What makes Carry On by Avenged Sevenfold notable?

The song appears in the end credits of Call of Duty: Black Ops II, accompanied by an animated performance featuring the band and characters from the game. That placement brought Avenged Sevenfold’s music into a blockbuster game rather than confining it to a conventional single release. Released in 2012, “Carry On” followed Avenged Sevenfold’s 2010 album Nightmare and preceded their 2013 album Hail to the King. It was recorded for Call of Duty: Black Ops II, continuing the band’s connection with the game series after their song “Not Ready to Die” appeared in a Black Ops expansion.

How many songs are on Carry On?

Carry On has 2 tracks, running approximately 8 minutes.

Carry On

Avenged Sevenfold · 2012

8 min · 2 tracks · heavy metal

A rapid-fire metal charge pairs M. Shadows’ defiant vocals with twin-guitar leads and a surging solo.

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Top tracks — play these first

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Carry On — The vocal version drives its message through brisk riffs and a soaring chorus before opening out into a guitar solo.
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Carry On (instrumental) — Without the vocal, the tightly coordinated rhythm guitars and the lead playing’s melodic turns come into sharper focus.

Elevation

Our rating, out of 100 — and why.

AI-generated from five scored dimensions. An opinion, not a measurement.

Instrumental

63 /100

Foothills

Higher than 29% of albums we've rated

The single showcases strong composition and craft but is limited in depth due to its brief nature.

What we noticed

The main track features a dynamic structure with alternating heavy riffs and melodic choruses, creating a contrast between aggression and melody.
The instrumental version strips away the vocals, allowing the intricate guitar work and rhythm section to take center stage, highlighting the band's musicianship.

Composition 25% of the score: 7/10
Craft 20% of the score: 8/10
Durability 25% of the score: 5/10
Distinctiveness 18% of the score: 6/10
Sequencing 12% of the score: 4/10

Influence 3/10

Known within its scene. Reported but not counted — how far a record travelled describes its reception rather than the record, and a newer release has had less time to travel than an older one.

Where this album fits

In the catalog: Breakthrough — Gained attention as a theme for a major video game, enhancing mainstream presence.
Themes: Black Ops II warfare· fallen-comrade grief· battlefield survival
Career context: Released in 2012, “Carry On” followed Avenged Sevenfold’s 2010 album Nightmare and preceded their 2013 album Hail to the King. It was recorded for Call of Duty: Black Ops II, continuing the band’s connection with the game series after their song “Not Ready to Die” appeared in a Black Ops expansion.
Stylistic neighbors: Bullet for My Valentine· Trivium· Parkway Drive

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Moments worth listening for

Where the writing does something specific.

Carry On

The opening verse repeats the same grammatical setup to describe selfishness and recklessness in turn.

The parallel phrasing builds an indictment through accumulation before the chorus shifts toward defiance.