Swedish metal titans Avatar have just unleashed the titular single and music video for their upcoming album, “In The Airwaves.” The video can be seen HERE, though it is advised that those with sensitivity to flashing light do not watch it as the video is packed with flashing lights and colors. The song is the second single off the album, following “Captain Goat.” Sonically, the two singles could not be more different, highlighting the strength Avatar has in being able to break beyond genre barriers.
While “Captain Goat” is an anthemic, story driven track that possibly begins to set up the lore for the rest of the album, similar to tracks found on 2016’s “Feathers & Flesh” or 2018’s “Avatar Country.” On the other hand, “In the Airwaves” is a heavy, riff-driven song more similar to songs off 2014’s “Hail the Apocalypse" or 2021’s “Hunter Gatherer.”
The videos for each song are also wildly different. Although both were directed by close friend of the band Johan Carlén, who does most of Avatar’s music videos, the visuals for each recognizes the stark differences between songs.
For “In the Airwaves,” the video is much more simplistic, being just shots of the band on a set up stage with heavy flashing lights, except for the chorus, which switches to a vertigo pattern reminiscent of Black Sabbath’s early live videos and TV performances. On the flip side, the video for “Captain Goat” is a theatrical, heavily crafted production, with a heavy emphasis on practical effects and story. That video can be found HERE.
Formed in 2001 in Gothenburg, Sweden, Avatar currently consists of frontman/vocalist/ occasional trombone player and balloon animal artist Johannes Eckerström, guitarists Tim Öhrström and Jonas “Kungen” Jarlsby, bassist Henrik Sandelin and drummer John Alfredsson. Coming from the Gothenburg melodic death metal scene, which gave rise to bands such as In Flames, At the Gates, and Dark Tranquility, Avatar has evolved from another melodeath band to what they have become today: a wild and chaotic dark circus, with the ever-eclectic Eckerström as ringmaster.
"Avatar is defined by the challenges we put in front of ourselves. We always push for more and look for new angles. In this ever-ongoing pursuit for the next great thing, we return to one of the most important aspects of metal: Speed. This is the fastest song we have done in what seems to be an eternity, and it feels good to push the engine to the max again. In a way, it feels like a return to something. Enjoy our rage."
–Johannes Eckerström (vocalist)
Avatar will be on the road touring across North America and Europe for the next year. They are currently supporting Iron Maiden on the European leg of their “Run For Your Lives” tour through early August.The band will then hop across the pond for a one-show headliner in Mexico City on Halloween with support from Ladrones. Following that they will be embarking on their U.S. headliner “In The Airwaves” tour in early November through early December with support from Alien Weaponry and Spirit World.
After a two-month break they will head back over to Europe in February for their “ANight to be Torn Apart” headlining tour with Alien Weaponry. To round out the band’s touring cycle, Avatar will be alongside Pantera in supporting Metallica for four dates in Europe of their no repeat weekends of their “M72” world tour.
Supporting Iron Maiden
7/19 — Paris, FR — Paris La Défense Arena
7/20 — Paris, FR — Paris La Défense Arena
7/23 — Arnhem, NL — GelreDome
7/25 — Frankfurt, DE — Deutsche Bank Park
7/26 — Stuttgart, DE — Cannstatter Wasen
7/29 — Berlin, DE — Waldbühne Berlin
7/30 — Berlin, DE —Waldbühne Berlin
8/2 — Warsaw, PL — PGE Narodowy
8/9 — Kortrijk, BE — Alcatraz Festival*
Headlining
10/31 — Mexico City, MX — The Pepsi Center
11/5 — Phoenix, AZ — The Van Buren 11/6 — San Diego, CA — The Observatory San Diego11/7 — Riverside, CA — Riverside Municipal Auditorium11/8 — Las Vegas, NV — Brooklyn Bowl11/10 — Seattle, WA — Moore Theater 11/11 — Portland, OR — Roseland Theatre 11/12 — Boise, ID — Revolution 11/14 — Salt Lake City, UT — The Union 11/15 — Denver, CO — Fillmore 11/17 — Minneapolis, MN — Fillmore 11/18 — Madison, WI — The Sylvee 11/20 — Detroit, MI — The Fillmore Detroit 11/21 — Pittsburgh, PA — Stage AE 11/22 — Columbus, OH — KEMBA Live!11/23 — Silver Spring, MD — The Fillmore Silver Spring 11/25 — Huntington, NY — Paramount11/26 — Boston, MA — House of Blues11/28 — Allentown, PA — Archer Music Hall11/29 — Charlotte, NC — The Fillmore Charlotte11/30 — Louisville, KY — Old Forester's Paristown Hall12/2 — Chicago, IL — Riviera Theater12/4 — Nashville, TN — Marathon Music Works12/6 — Tulsa, OK — Tulsa Theater12/7 — Dallas, TX — House of Blues2/5 — Stockholm, SE — Fållan2/7 — Helsinki, FI — Kulttuuritalo2/9 — Oslo, NO — Sentrum Scene2/10 — Copenhagen, DK — Vega2/11 — Osnabrück, DE — Die Botschaft2/12 — Brussels, BE — A.B.2/14 — London, UK — Exhibition2/15 — Manchester, UK — Academy2/16 — Glasgow, UK — Barrowland2/17 — Nottingham, UK — Rock City2/18 — Bristol, UK — O2 Academy2/20 — Amsterdam, NL — AFAS Live2/21 — Esch-Sur-Alzette, LU — Rockhal2/22 — Zürich, CH — Komplex2/24 — Barcelona, ES — Razzmatazz2/25 — Madrid, ES — La Riviera2/27 — Lisbon, PT — LAV2/28 — Bilbao, ES — Santana 273/2 — Lyon, FR — Le Cube3/3 — Milan, IT — Alcatraz3/4 — Vienna, AT — Gasometer3/5 — Munich, DE — Tonhalle3/6 — Cologne, DE — E-Werk3/7 — Paris, FR — Le Zenith3/9 — Wiesbaden, DE — Schlachthof3/10 — Zlin, CZ — Sports Hall Datart3/11 — Warsaw, PL — Stodola3/12 — Berlin, DE — Columbiahalle3/13 — Hamburg, DE — Docks
SUPPORTING METALLICA
5/24 — Frankfurt, DE — Deutsche Bank Park 6/11 — Budapest, HU — Puskas Arena6/19 — Dublin, IE — Aviva Stadium 7/5 — London, UK — London Stadium
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