Avenged Sevenfold frontman M. Shadows has defended his decision to record a video message for two Israeli hostages, describing the gesture as purely humanitarian rather than political.
As per Rolling Stone, the controversy emerged after Shadows sent a personal welcome-home message to Evyatar David and Guy Gilboa-Dalal, who were released after two years in captivity.
Gilboa-Dalal, who was 22 when kidnapped on October 7th, 2023, is reportedly a devoted fan of the metal band. During his imprisonment in Gaza, he credited Avenged Sevenfold’s music with helping him endure the psychological challenges of captivity. Upon learning of their release, Shadows recorded a brief message stating, “So excited to hear you are home. The things you guys have been through are unspeakable, terrible.”
The video, initially intended for a private viewing audience of two, drew criticism from various quarters once released publicly. “It’s not something that I’m going to worry about; I know that it’s the right thing to do,” Shadows explained. “To me, that video is just a human doing something for another human. It’s not making a political stance.”
The Huntington Beach native revealed that the situation held personal significance beyond fan appreciation. Two cousins whom the band had met during previous performances in Israel were killed on October 7th, making the tragedy particularly resonant for the band. “Again, it wasn’t anything political. It was two girls that we know — sweet, innocent people,” Shadows noted.
Despite facing backlash from both supporters and critics of various political positions, Shadows maintained his stance. “I heard from Jewish people in the music community, and from a lot of fans in Indonesia and Malaysia, places where we do well that are much more Muslim-dominant, who are extremely disappointed,” he acknowledged. However, he emphasised that the band’s approach has consistently been humanitarian across different cultures and religions.
The controversy comes as Avenged Sevenfold enter a new phase of complete independence after two decades with Warner Bros. Records. Shadows expressed optimism about this transition, describing it as “extremely liberating” and noting that the current music landscape creates “a fair system” based on artistic merit and direct fan engagement rather than traditional label machinery.
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The band, with over 11 million monthly Spotify listeners, have previously performed for military personnel during the Gulf War and have toured extensively across the Middle East, including Iraq, Kuwait, and Abu Dhabi. Shadows emphasised their commitment to performing “for every human that wants to come to our shows,” regardless of political affiliations.
