Year : 2022
Style : Doom Metal , Dark Metal , Gothic Metal , Female vocals
Country : Sweden
Audio : 320 kbps + all scans
Size : 109 mb
Bio:
AVATARIUM has only been “alive” for about one and a half year, but already is the word spreading rapidly about this unique band and it’s special blend of heavy adventurous music. Jethro Tull….Blue Oyster Cult…Sabbath…Rainbow…. It’s all there together with some delicate moments of beauty and frailness that you rarely find in a band these days.In AVATARIUMS music you will also hear tangents of pop and 60’s influences.It all began last winter when Leif needed help to demo a couple of songs he was working on, and Marcus offered to help. Weeks turned into months and a few songs became a full length album that is being mixed as we speak by well known Swedish engineer Ronny Lahti. AVATARIUM the album, came out in november 2013.In early 2014, AVATARIUM felt the need to break new musical ground and, after listening to some old vinyl records, the desire to get closer to this kind of material was born. With a new demo track at hand, Edling was joined by Jidell to work on the song that would be called "All I Want".While the two musicians got deeper into exploring where they want to take the music of AVATARIUM and how they can keep things interesting for themselves and for the fans, yet another song was created, and the idea to make a new EP was fully set.The old spirit comes even more alive, with psychedelic percussionist Michael Blair, who has worked with Tom Waits and Lou Reed, among others, guesting on "All I Want".Commented Jidell: "[Michael] showed up at the studio with a big 'bag of tricks' with metals, crashers, shakers and a lot of strange things which he made sound like if you throw in a punkrocker at Woodstock and feed him with psychedelic pills!" About the new songs, he adds: "We tried to keep things simple and spontaneous during the recordings, something I hope people will be able to hear. Also, I think that Jennie-Ann Smith has reached new levels with the way she sings on both of the new songs!"
Album:
Much like how 2017’s Hurricanes and Haloes saw Avatarium diving deeper into their seventies rock influences, their fifth album spends its time exploring the dark folk aspects of their sound. The dusky aura that marked the Swedes’ last couple outings is given full space to breathe here and the heavier riff-driven segments happening with less frequency suggest a near complete move away from their doom metal roots. The electric guitars are used more for tone painting alongside the keyboards and strings, allowing the vocals and acoustic work to take center stage.But like the other shifts that Avatarium has undergone in their decade of activity, the approach is natural and nicely highlights their strengths as musicians. The vocals are the band’s biggest asset as always, a now signature sultry alto serving as the leading focus without getting too domineering. The guitars also do well to fluctuate with the moods at hand and the extra instrumentation is tastefully incorporated, especially the violin and cello. The worst I can say is that the rhythm section still doesn’t feel particularly standout, but the drums still get their spots to put in some extra muscle.The songwriting might also be a little more nebulous than usual, focusing more on atmosphere than direct hooks. The psych-folk elements shine the most on the album’s front half with “A Love Like Ours” starting off on a somber slow burn, the title track following with a more upbeat stride, and “Stockholm” has an almost vignette feel with its cycling builds and rustic vibe. Things get heavier in the back half, coming closer to the vibe of 2019’s The Fire I Long For, with some aggressive chugging on “God is Silent” and “Nocturne.” The closing “Transcendent” is also a nice addition, bringing back the folk in a restrained denouement.Death, Where is Your String may take a little extra time getting used to compared to Avatarium’s other albums, but it’s yet another instance of the band’s consistent high quality in action. The more folk-oriented approach is a sensible move and only heightens the group’s chemistry, making for some stellar textures throughout. It’s hard to tell where this album stands in comparison to the others, especially with the songwriting having more of a grower feel than usual. But knowing my tendency to appreciate their work even more after reviewing it, this could very well end up being one of their best.
Line Up:
Jennie-Ann Smith - Vocals (lead) (2013-present)
Marcus Jidell - Guitars (lead), Vocals (backing), Piano, Cello, Keyboards (additional) (2013-present) - See also: The Doomsday Kingdom, ex-The Ring, Marcus Jidell, ex-Evergrey, ex-Royal Hunt, ex-Candlemass (live), ex-Pain (live), ex-Krux (live), ex-Astrakhan, ex-Jekyll & Hyde, ex-Kreegah, ex-Punchline, ex-Soen
Mats Rydström - Bass (2016-present) - See also: Abramis Brama, Knights of the Realm, The Night Flight Orchestra (live), Backdraft
Daniel Karlsson - Keyboards (2022-present) - See also: Pain of Salvation, ex-Tiamat (live)
Andreas Johansson - Drums, Percussion (2019-present) - See also: Christian Liljegren, Rob Rock, Royal Hunt, The Doomsday Kingdom, ex-Sentinel, ex-Wisdom Call, ex-DivineFire (live), ex-Narnia, ex-System Breakdown
Tracklist:
01. A Love Like Ours 05:29
02. Stockholm 06:42
03. Death, Where Is Your Sting 05:22
04. Psalm for the Living 04:23
05. God Is Silent 06:06
06. Mother, Can You Hear Me Now 06:09
07. Nocturne 05:49
08. Transcendent 05:23 instrumental
Download links for all albums only on our blog here: http://goodmetalandhar.do.am/
