Avenged Sevenfold’s “The Stage” Video Was Inspired by “The Sound of Music”

Credit: Jeff ForneyWhen Avenged Sevenfold unleashed their new single "The Stage," the title track from the band's new album, last month, they also dropped an evocative music video, which used puppets to depict the violent history of humanity. As guitarist Zacky Vengeance explains in a behind-the-scenes clip, the idea for "The Stage" video came from an unexpected place: The Sound of Music.

"Especially with the unique time that we're going through in our country, in our world, I kept thinking about The Sound of Music," Vengeance says. "Being such a crucial time in history, during the occupation of Austria and World War II, and how life was good, and it quickly got bad. A story of trying to teach people of love and music and happiness, at the same time, the ugly side of humanity and war."

In particular, Vengeance was inspired by the scene in The Sound of Music film when the von Trapp children perform a marionette show.

"Something that really stuck out about that movie is the puppet scene," Vengeance says. "I thought, 'Wouldn't it be great to do a music video that showed the dark side of humanity, and used puppets to do so?'"

The Stage is out now.

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