Avatar

A Swedish band blending heavy metal and melodic death metal, Avatar was founded in Gothenburg in 2001 by guitarist Jonas Jarlsby and drummer John Alfredsson. They were joined the following year by singer Johannes Eckerström, then guitarist Simon Andersson in 2003. The band released their first EP, Personal Observations , in January 2004, quickly followed by another, 4 Reasons to Die. Two years later, Avatar recorded their first studio album, Thoughts of No Tomorrow, which reached number 47 in the Swedish charts. After a tour that saw them support the likes of In Flames and Evergrey, the band released their second opus, Schlacht (2007). Two years later, the band unveiled their homonymous album, which reached number 36 in the Swedish charts. Following a series of tours, guitarist Simon Andersson leaves the band. He is replaced by Tim Öhrström. Tim Öhrström immediately takes part in the recording of the next album, Black Waltz, which achieves the band's best performance in the Swedish charts at number 25. For this release, singer Johannes Eckerström establishes his visual identity by wearing clown make-up, which he retains to this day. In 2013, the band travelled to Thailand for a month to record a new album. It was released the following year under the name Hail to the Apocalypse . The musicians returned to the studio in 2015 under the supervision of producer Sylvia Massy. The album, christened Feathers & Flesh and promoted by the tracks "The Eagle Has Landed" (#16) and "New Land" (#20), failed to emerge in the Swedish charts, but made an appearance in the US Billboard charts at #88. Avatar Country followed in 2018. Containing the track "The King Wants You" (#27), it reached #132 on the U.S. charts. The next opus, Hunter Gatherer , was recorded in Los Angeles in 2019. Released in 2020, it features the track "Secret Door", with guest appearance by Slipknot singer Corey Taylor. Three years later, Dance Devil Dance, the band's ninth studio album, is released, supported by three singles: "The Valley of Disease", "The Dirt I'm Buried In" (which reached #39 in Sweden) and "Dance Devil Dance". Three singles followed, "Tower" in 2024, then "Captain Goat" and "In the Airwaves " in 2025.

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