Bat Country

"Bat Country" is a song by American heavy metal band Avenged Sevenfold, released in August 2005 as the second single from their third album, City of Evil. Avenged Sevenfold won 'Best New Artist Video' at the 2006 MTV Video Music Awards for "Bat Country" and on May 4, 2021, the single was certified platinum by the RIAA.[5] For these reasons, "Bat Country" is often believed to be the band's most commercially successful song.

"Bat Country"
Single by Avenged Sevenfold
from the album City of Evil
ReleasedAugust 9, 2005[1]
RecordedJanuary 1 – April 18, 2005[2][3]
Studio
  • The Hobby Shop (Los Angeles)
  • Ocean Way (Hollywood)
GenreHeavy metal
Length
  • 5:13 (album version)
  • 4:11 (radio edit)
LabelWarner
Songwriter(s)
[4]
Producer(s)
Avenged Sevenfold singles chronology
"Burn It Down"
(2005)		 "Bat Country"
(2005)		 "Beast and the Harlot"
(2006)
Audio sample
  • file
  • help

Background and content

The song's main influence comes from Hunter S. Thompson's 1971 novel Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, with the title itself being a direct quote from the book in which Raoul Duke (the alter-ego pseudonym of Thompson) is on his way to Las Vegas while being affected by various drugs. The character hallucinated huge bats and manta rays in the sky, and gasps to his companion Dr. Gonzo, "We can't stop here. This is bat country."

The following quote, also included at the beginning of Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, is referred to twice throughout the song (at the beginning and the bridge before the last chorus) and is shown at the beginning of the music video.

"He who makes a beast of himself gets rid of the pain of being a man." – Samuel Johnson

Also referenced in the song is a lyric derived from the final words spoken about Dr. Gonzo at the end of the film adaptation. The lyric is used at the end of the second breakdown of the song, as the final lyric of the song.

"There he goes. One of God's own prototypes. A high-powered mutant of some kind never even considered for mass production. Too weird to live, and too rare to die." – Raoul Duke

Shortly after the writing of the song, Thompson committed suicide.[6]

Chart performance

Throughout 2008, "Bat Country" was in the top 40 of the UK Rock Chart,[7] and shared the chart with up to three of the band's other songs (including but not limited to: Afterlife, Burn It Down and Dear God).[8] The song was on and off the charts throughout 2008, and eventually peaked at number 9 in December of that year.[9]

Track listing
CD[10]
No.TitleLength
1."Bat Country"5:13
2."Beast and the Harlot (Live from the Warped Tour)"6:08
3."Bat Country (Music Video)" 

Legacy

The song was ranked at number 20 on Loudwire's Top 21st Century Hard Rock Songs.[11] It also was rated as number 9 on Ultimate Guitar's list of Top 25 Best Songs With Guitar Duels.[12] In 2020, Louder Sound and Kerrang! both rated it as the fifth greatest Avenged Sevenfold song.[13][14]

Charts

Certifications
Region CertificationCertified units/sales
United States (RIAA)[5] Platinum 1,000,000‡

‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Personnel

Personnel listing as adapted from album liner notes.[20]

References
  1. "FMQB Airplay Archive: Modern Rock". Friday Morning Quarterback Album Report, Incorporated. Archived from the original on March 22, 2013. Retrieved July 7, 2021.
  2. "Avenged Sevenfold website". 2004-12-30. Archived from the original on December 30, 2004. Retrieved 2021-09-16.
  3. "News". Avenged Sevenfold.com. 18 April 2005. Archived from the original on 25 April 2005. Retrieved 26 April 2023.
  4. Matthew Sanders; Jonathan Seward (6 June 2019). "Avenged Sevenfold Presents Breakdown: Bat Country - Part 01 of 02". YouTube. Retrieved 20 April 2023.
  5. "American single certifications – Avenged Sevenfold – Bat Country". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved April 26, 2023.
  6. Wiederhorn, Jon. "Avenged Sevenfold Salute Dimebag, Shun Metalcore On 'Evil'". MTV News. MTV. Retrieved 28 October 2022.
  7. "Official Rock & Metal Singles Chart Top 40". Official Charts. 30 March 2008. Retrieved 19 April 2023.
  8. "Official Rock & Metal Singles Chart Top 40". Official Charts. Retrieved 19 April 2023.
  9. "Official Rock & Metal Singles Chart Top 40". Official Charts. 28 December 2008. Retrieved 19 April 2023.
  10. "Avenged Sevenfold – Bat Country". Discogs. Retrieved 12 October 2022.
  11. "No. 20: Avenged Sevenfold, 'Bat Country' – Top 21st Century Hard Rock Songs". Loudwire.
  12. "Friday Top: 25 Best Songs With Guitar Duels - Music News @ Ultimate-Guitar.Com". Retrieved 11 March 2017.
  13. Alderslade, Merlin (February 5, 2020). "The 20 best Avenged Sevenfold songs ever". Louder Sound. Retrieved March 29, 2022.
  14. Law, Sam (May 29, 2020). "The 20 greatest Avenged Sevenfold songs – ranked". Kerrang. Retrieved March 29, 2022.
  15. "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved April 26, 2023.
  16. "Official Rock & Metal Singles Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved April 26, 2023.
  17. "Avenged Sevenfold Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved April 26, 2023.
  18. "Avenged Sevenfold Chart History (Alternative Airplay)". Billboard. Retrieved April 26, 2023.
  19. "Avenged Sevenfold Chart History (Mainstream Rock)". Billboard. Retrieved April 26, 2023.
  20. City of Evil liner notes. Warner Bros. Records. 2005. pp. 4, 10, 11.
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