“I was talking to my dad about the stuff he grew up listening to, and 'Operation: Mindcrime' is a record that he had always talked about around the house. He always talked about it as the 'greatest concept album of all time.' One day, I started listening to it, and it just hit me. I was like, 'These songs are all hits. They're all huge songs.'”

American singer, lead vocalist and founding member of Avenged Sevenfold

M. Shadows, born Matthew Charles Sanders, is an American singer and the lead vocalist and founding member of the heavy metal band Avenged Sevenfold. He is known for fronting the group since its early days and for helping define its sound and public identity. His work is tied to heavy metal performance and the role of a modern frontman. In 2017, Ultimate Guitar ranked him third on its list of the Top 25 Greatest Modern Frontmen, reflecting his standing among contemporary rock vocalists.