Buckcherry and Avenged Sevenfold

You've got to hand it to Avenged Sevenfold. Bands like Nickleback have proven that you can rule rock radio by releasing the same song over and over again. Yet the Huntington Beach combo also known as A7X has made a career out of thwarting expectations. Last year's self-titled fourth album was the swerviest curveball of all, a dozen-strong set of anthems that encompasses every corner of modern rock. The band bridges the chasm between viscous metalcore and Staind-style balladry and weaves in influences from Pantera to electronica. They're so much better than Buckcherry and Shinedown, with whom they'll share the stage with Sunday at the Schott.