by Andrew Leahey


Live in the LBC and Diamonds in the Rough is a two-disc CD/DVD combo released during Avenged Sevenfold''s 2008 tour. Peppered with unreleased rarities and covers (including a muscular version of Pantera''s "Walk"), the audio disc mostly caters to the band''s established audience. The accompanying DVD, however, captures the group in all its debauched glory, combining Mötley Crüe-styled theatrics with alt-metal muscle. Scantily clad women gyrate on-stage while the bandmates churn through a greatest-hits set list, with "Critical Acclaim," "Afterlife," "Seize the Day," and "Scream" all making appearances. The band''s dual guitar solos are executed with precision, and frontman M. Shadows is in fine voice here (ironically, Avenged Sevenfold ultimately canceled a slew of shows several months later due to strain on Shadows'' throat). Flashy, confident, and decidedly R-rated, the DVD makes this package a worthy purchase for most Avenged Sevenfold fanatics.