We answered your question - who the f$ck are AVATAR and why should you care? We've been spinning their new album Dance Devil Dance and to finish off the discovery of your new fav band you haven't heard of yet, we flew across the globe to catch up with the band at Graspop Metal Meeting in Belgium, so allow us to introduce you personally to Sweden's heavy metal juggernauts AVATAR - ahead of their debut tour in Australia.
For the ill-informed, the band have released nine studio albums, gone to war against James Cameron and wowed crowds with their ferocious display of genre-crossing heavy metal - which traverses different styles with everything from power/pirate metal, all the way through to brutal gutturals and riff-city tracks that'll without an ounce of doubt, have you snapping your necks when they venture down here in August.
One cannot simply label this band under a specific category, because it would be a disservice to their energetic and powerful stage shows, witnessed at Graspop 2023 where they slayed the main stage in front of an audience of tens of thousands. Their self-proclaimed 'Metal Circus' show has something for everyone (unless you're scared of clowns), and we were treated to a chaotic circus-themed metal apocalypse performance that captivates your attention from start to finish.
During one song, AVATAR's deliverycrossed from power metal to death metal, to hard rock with ease and precision. I first described them as System of a Down meets Iron Maiden, but that comparison went out the door with the next few songs in the setlist, keeping us on the edge of our seats, and wondering what was coming next.
Frontman Johannes Eckstrom commanded the crowd with his eccentric performance (both singing and interacting with the crowd), with vocals that reached operatic highs and the deepest of guttural lows as the band shred behind him with a set that was without a doubt worthy of a spot next to the metal idols that followed them.
Prior to their on-stage antics, Wall of Sound TV caught up with the band in the green room for an interrogation interview about what to expect, their own anticipation for their first trip down under and which part of the back catalogue should fans (new and old) start listening in preparation for their maiden voyage to Australia.
Interview by Paul ‘Browny’ Brown @brownypaul
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eS1KTHK_-Ow
AVATAR – Dance Devil Dance East Coast Tour
Friday, August 25 @ 170 Russell, Melbourne
Saturday, August 26 @ The Metro, Sydney
Sunday, August 27 @ The Triffid, Brisbane
