Avenged Sevenfold frontman M. Shadows has responded to the backlash he received for sending a video message to two freed Israeli hostages, defending the gesture as a “humanist approach” and “not making a political stance.” In a new interview with Rolling Stone, he also expressed his respect for Disturbed frontman David Draiman‘s more outspoken pro-Israel activism, while drawing a clear line between his own band’s philosophy and what he calls a more “militant” approach.
The controversy began last week after Shadows sent a personal video message to Evyatar David and Guy Gilboa-Dalal, two Israeli fans of the band who were recently released after being held hostage by Hamas for two years. The gesture was met with criticism from some who perceived it as a political statement in support of Israel.
“It’s not something that I’m going to worry about; I know that it’s the right thing to do,” Shadows told Rolling Stone. “To me, that video is just a human doing something for another human. It’s not making a political stance. It’s not sticking it in someone’s eye. It really is about two human beings that have been through hell. And if we can’t agree on that, it’s really hard to agree on anything.”
He acknowledged the difficulty of navigating such a divisive issue, stating that he’s heard from disappointed fans in Muslim-dominant countries, but that he refuses to live in fear of criticism. “But if you worry about that, then you’re just going to live your life scared and … in an untruthful sort of place,” he said. “It just seems unfair — [this idea that] ‘if you’re not on my side, then you’re an enemy.’ It’s really kind of gross.”
When asked about the more confrontational pro-Israel stance of his peer, David Draiman, whose actions have led to concert cancellations, Shadows offered a nuanced perspective, expressing respect while differentiating his own band’s approach.
“I really respect David, not just for where he stands, but that he believes in something and he’s full-force into it,” Shadows stated. He then clarified his own band’s philosophy: “Our whole thing is that we’re not some militant band that has this line in the sand. We want to play music for every human that wants to come to our shows.”
For Shadows, the conflict is also a personal one. “On October 7th, two cousins who we hung out with when we played in Israel, were, you know, m**dered. So the whole thing hit home hard,” he revealed.
He confirmed he has not yet spoken with the two freed fans but hopes to in the future. “I’ve not heard from them yet, but I’m sure we will play over there and do something for them,” he said.
