Avatar (band)

Some months later, Alfredsson and Jarlsby found guitarist Kim Egerbo, bassist Niklas Green and vocalist Johannes Eckerström, and decided to reform.

In July, Egerbo and Risberg left Avatar, but the latter returned as a guitarist in September, along with current bassist Henrik Sandelin.

[2][3] The last member change took place in October 2003, with Simon Andersson replacing Risberg, completing the band's first stable line-up.

The subsequent set of tours saw them perform at the 2008 Sweden Rock Festival[11] as well as shows in support of Obituary (January–February 2008), and Hardcore Superstar (October–November 2009).

[14] They then launched into an ambitious touring schedule appearing at the 2010 Storsjöyran,[15] and also with Warrior Soul (March–April 2010), Dark Tranquillity (October–November 2010), and Helloween (December 2010 – January 2011).

[20] To support the American release of Black Waltz, Avatar embarked on its first ever U.S. tour alongside Lacuna Coil and Sevendust in February 2013.

Since the release of Hail the Apocalypse, Avatar has conducted several tours of the U.S. and Europe as both a supporting and headline act, as well as performing at festivals such as Rock on the Range 2014 and the inaugural Louder Than Life.

[27][28] Avatar then began a U.S. tour in April 2015 consisting of headline performances, and supporting Five Finger Death Punch and Mushroomhead.

The start of recording sessions also coincided with multiple updates via the band's Instagram account, chronicling their time in the studio.

[39] Once recording finished, Avatar took part in Shiprocked 2016, then toured the southern United States with September Mourning and Saint Diablo.

[45] Fan reception of the new song and video were high, as evidenced in "For the Swarm" being voted #1 in Loudwire's Battle Royale for the week ending 11 March 2016.

[46] On 17 March 2016, the singles, "Regret" and "House of Eternal Hunt" were released to help kick off pre-ordering of merchandise bundles for Feathers & Flesh.

"House of Eternal Hunt", described by the band as "the definition of metal," starts the tale of The Owl, a "predator ruling the sky" according to Eckerström.

[51] On 13 December, the song "The King Wants You" was released on SiriusXM Octane radio, and soon available on digital platforms, being the second single from the album Avatar Country.

On 12 January 2018, Avatar Country was released worldwide, available both through streaming services such as Spotify, and in physical formats from music stores throughout the world.

[53] An interview with Loudwire in January and later a paywalled video by the band itself revealed that Slipknot and Stone Sour frontman Corey Taylor has a cameo in the song "Secret Door".

The same interview also revealed the names of a few other songs on the yet unnamed album: "Colossus", "Child", "Scream Into the Void", and "Silence in the Age of Apes".

"[54]In a YouTube video and a tweet on 1 May 2020, the band announced the end of the "Avatar Country" era and teased the upcoming album with the question "Will you hunt with us?".

[66] Avatar was shaped primarily by the melodic death metal of In Flames and the Haunted,[67] with additional musical influences coming from the industrial machine style of Rammstein, Marilyn Manson and Ministry.

They took style cues from Helloween, Strapping Young Lad, Devin Townsend, Thin Lizzy, Meshuggah, Gojira, and Cryptopsy.

Avatar logo
Vocalist Johannes Eckerström performing at Bloodstock Open Air 2014
Avatar performing at Hellfest 2017
Avatar Country World Tour kick-off show in Columbus, Ohio on 6 January 2018
Avatar playing at Aftershock 2023 .