Avatar: "We Are Thrilled To Be Heading To Australia"...

With nine albums under the belt, Swedish outfit Avatar are set to dance. Set to dance with the devil and their dance card is full. Embarking on a much anticipated Australian tour later this month, Sentinel Daily caught up with a musical conductor of a different kind; the devilish tramp himself, Johannes Eckerstrom to discuss, journeys, rituals and what is described as their most focused album to date…

When discussing the momentum of the new album, Johannes describes it as ‘fulfilling a dream’ and that the articulation and delivery are monumental. “The album does the right thing, and musically it feels like it should. Listening to the album for the last time. That zen moment. The letting go. At that point, you hold your head high. A lot of fans are embracing it and it is great to see”.

When Avatar were in the midst of creating the new material for Dance Devil Dance, COVID-19 hit the world, the amount of space in time that was evident during the pandemic was both a positive and negative for the band’s creative process. “There were plenty of good ideas, but… there were plenty of good ideas. It is easy to get carried away – we asked ourselves ‘what can we creatively do in the meantime’. And that was to engage with our fans as best as possible”.

“All Avatar songs take the same journey, its a journey that is democratic, collaborative and holds a lot of freedom. Our latest release though has been our most focused work so far.
Dance Devil Dance is a spiritual album. Humans create meaning of the world around them, and the rituals throughout our work are important to us, both rituals and symbols hold a lot of power. Satan being the ultimate figure, the ultimate power”.

Diving into the more technical elements of Dance Devil Dance’s journey, the album is underpinned by Rock N’Roll, and a rhythm section the band wanted to create movement within. “Dance Devil Dance is music that makes you feel alive. You can’t forget the Rock and Roll, and modern Metal is best enjoyed with movement – if you sit down and shut up I think you miss something”.

Anticipations for the Australian tour are rife. The band are salivating at the prospect of hitting our east coast. “We are thrilled to be heading to Australia, touring in general is such a privileged position to hold. Its all the little things that are exotic and fun. Ultimately, touring is the initial part of the relationship with your fans. And we’re ready to impress”.