The 2018 Grammys are in the books. This year was actually marked by a strong list of candidates for Best Metal Performance, but Avenged Sevenfold landed outside of this category and were nominated for Best Rock Song.

The competition was steep as the title track to the group's latest album, The Stage, was pitted up against behemoths like Metallica's "Atlas, Rise!" and "Run" from the Foo Fighters as well as Nothing More's "Go to War" and K. Flay's "Blood in the Cut." When Avenged's frontman M. Shadows stopped by our studio, he discussed the honor of being nominated, but was pessimistic about the band's chances of taking home the coveted golden gramophone — and he turned out to be right.

When asked what it would be like if Avenged Sevenfold beat out Metallica, whom they opened for on the thrash legends' summer stadium tour last year, the singer was reluctant to entertain the notion of a win. He acknowledged that the Grammys are chosen by a large voting body, and that edging out bands as big as Metallica and the Foo Fighters seemed unlikely.

It wasn't all gloom though, as Shadows expressed that it was a huge honor, and a shock, to even be nominated. And, he noted, his grandparents and parents understand the importance and prestige of a Grammy nomination. They may not get heavy metal, he said, but the nomination demonstrated how successful Avenged Sevenfold is.

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