Jonah Bayer

If nothing else, You Know Who You Are illustrates that while Nada Surf would be the first group to admit it doesn’t have all the answers, it’s finally on the right track.

What’s undeniable is that moments from Sunbather will resonate long after the pointless babble has died down, proving that sometimes the greatest beauty can only be found in the face of chaos.

The Empyrean ultimately proves that if things don't work out with his main gig, Frusciante has a healthy, slap bass-free career ahead.

We’re still not sure how four Caucasian Columbia University alumni can make music this authentic, but hopefully it will start a movement that extends far beyond Vampire Weekend’s penchant for bongos.

In the end, Avenged Sevenfold is so all over the map musically and lyrically, it’s difficult to decipher whether it’s pure genius or the most convoluted mess of music you’ll hear all year. Either way, we’re banking that if Dick Cheney has an iPod, Avenged Sevenfold will be at the top of his playlist.