| M. Shadows Quick Info | |
|---|---|
| Height | 6 ft 1 in |
| Weight | 85 kg |
| Date of Birth | July 31, 1981 |
| Zodiac Sign | Leo |
| Spouse | Valary DiBenedetto |
M. Shadows is an American singer, musician, and songwriter who is popularly known as the lead vocalist and founding member of the American heavy metal band Avenged Sevenfold.
Born Name
Matthew Charles Sanders
Nick Name
M. Shadows
Sun Sign
Leo
Born Place
Fountain Valley, California, United States
Nationality
Education
He attended Huntington Beach High School.
Occupation
Singer, Songwriter, Musician
Family
- Siblings – Amy Sanders (Younger Sister) (WNBA Player)
- Others – Michelle DiBenedetto (Sister-in-Law), Synyster Gates (Brother-in-Law)
Manager
He self-manages himself.
Genres
Heavy Metal, Hard Rock, Progressive Metal, Punk Rock (Early)
Instruments
Vocals, Guitar, Piano, Keyboard, Organ, Bass, Drums, Percussion
Labels
- Capitol Records
- Warner Bros.
- Good Life
- Hopeless Records
Build
Athletic
Height
6 ft 1 in or 185.5 cm
Weight
85 kg or 187.5 lbs
Girlfriend / Spouse
M. Shadows has dated –
- Valary DiBenedetto (2009-Present) – M. Shadows and Valary DiBenedetto got married on October 17, 2009. They have 2 sons together named River (b. 2012) and Cash (b. 2014).
Race / Ethnicity
White
He is of Irish and Italian descent.
Hair Color
Dark Brown
Eye Color
Green
Sexual Orientation
Straight
Distinctive Features
- Bearded Jaw
- Thick Eyebrows
- Tall Height
M. Shadows Favorite Things
- Superhero – Batman
- Villain – Joker
- Album – Use Your Illusion II by Guns N’ Roses
Source – IGN
M. Shadows Facts
- When he was younger, he was first drawn into listening to different bands like Guns N’ Roses after his father gave him his first cassette which then fueled his interest in rock music. As he grew older, he started having interests in heavy metal music and then he began to play the guitar.
- Back in high school, he once played for a brief stint for a punk band named Successful Failure.
- In 1999, he formed the band Avenged Sevenfold alongside middle school friends Zacky Vengeance, The Rev, and Matt Wendt.
- In an interview in the past, he revealed that his stage name M. Shadows spoke volumes of his character in the band, adding that he thought of himself as the “darker character in the group”.
- He has a tenor voice but his vocal style and way of singing have progressed significantly through the years. From tenor, metalcore-type, harsh growls, to clean, and minimal vocals, his vocals went through different transformations over the years.
- In the early years of his career, he wanted to improve his vocals by adding some gritty and grainy sound to his voice. With this, he turned to vocal coach Ron Anderson who had also worked with Axl Rose and Chris Cornell. Shadows and Anderson worked together for several months which later resulted in freshly established vocal contributions from each member of the band during live performances.
- Amidst noticeable changes in his vocals, rumors made rounds claiming that Shadows lost his ability to scream due to throat surgery. However, in an interview with Stevie Rennie dated October 28, 2014, Shadows stated that it was his personal choice to change his voice as it was due to longer live shows that lasted more than one to two hours, which could have greatly damaged his vocals if he was to keep his “screamo” style of singing.
- He has made numerous guest appearances on a variety of albums by different artists.
- He’s friends with David Vonderhaar of Treyarch.
- In July 2019, he was added as a playable character in the Call of Duty: Black Ops 4‘s Blackout battle royale mode.
- His early encounter with music was associated with the piano which he considers one of the biggest factors in honing his skills alongside guitar playing and developing his singing skills.
Featured Image by M. Shadows / Instagram
