Swedish heavy metal band, Avatar, are showcasing their work, especially their latest album, Hunter Gatherer, in a four part streaming series.
During their last album, they centralized their work on comedy. Hunter Gatherer, released in August 2020, is something much different; the band created a stark contrast in comparison to their last album. “It’s important for us to do something devoid of humor, there is no joking around with this and it pulls us back into reality. It deals more with darkness, sadness, detachment, alienation and the anxiety of thinking of the world at large.” [1] As we faced a strange year in history, the release of Hunter Gatherer couldn’t have been timed better.
The first streaming event provided visuals in “The Age of Dreams,” a theme filled with nightmare and memory. Saturday, January 16th, they continued with the series by unraveling us into a state of illusion.
Fading in, the intro blurs the silhouette of pianist and vocalist, Johannes Eckerström, as we see them play, decked out in face paint, a suit and tie. The checkered floor dizzies the mind into the world of the stream as it unravels before us as the audience.
Emotionally performed, the intro sets the stage for a streaming experience unlike any other. It was more than a performance or a set of songs. It sells a story filled with character, rage, and a tumble down a rabbit hole in a disassociation from reality.
Allowing fans to interact on all social media platforms through the hashtag, #onefortheages, fans shared their level of entertainment of the performance.
Eckerström’s vocals offer some of the most theatrical ranges of sound in the metal music world. Paired with the harmony of skilled electric guitar, bass, harpsichord, and heavy drums, the entire performance filled the being with a unique energy with theatrical backdrops and choreographed footwork and hair flips.
As the show progressed, the band offered a variety of environments and themed dances to take anyone who was watching into the world of destruction, chaos, and entertainment.
Stream Avatar’s latest album, Hunter Gatherer, below:
Other Articles
No Comment! Be the first one.