Founded in 2001, Gothenburg natives Avatar enjoyed moderate commercial success in their early years, primarily as a support act for bigger guns. Opening slots for Avenged Sevenfold and 5FDP and notably the release of their fifth slab ‘Hail the Apocalypse’ gave their career a tremendous boost. Musically Avatar delivers a cross between groovy avant-garde metal and melodic death metal, with a starring role for frontman Johannes Eckerström’s insane stage antics and impressive vocal range. With ‘Avatar Country’ (2018) they created their own kingdom, ruled by king Jonas ‘Kungen’ Jarlsby I. The album of the same name struck a chord with fans across the globe and lifted them to headliner status. ‘Dance Devil Dance’ (2023) is more accessible, with influences ranging from groove, thrash and electronic beats to heavy metal while Eckerström uses his full range from operatic vocals to angry growls. Avatar themselves called it their “angriest, horniest and most spiritual release, all at once”. In 2026 they’ll be touring with Metallica and acquainting the masses with their latest effort ‘Don’t Go in the Forest!’, an eclectic affair with the monstrous choruses, spellbinding rhythms and the perfect balance between absurdity and heaviness we’ve come to expect from these Swedish heavy metal giants. (#GMM26)
