I can't stress enough how much I love Brooks. Look at him! He is such a god-like drummer, he influenced Jimmy's work and now he's showing all of this respect for him, saying how much he enjoys playing what The Rev created because of how original and challenging it is. I mean... Dude, I freakin' hail Brooks Wackerman.

This series is phenomenal!! Absolutely loving it.

I love that you can see how much Syn genuinely cared about Jimmy. I bet he couldn't wait to make a whole video to brag about his best friend

I'd love to see Brooks talking about his part in Fermi Paradox. I think those drums are so weird and challenging like an art piece in itself.

I love at like 5:48 how syn is trying to match the beat and struggling and brooks is just doing it with his fingers like no big deal

Please breakdown the most underrated A7X song-Sidewinder!!

Brooks and the harlot

Gotta admit, at first I wasn't on-board with Brooks but after seeing his work on A7X as well as what Syn said at 2:35-2:37 ""He (The Rev) was influenced by you", I fully realize that Brooks is the perfect fit for this band, moving forward. On a side note, I would love it if for a future breakdown episode, they invite Portnoy to choose one song off Nightmare wherein he can talk about The Rev's demo

Love this series! I'd love to see Exist, Save Me, or Strength of the World.

Man, I miss The Rev :( Nice to see Brooks respect Jimmy's work so much! foREVer \m/

"You can correct me if I'm wrong". My God, syn was so humble asf

You gotta make of Save Me.

Keep 'em coming!

Let us all die peacefully and breakdown Fermi Paradox

Imagine if the rev kept evolving as a drummer up to today

5:57 “Bleeububaarhhhl” “y e a”

Love how Brooks talks about Jim's drumming, he respects the man

I love how knowledgeable Syn is about drums!

Pumped for this jimmy is why I started drumming. Absolutely blown away by his skills.

Oh my God that story about how Brooks first saw A7X and he was sitting behind Jimmy and saw how Jimmy executed the drum solo of this song is just sooooo wholesome!!!

Now we need a video of brooks breaking down the drum fills and playing them slowly so everyone can learn them 😵

It's so cool that The Rev still lives on through the tracks he left behind. It's like a little part of him is still here with us.

I always loved The Rev's foot work, so dynamic and controlled very furious.

Dude I was just thinking, Imagine if it was Jimmy breaking it all down for us... 😢😖 Also if it was Jimmy and Brian breaking it down, shit would’ve been funny as hell 😂🤣 but Huuuge respect and props to Brooks for helping break it down and helping out these guys, 🤟🏼 foREVer

I love that the first 4 tracks of City of Evil slide right into each other. The gap-less playback makes it so great.

I’d love to see a breakdown of MIA. Really underrated song.

Jimmy was just a mad fucking genius! To hear the admiration that Brooks has for Jimmy, is just warming.

I wish they would do a whole album breakdown of City of Evil. There are probably so many hidden gems throughout each song! Easily one of the best drumming albums ever. RIP the Rev!

Brooks solo in Tyre Kickin by Bad 4 Good was also insane. Especially considering he was like 13 when he recorded it. If anybody had to take over for the great Rev, I'm glad it was Brooks. He's phenomenal with them.

6:07 Brooks is giving Syn SERIOUS "fuck me" eyes

This is why The Rev is my favorite drummer. Very unique style. Miss him so much

4:48 the most freeform jazz metal solo EVER!!! Especially at .5x

I'm not even a drummer but the drums for this song are my absolute favorite

Man this episode kinda puts a "magnifying glass/ lens" into drum parts which NOW it's possible to appreciate even MORE, because we KNOW the STRUCTURE and TECHNIQUES behind it !!! THANKS GUYS !!!

Save Me, The Wicked End, or Sidewinder would be awesome to see, I love this series so far

Brooks is one of those people that don't say a lot, but when they do, everyone listens.

Jimmy was a backstreet boys fan? I love him even more now. Hahaha! Lots of love from Pakistan.

I come in to these videos and every time i learn multiple new things, I appreciate guys really big fan!

Let Johnny talk about his favorite bass riffs. Satisfy us bass playersssss

2006, I was 10. Saw Beast and The Harlot on KZfaq. Jimmy made me a drummer and musician instantly. Great song and the drums are a mix of all genres I love. Punk, black metal and rock n roll, all in one. It's also the day I was introduced to metal. \m/

"A Little Piece of Heaven" or their cover of "Wish You Were Here" would be awesome

I love how Jimmy busted his ass for them he didn’t care how much pain he was in he kept going and playing harder and more quicker he’s the one who made them who they are now without his skills and his pushing they’d never be where they are today blessed to say Jimmy was always working hard and helping them as well I love him for everything he has done and did for them foREVer

Brooks seems like such a calm relaxed dude to be around. He's so calm and yet so professional and so intuitive with what he says I could probably ask him about music for days and not get bored. Him and Brian are a perfect guitar and drummer relationship/combination.

This song has different styles, It sounds not too metal but It has a metal attitude and a gothic kind of feel, One of brilliant work!

that snare is tight! stands out in the mix

SAVE ME!

I love Brooks smile while listening to those drum parts!

I love Brooks Wackerman, he’s so good and extremly knowledgable.

I love the snare sound of this whole album

I can't imagine how proud and honoured Jimmy would be to see and hear Brooks talking incredible high of him ❤ As Syn said, Brooks was a big influence on Jimmy, to see his face with amazement just shows the talent of The Rev! I'm so happy that Brooks can be in this band now! They got their sound back 😊 Still to this day can't get over his passing, one of those losses that we will never get over ❤ This is incredible and I would love to hear a breakdown on so much more of his work 😊

I’m loving all of this breakdown content. If you’re ever up for it, I’d be totally happy to buy a compilation of all these on hard copy.

Love to see old a7x stuff again, and feels great to see Jimmy again, feels like he's still with us again :)

I would love to see Warmness On The Soul, To End The Rapture from Sounding The Seventh Trumpet and I won't see you tonight parts 1&2 from Waking the Fallen

I didn't know Brooks and The Rev had a connection before like being fans of each other until this video. Is there more on it?

im looking back on this video almost 2 years and im realizing that syn doesnt give a fuck, he keeps the hat on during recording.

2:03 3:28 Syn beatboxing lmaoo. ❤️

I’m so gifted to have seen jimmy live at warped tour 07...long live the king.

What a pleasure seeing these breakdowns! Thanks for making these videos!

A7X members are the most authentic and genuine men in the business. Learning a lot from this series. Hopefully, I'll produce an album one day.

Those combinations of 4 on the snare and kick drum are insane at that tempo. You have to do it PERFECTLY or it will sound awful. So amazing!

Brooks is such a class act.

Chapter 4 breaking down . ^___^

Nice pick brooks! We please need more Clips/videos of jimmy drumming! Jimmy was Backstreet Boys fan...! Simply amazing! 😂

love how Gates just lets the guitar n bass lines just run, and monitors Brooks face for signs of annoyance;) lol

It's so funny that Syn is such a monster guitar player, but is pretty in-dark like the rest of us as to how the fuck Jimmy actually did some of the things he did on drums. He is asking the exact same questions to Brooks that the rest of us non-drummers would be asking. It's cool to watch.

thankyou Syn for appreciating so many little details on the drums

Am I the only one who would love to see Brooks have his own series where he dissects Jimmy's drum parts for all the old songs, and teaches how to play the more intricate parts?? Brooks seems like he fully understands jimmy's intricacies behind the kit, and I know there's a lot of drummers who would want to know how to play like the rev. Just a thought, but it'd be cool to see happen.

I love the wooden snare sound on this album so much, especially combined with the tone of the kick drums

The Rev, Chester and Casey ugh I miss you guys Rest In Peace guys

Jimmy Sullivan is a masterpiece.

LONG LIVE JIMMY 🦇 ❤️

Blinded In Chains, Strength Of The World The Wicked End and Side Winder r underrated off this album, so it Trashed and Scattered

1:56 “little Wayne”

I love that Jimmy was listening to BSB. Brilliant!

6:07 it’s very satisfying to watch brooks do that, I keep replaying it lol😂

Would love a Trashed & Scattered breakdown love that song so much❤️

My absolute favorite session of magic within Avenged Sevenfold is back in 2009, when they were playing live in St. Louis and Syn did a 3 part solo. The first two parts were just some sick riffs, but the third part...that is where the magic happened. The solo started out, haunting and beautiful with a mellow and hypnotic trance-like feel to it, then, it reached higher notes before descending back down its musical slope until, out of nowhere, the Rev picked up on it and immediately started playing alongside Syn with an energy very similar to Beast And The Harlot, kind of all over the place, a little rough, but it fit so fucking well. It was about a minute and a half or so of beautiful bliss transcending into pure unadulterated metal insanity. It blows my mind every time I hear it.

Watching this 4 years later again and I’m so glad they did this. Also, Syn defs picked this song.. 😂

Seize the Day breakdown would be the best (my favorite song)

I think we all know that Syn is, in fact, not happy Brooks picked this song 😂

Thank you so much for this...do more Rev breakdowns plz...The Rev is the greatest drummer ever...so amazing and missed so much

1:04 Reminds me of Phil Collins In The Air Tonight drum fill. 😆

This is the most I've ever heard Synyster Gates speak

Fantastic break down videos! City was my first A7x album after getting Bat Country stuck in my head from flippin Dodge commercials lol. I put the cd in, and heard the intro to Beast and the Harlot for the first time, and it legit scared me! Now, it is still my very favorite A7x song, if not my favorite song from anybody!

Forever he will be my fav drummer. Props to Brooks, he's an absolute monster and you can tell he studied the crap out of Jimmy's work!

SAVE ME! We need it!!

Please bring Brooks on for more drum talk as you can often hear Jimmy's crazy drumming but when you can listen to bars and bars and really soak it in it can't not make you wish you could give Jimmy a big hug and thank him for showing everyone what musical drumming can sound like.

Fenomenal

These are awesome! Love seeing old footage of the Rev 💯

Absolutely love this series it brings out all the unnoticeable parts in your music!

Syn's dad is an awesome dude, he is incredibly proud of his son. Both are really talented musicians (obviously) and everytime I see Syn break things down, I feel so musically dumb. I just know great music when I hear...had no clue how they made it.

As a fan, not getting to know him as a friend or brother like the band did, my greatest sadness in losing the rev is that he was a truly perfect drummer, and I believe we can only count on one hand at max the perfect, zero-holes-skilled drummers in the industry today. His music will stand for centuries as a testament to his mastery of not just speed but songwriting and dexterous technique

One of my favorite A7X songs.

I like that they're as obsessed with the Rev as the fans are.

Unholy confessions breakdown pls ;-

Syn: Thanks I love that you picked this song. Syn's actual thoughts: God I hate you Brooks, you know how much I hate this song.

Think they were friends from high school ... how far they came! love you guys.

RIP Jimmy, pure legend! I can't wait to try playing some of his golden beats again in the future after an insane amount of practice!! Such an insanely tasteful drummer 🍻

I love this series and loved this video so so much. Thanks a lot to all of you and to Brooks for breaking this down.

Love this and love brooks couldn’t ask for a better dude to play drums in this fuckin amazing band