Chris Harris at RollingStone.com recently caught up with AVENGED SEVENFOLD Zacky Vengeance to discuss the band's new album, Nightmare, and the death of drummer Jimmy "The Rev" Sullivan in December 2009. An excerpt from the story is available below:

"We knew the music was incredible and we were just really excited... maybe too excited," Vengeance says, adding that the band was having an incredible year before Sullivan's death. "Talking about the future and everything and how this album was just going to take over — we learned a lesson real quick that everything can change in a second. The world has a funny way of working."

The band struggled with intense emotions after the Rev died, but Vengeance says he doesn't think there's anything any of the bandmates could have done to prevent Sullivan's sudden passing. "Jimmy was just a magical person," says Vengeance. "He was always the most eccentric, most exciting friend that we ever had. He was the kid in high school that all the other kids dressed up as for Halloween. He really only truly lived for his friends, his family, and all of our fans. As far as warning signs or anything like that, you can never see something like that coming. That guy wasn't meant to grow old. He didn't want responsibility. I don't think it could have been any other way, to be honest."

Go to this location for the complete story.

Nightmare is now available for digital pre-order on iTunes. The digital deluxe LP version contains the exclusive non-album bonus track 'Lost It All'. Pre-order here. UK fans can pre-order here.

iTunes deluxe edition includes:

- Full Nightmare album (digital)
- Bonus track – 'Lost It All'
- Exclusive photos
- 'Nightmare' music video
- Behind the scenes footage from 'Nightmare' music video shoot
- Written treatment for 'Nightmare' music video
- 'Nightmare' lyric video
- Audio interview with album producer, Mike Elizondo
- Type-set lyrics with hand-written notes for bonus track, 'Lost It All'
- Sketches of album art concept

Avenged Sevenfold will release Nightmare on July 27th via Warner Bros. Records. A limited edition Book Of Nightmares will also be available. Complete details and pre-order info for the limited edition can be found at this location.

Nightmare (artwork at left, click to enlarge) will feature the following tracklisting:

'Nightmare'

'Welcome To The Family'

'Danger Line'

'Buried Alive'

'Natural Born Killer'

'So Far Away'

'God Hates Us'

'Victim'

'Tonight The World Dies'

'Fiction'

'Save Me'