The heavy metal band Avenged Sevenfold (aka A7X) had a surprise for two of their biggest Israeli fans – former hostages and buddies Evyatar David and Guy Gilboa-Dalal, who were released from Hamas captivity on Monday after two years – a personal video message, welcoming them home.
“Evyatar and Guy, so excited to hear you guys are home today,” says the lead vocalist, whose stage name is M. Shadows, in the video. “We’ve been following the story closely. We knew that you guys were A7X fans, and we appreciate it so much.”
Gilboa-Dalal, who was filmed while he watched the message, looked as if his eyes might pop out of his head in disbelief at hearing these kind words from his idol.
“The things you guys have been through, just unspeakable, terrible… Be safe. Spend time with your family. Get some rest, and hopefully we can see you guys soon. Welcome home. Glad you guys are OK,” said M. Shadows.
Gilboa-Dalal said, “No! ‘See you soon!’… I’m in shock. There’s no way!”
A friend off camera told Gilboa-Dalal, “M. Shadows is waiting for you!”
“No way, no way! Do you really think he will see me?” asked Gilboa-Dalal.
“Yeah, we can try to arrange something,” the friend told him.
“We need to show it to Evya [Evyatar David] now,” Gilboa-Dalal responds. “I’m so shocked, they’re amazing. Yesterday we heard their song and it hit so hard. It was even better than I’ve been imagining it for the last two years.”
Hostages were friends who attended Nova music festival together
The two friends, who were kidnapped from the Nova music festival and who endured horrific torture and starvation for two years, were filmed on Tuesday listening to the Avenged Sevenfold song, “Buried Alive,” and rocking out in the hospital, where they are undergoing medical tests and treatment following their long captivity.
The chorus of the song couldn’t be more apt to their situation, especially because David was shown recently in a propaganda Hamas video, emaciated and being forced to dig his own grave in the tunnels: “Hey, I can’t live here for another day/Darkness has kept the light concealed/Grim as ever/Hold onto faith as I dig another grave/Meanwhile the mice endure the wheel/Real as ever/And it seems I’ve been buried alive.”
Those heavy lines gave them hope when they were in the darkness, and now David and Gilboa-Dalal are no longer living those lyrics, but just two metalheads enjoying their favorite music together.