of its upcoming album "Life Is But A Dream…", which is set to arrive on June 2 via Warner. Regarding what fans can expect to see on the trek, Johnny said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "It's kind of been an overarching thing that we've thrown around in this camp is just to… We don't wanna keep doing stuff unless we're doing it right — with bold thoughtful intent. But mostly bold. And this entire album has that theme written all over it, the mantra that we've been taking in for the last several years.

"It's interesting 'cause… If you said this to our fanbase, they'd be, like, 'Weren't you guys already pretty bold and fearless?' It's, like, yes, but there's levels to that. And at this point in our lives, with family and everything, we've just taken perspective on what's really important to us and if we wanna continue to do this stuff, which we do, and we did come to that conclusion," he explained. "We're going balls out even more than we were before. And I'm really excited to do this.

"At this point I've seen the renderings of what the stage is gonna look like and what we're gonna be pulling off… We're in rehearsal right now just as a band, but in two or three weeks we start production rehearsals for that upcoming tour," Johnny added. "And I cannot wait to actually be in an arena and be practicing with that stage."

Asked if he is feeling at all anxious about getting back on stage for the first time in five years, Johnny said: "I wanna say it's all excitement, and I think it's all excitement right now, but sometimes you internalize anxiety that way. At this point we're still not up there — I still haven't stepped foot on the first stage that we're gonna be doing in five years. But I can tell you if I conceptualize it, if I think about it, I'm fucking ecstatic. I'm excited. I'm ready to go. I've been playing stay-at-home dad for too long. I'm ready to get back out there."

Earlier this month, AVENGED SEVENFOLD announced the second leg of its extensive "Life is But A Dream…" North American tour featuring support from FALLING IN REVERSE. Produced by Live Nation, leg two includes stops in Nashville, Denver, Austin, and more before concluding at Fort Worth's Dickies Arena on October 15. Fans will have the opportunity to hear the group's first single in seven years, "Nobody", and their new album "Life Is But A Dream…" for the first time live during the 30-show outing.

The first leg with support from ALEXISONFIRE includes thirteen cities across the U.S. and Canada, such as Mansfield, Québec City, Tinley Park, Calgary, and more. The group kicks off their 2023 solo touring run with two unique one-night-only arena shows in New York and Los Angeles this June.

AVENGED SEVENFOLD has kept a low profile since 2018. A blood blister on singer M. Shadows's vocal cords forced the band to cancel a tour that year with PROPHETS OF RAGE and THREE DAYS GRACE.

Written and recorded over the span of four years, "Life Is But a Dream..." was inspired by the writing and philosophy of Albert Camus. Accordingly, the lyrics are rooted in existentialism and absurdism.

To date, AVENGED SEVENFOLD has sold over 10 million albums worldwide and earned two consecutive No. 1 albums on Billboard's Top 200 Albums chart (2010's "Nightmare" and 2013's "Hail To The King") to go along with over a billion video views and a billion-plus Spotify streams, as well as multiple No. 1 singles on rock radio. The band is equally known for their spectacular live shows, selling out arenas and headlining the world's most prestigious rock festivals.