I Won't See You Tonight
{{Infobox song
| name = I Won't See You Tonight
| alt =
| type = song
| artist = Avenged Sevenfold
| album = Waking the Fallen
| released = August 26, 2003
| recorded = April – June 2003{{Cite web|date=2003-06-24|title=Avenged Sevenfold website|url=http://www.avengedsevenfold.com/|access-date=2021-09-29|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20030624121346/http://www.avengedsevenfold.com/|archive-date=June 24, 2003}}
| studio = * Third Stone, Hollywood, California
- Mates Inc, Hollywood, California
| venue =
| genre = {{hlist|Metalcore{{cite web|url=https://www.sputnikmusic.com/review/59561/Avenged-Sevenfold-Waking-the-Fallen/|publisher=sputnikmusic.com|title=Avenged Sevenfold — Waking the Fallen|access-date=2017-10-25}}}}
| length =
- 8:59 (Part 1)
- 4:45 (Part 2)
| label = Hopeless
| writer = Avenged Sevenfold
| producer = * Mudrock
- Fred Archambault
| tracks = {{Hidden
| title = 12 tracks
| text =
- "Waking the Fallen"
- "Unholy Confessions"
- "Chapter Four"
- "Remenissions"
- "Desecrate Through Reverence"
- "Eternal Rest"
- "Second Heartbeat"
- "Radiant Eclipse"
- "I Won't See You Tonight Part 1"
- "I Won't See You Tonight Part 2"
- "Clairvoyant Disease"
- "And All Things Will End
}}
}}
"I Won't See You Tonight" is a two-part song by American heavy metal band Avenged Sevenfold. The songs appeared on their second studio album, Waking the Fallen, as tracks 9 and 10 respectively. The song peaked at #2 on the overall US song sales chart in 2014.
Composition
The first portion, "I Won't See You Tonight Part 1" is a power ballad,{{cite web |last1=M |first1=Jordan |title=Review: Avenged Sevenfold - Waking the Fallen {{!}} Sputnikmusic |url=https://www.sputnikmusic.com/review/64041/Avenged-Sevenfold-Waking-the-Fallen/ |publisher=sputnikmusic.com |access-date=March 3, 2020 |date=August 30, 2014}}{{cite web |title=16 GREAT NON-HAIR-METAL POWER BALLADS |url=https://www.revolvermag.com/music/16-great-non-hair-metal-power-ballads#avenged-sevenfold-i-wont-see-you-tonight-pt-1 |website=Revolver Mag |access-date=7 October 2022}} while "I Won't See You Tonight Part 2" is much faster, and more in line with the metalcore sound the band played in their early days.{{cite web |title=Waking the Fallen Songs Ranked |url=https://returnofrock.com/waking-the-fallen-songs-ranked/ |website=Return of Rock |access-date=1 October 2022 |date=October 4, 2021}} The Rev's drumming on (Part 2) was reportedly inspired by the work of drummer Paul Bostaph from Slayer.{{cite web |title=KERRANG!’S 101 SECRETS BEHIND THE SONGS: AVENGED SEVENFOLD’S "I WON'T SEE YOU TONIGHT PART 2." |url=https://avengedsevenfold.com/fan-news/kerrangs-101-secrets-behind-the-songs-avenged-sevenfolds-i-wont-see-you-tonight-part-2/ |website=AvengedSevenfold.com |access-date=1 October 2022 |date=April 24, 2016}}
The song's lyrical matter was inspired by the band's former bassist Justin Sane. Around August 2001, Sane attempted suicide by drinking excessive amounts of cough syrup.{{cite web |url=http://www.mtv.com/news/1478017/thursday-avenged-sevenfold-poison-the-well-take-action-against-suicide/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200927191900/http://www.mtv.com/news/1478017/thursday-avenged-sevenfold-poison-the-well-take-action-against-suicide/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=September 27, 2020 |publisher= mtv.com |title=Thursday, Avenged Sevenfold, Poison The Well Take Action Against Suicide |access-date=June 9, 2021 }} During Sane's hospitalization, he remained in poor condition and had to leave the band. In an interview, lead singer M. Shadows said of Sane that "he perma-fried his brain and was in a mental institution for a long time, and when you have someone in your band who does that, it ruins everything that's going on all around you, and it makes you want to do something to prevent it from happening to other people."
Critical reception
In 2021, Return of Rock ranked the song(s) at number 19 on its list of the 20 greatest Avenged Sevenfold songs.{{cite web |title=Avenged Sevenfold Songs Ranked |url=https://returnofrock.com/avenged-sevenfold-songs-ranked/ |website=Return of Rock |access-date=1 October 2022}} It was also features on Revolver's list of the best non-hair metal power-ballads. It was described on the latter list as "the most powerful (ballad) in (the band's) repertoire."
Charts
| class="wikitable sortable" |
| Chart (2014)
! Peak |
|---|
| US Hot Singles Sales (Billboard){{cite magazine |url=http://www.billboard.com/biz/charts/2014-09-13/hot-singles-sales |title=Hot Singles Sales: September 13, 2014 |magazine=Billboard |accessdate=December 12, 2016 |date=September 13, 2014 }}
| style="text-align:center;"|2 |
Personnel
Credits are adapted from the album's liner notes.{{cite book|title=Waking the Fallen: Resurrected liner notes|year=2014|publisher=Hopeless Records|pages=9}}
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Avenged Sevenfold
- M. Shadows – lead vocals
- Zacky Vengeance – rhythm guitar
- The Rev – drums
- Synyster Gates – lead guitar, piano
- Johnny Christ – bass guitar
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Production
- Andrew Murdock – producer, mixing engineer
- Fred Archambault – co-producer
- THE GATEKEEPERS - recording
- Ai Fujisaki – assistant engineer
- Tom Baker – mastering engineer
- Mike Fasano, Bruce Jacoby, Al Pahanish – drum tech
- Stephen Ferrara – guitar tech
- Scott Gilman – orchestral arrangements and performance
- Larry Jacobson Company – manegment
- Ryan Harlacher – booking
- Scott Bradford – legal representation
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