Founded in 2001, Gothenburg natives Avatar enjoyed moderate commercial success in their early years and subsequently abandoned melodic death metal in favour of a more industrial sound and a visual theatricality reminiscent of Alice Cooper.
Avatar really hit their stride on ‘Black Waltz’ (2012) and its successor ‘Hail the Apocalypse’ (2014) turned them into one of the hottest bands around. 2014 also marked their first appearance here and in 2019 they gave a memorable headlining performance. Consummate showman/frontman Johannes Eckerström is an attraction all by himself and has one of the most versatile voices in modern heavy metal. The traditional costumes and dance moves add a visual dimension to their shows and the music is catchy to the point where it bounces around in your head for days. Their latest effort is ‘Dance Devil Dance’, an accessible album 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 call it their “angriest, horniest and most spiritual release, all at once” so come join the party!