The deluxe edition is the latest chapter in an innovative album cycle that began twelve months ago when AVENGED SEVENFOLD "surprise-released" "The Stage", becoming the first-ever rock band to drop an unannounced album in digital and physical form. The band (vocalist M. Shadows, guitarists Synyster Gates and Zacky Vengeance, bassist Johnny Christ and drummer Brooks Wackerman) announced the album's release to millions of surprised fans who had been watching their live-streamed set from the rooftop of the Capitol Records Tower in Hollywood, California. That groundbreaking event saw the quintet give a 3D/360-degree virtual reality performance that enabled fans around the globe to experience AVENGED SEVENFOLD's electrifying show as if they were there for the first-of-its-kind immersive event.

Months later, the forward-thinking band announced plans to transform "The Stage" into an evolving body of work by adding a series of new tracks over the course of several months.

Those songs — which began with a scintillating rendition of Mexican folk song "Malagueña Salerosa" — have been previously unavailable for purchase, but fan demand for the tracks brings the album to its current stage as a deluxe release.

In addition to the album's original eleven tracks, the deluxe version features A7X's reimagining of MR. BUNGLE's "Retrovertigo", original track "Dose", a cover of Del Shannon's 1961 No. 1 hit "Runaway" (featuring a guest appearance by VANDALS guitarist Warren Fitzgerald and lead vocals by AVENGED SEVENFOLD guitarist Zacky Vengeance), the band's version of the BEACH BOYS' 1966 hit "God Only Knows" and most recently, their rendition of THE ROLLING STONES' "As Tears Go By". The four concert recordings included on the album are title track "The Stage", "Paradigm", "Sunny Disposition" and "God Damn".

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