Avenged Sevenfold has announced that they are now a fully independent band after purchasing back the master recordings and rights to their 2016 album “The Stage” from Capitol Records, as reported on Instagram.
The band’s announcement detailed their newfound independence and the significance of reclaiming their work from nearly a decade ago.
“We are excited to announce that we have purchased back the master recordings and rights to The Stage, The Stage (Deluxe Edition) and Live at the Grammy Museum from Capitol Records,” the band said. “We want to bring this to your attention because you may need to re-add to your playlists if it doesn’t appear on your streaming services. Also, our Deluxe Edition now includes our Live from Capitol Records Rooftop 4-song performance.”
The band emphasized the milestone nature of this achievement after more than two decades in the music industry.
“After 26 years, Avenged Sevenfold is now a fully independent band. The Stage is now a part of that independence,” they continued. “It’s an album that tackled AI, political and social critique, simulation theory and existentialism in 2016. All things that seem to be even more significant this day and age.”
The band also included plans for the album’s upcoming anniversary and fan rewards in their announcement.
“We are aware the 10 year anniversary is coming up and are looking forward to that. For now, we are going to turn on double streaming points for Deathbat Rewards users throughout the week,” they added. “If you haven’t signed up yet, please do so at the link in our bio.”
This independence follows the completion of their deal with Warner after the release of their album “Life Is But A Dream…” in June 2023.
This move represents a significant shift in the band’s business strategy and reflects their desire for greater creative control. Blabbermouth reported that the band’s independence comes after completing their deal with Warner following the release cycle for “Life Is But A Dream…”
Singer M. Shadows has previously expressed the band’s philosophy regarding their future release strategy, emphasizing flexibility over traditional label constraints. “We wanna make music whenever we want, put it out, we wanna surprise-release things if we want, we wanna do this and that,” he stated, highlighting the band’s desire for creative freedom.
The vocalist also indicated that the band would approach future projects with a flexible business model rather than committing to one specific arrangement. “What we’re gonna do is just make the best deal we can for where we’re at. So, maybe [we’ll be] independent, maybe not,” he explained, suggesting the band will evaluate each project individually.
Lambgoat noted that this development fits into a broader industry trend where established rock and metal acts are increasingly reclaiming master recordings and ending traditional label relationships. For veteran bands like Avenged Sevenfold, owning masters provides greater control over reissues, deluxe editions, licensing opportunities, and catalog revenue.
The band’s decision to regain control of “The Stage” is particularly significant given the album’s thematic relevance to current times. Chaoszine highlighted that the 2016 release tackled subjects including artificial intelligence, political and social critique, simulation theory, and existentialism – topics that have become increasingly prominent in contemporary discourse.
