“I’m a bit of a troublemaker,” says Avenged Sevenfold frontman M. Shadows. The self-described atheist is referencing the reaction to a video message he recorded for Israeli hostages Evyatar David and Guy Gilboa-Dalal, welcoming the two men home after two years in captivity. Gilboa-Dalal, who was 22 when kidnapped by terrorists on Oct. 7, 2023, is a diehard fan of the band, noting after his return that their music carried him through some difficult days in Gaza, where a war against Hamas played out overhead as darkness and isolation threatened below — potentially ending his life at any moment.

Shadows’ message — “So excited to hear you are home. The things you guys have been through are unspeakable, terrible,” said the Huntington Beach, Calif. native — was not political in nature and int

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