The band was formed in 1999 in Huntington Beach, California with original members M. Shadows, Zacky Vengeance, The Rev. and Matt Wendt. provide a reference band name comes from the story of Cain and Abel from the Bible, however, they are not a religious band. At its formation, each band member was wearing a pseudonym which is also the nickname they attended middle school at Upper. Before releasing their debut album, the band recorded two demos in 1999 and 2000. Their first album, Sounding the Seventh Trumpet, was recorded when the members of the band still was eighteen years old and still attending high school. This album was originally released by the company their first label, Good Life Records in 2001. After lead guitarist Synyster Gates joined the band, signed in late 1999 when he was 18 years old. The song "To End the Rapture" featuring re-recorded with a full band member. The album was later re-released on Hopeless Records in 2002.
The band was formed in 1999 in Huntington Beach, California with original members M. Shadows, Zacky Vengeance, The Rev. and Matt Wendt. provide a reference band name comes from the story of Cain and Abel from the Bible, however, they are not a religious band. At its formation, each band member was wearing a pseudonym which is also the nickname they attended middle school at Upper. Before releasing their debut album, the band recorded two demos in 1999 and 2000. Their first album, Sounding the Seventh Trumpet, was recorded when the members of the band still was eighteen years old and still attending high school. This album was originally released by the company their first label, Good Life Records in 2001. After lead guitarist Synyster Gates joined the band, signed in late 1999 when he was 18 years old. The song "To End the Rapture" featuring re-recorded with a full band member. The album was later re-released on Hopeless Records in 2002.
