I Just Read About That…

[ATTENDED: September 13, 2019] Avatar 

I have grown to really dislike the Fillmore (which is not how I felt almost exactly three years ago).  The sound is always excellent and it’s a nice big stage, but I feel the venue is too big and, more often than not the crowd is really unpleasant.  I’m sure this is because I’m a priss, but I don’t need rude people around more interested in the bar than the music, me pushing for no reason (a mosh pit is a good reason to push, but not much else is), and talking through a show.  It’s especially irritating with quieter bands.   Fortunately, Avatar is not quiet.

I had not heard of Avatar when it was announced that they’d be opening for Babymetal.  I didn’t really know who would pair up with Babymetal’s brand of JPopMetal.  Rather than going for another Japanese metal band (of which there are dozens of great ones to choose) they went with a more theatrical outfit.  And if Babymetal’s stage show weren’t as spectacular as it was, Avatar would have blown them away.

Avatar is a metal band from Sweden.  They formed in 2001. They started out as a “melodic death metal” band.  I’ve never quite understood this phrase, but Wikipedia tells me

The genre combines aspects of traditional heavy metal [like] fast riffing and harmonic guitar lines, with the heavily distorted guitars, fast double-bass drum patterns and occasional blast beats of death metal. The vocal style typically combines harsh screaming and growling with melodic singing.

On their first two albums, singer Johannes Eckerström emphasized the growling vocal style.  They became more melodic (with some growling and some singing) and then for their fourth album, Black Waltz, Eckerström added a “Clown” persona.

Since then, the Avatar show has become a, quite frankly, amazing spectacle.

The band uses a lighting rig that would be impressive for a headliner, with their name in six foot letters that light up in various patterns and styles.

Drummer John Alfredsson is on a large riser, which makes it very easy to see him.  He came out first and the lights lit up and he played an introductory drum solo before the rest of the band came out.  They were all dressed in similar outfits which I couldn’t quite place.  But they looked kind of ringmastery but also regal.

I was more on the left side of the audience and in front of me were guitarist Jonas “Kungen” Jarlsby and bassist Henrik Sandelin.  On the far side was the “newcomer” Tim Öhrström (he joined the band in 2011).

They played some heavy riffs and all three of them started headbanging as they played.  They all had long hair but it was Kungen’s super long blond dreadlocks that really looked great while he thrashed (see below).

And then out came Eckerström.  He was dressed like a ringmaster, complete with long coat, top hat and cane.  His cuffs had ruffles, he had on black suspenders.  He marched out taking big grand steps.   And his face was covered in white paint with clown makeup on!

It was a stunning entrance.  Before the show I didn’t really look up anything about the band.  I saw a promo photo and Eckerström was wearing clown makeup, but I guess I didn’t think it was his typical stage persona.

It was outstanding!

Initially I thought it was a little Marilyn Mansonesque, but he soon transcended any thoughts that this was derivative (aside from the obvious fact that other people have worm makeup on stage).  Eckerström fully inhabited this character and he played it to the hilt.

I was surprised to hear Eckerström’s sing in a growly way for some reason.  But it wasn’t un-understandable.  It was growly but melodic.  And he did switch back and forth to some more melodic singing and also revealed that he could hit some serious high notes.  He’s quite the performer.

And the crowd loved it.  I gather a large number of people knew them and had seen them before, and there was fist pumping and headbanging throughout.

The band started with a big stomping song called “Hail the Apocalypse.”  As he sang, he stomped around the stage, swinging his cane and waving with exaggerated movements.  I couldn’t take my eyes off of him.  It was an incredible spectacle.

The only time I even looked at the other band members was when they were soloing or headbanging (which they did a lot).

The riffs were crunchy and catchy and the soloing was really impressive.

For the next song, “Let It Burn,” Kungen played a very cool quiet riff introduction and I wondered if this song was not going to be so heavy.  But it was, of course.  His vocal delivery was definitely Mansonesque in the verses, but this song comes from their 2012 album and it seems like he has developed his singing style more since this earlier song.  By the end he was introducing some impressive and powerful screaming not unlike AC/DC.

Eckerström also contributed to the “Let It Burn” motif by drinking water from a black gasoline can.

“Bloody Angel” opened with a very pretty opening guitar part during which Eckerström left the stage only to come back in a new red jacket.  The middle of the song returned to the opening riff and allowed Eckerström to show off that he could sing as well as growl.

I really enjoyed “A Statue of the King,” which I learned was the only song from their most recent album.  I realize that they had been touring Avatar Country for awhile–that was the only CD they were selling in the merch area.  So it seems surprising that they played only the one song from it.  I guess this was more of a greatest hits or maybe fan favorites.

They wound up playing four songs from their 2014 album, Hail the Apocalypse.

The very fun “The Eagle Has Landed” from their previous album, brought home the circus atmosphere with a “ladies and gentlemen” lyric and a kind of prancing attitude.  The crowd really got into the “Hey!”  There was also fun twin guitar solos from Öhrström and Kungen.

I didn’t realize that “Tsar Bomba” was sung in German, although hearing it again, Eckerström’s German is quite excellent.  But the fist-pounding three-thump chorus translates to any language.

Before the band came on, there was a really strange variety of music which included some polkas (!) and created a kind of circus atmosphere.  That made a lot of sense when the band came out in their finery.  But it was the start of “Puppet Show” that made me realize that despite the heaviness and intensity of their music, they are in on the joke of their appearance.  I greatly enjoyed the rest of the set, but this song that fully cemented the carnivalesque atmosphere with its oompah beat, crazy guitar riffs and lyrics about, well, puppets.

Then midsong, the best thing ever, Eckerström came out in his full gear and played a trombone solo.  It was magnificent.

Before the final song, the band left and it allowed Eckerström a chance to speak to us.  It was here that I realized that they were Swedish (I didn’t know where they were form before).  He was quite funny and this all basically led to the preface that “we all look like a freakshow and we all soundlike a freak show, but people never get close enough to realize that we smell like a freakshow.”  It was a spectacular end to a great spectacle.

I was definitely bummed when they ended because I would have loved to see more.

I can’t even imagine what a great show they would put on if they were the headline act.

Oh and at the merch table I saw that they were selling The King’s Special Sauce. #kingsspecialsauce  If you want a laugh, check out their video sales pitch.

SETLIST

1. Hail the Apocalypse ⊗
2. Let It Burn ϖ
3. Bloody Angel ⊗
4. A Statue of the King ©
5. The Eagle Has Landed £
6. Tsar Bomba ⊗
7. Puppet Show ⊗
8. Smells Like a Freakshow ϖ

ϖ Black Waltz (2012)
⊗ Hail the Apocalypse (2014)
£ Feathers and Flesh (2016)
© Avatar Country (2018)