We celebrate together the return of Avatar.
Three years after their previous album, the Swedish band created in 2001 under the name of Lost Soul returns with a ninth record, announced as a darker one. Johannes Eckerström (vocals), Jonas Jarlsby (guitar), John Alfredsson (drums), Henrik Sandelin (bass) and Tim Öhrström (guitar) present us Dance Devil Dance on Black Waltz Records, their own label.
The album opens with Dance Devil Dance, the eponymous track, which immediately places catchy and jerky riffs to accompany the vocalist’s screams, but also his few clean vocal parts. One immediately recognizes the band’s sound, infused with Heavy, Melodic Death and energetic Nu Metal, but also with groovy Blues sounds which will become heavier on Chimp Mosh Pit, the following track. The mix is as devastating as heady again, and it will be perfect to federate an entire crowd with its crazy leads to guide us to Valley of Disease and its dark riffs which know how to stay heavy when needed. Clean voice breaks the curtain of oppressive darkness by giving the track more cheerful sounds, then On The Beach returns to the band’s mastered raw groove thanks to an outstanding rhythmic duo, completed by the sharp guitars. We will also hear some more dissonant or catchy parts led by a vocalist in great shape before Do You Feel In Control comes back to jerky violence and aggressive riffs, sometimes nuanced by more complex and heady harmonics. Gotta Wanna Riot is probably one of the most surprising tracks which will immediately remind us of the madness of a committed American band with vivid vocal parts, then the band will go back to darkness with The Dirt I’m Buried In, a track already adored by the fans, mixing their roots with their more recent sounds. We can already see ourselves singing the chorus alongside the band, followed by Clouds Dipped In Chrome, a real steamroller of heaviness which will satisfy fans of simple but crushing rhythmic. Leads bring the track this disturbing dimension before Hazmat Suit revives cheerful and catchy tones while including the usual screams and jerky saturated riffs we all love so much. Another sweet break with Train, the shortest composition, which takes advantage of Country/Blues accents to tell us its story, broken in the middle by an outburst of raw rage, then the band welcomes Lzzy Hale (Halestorm) to stand against violence with Violence No Matter What, an extremely federative and motivating track which will close the album with a strong and committed message.
Whether Avatar has nothing to prove anymore since many years, we can only notice the band’s dedication to always offer more efficient sounds, making Dance Devil Dance an accessible album on which the musicians do not hesitate to give everything they can while delivering their message with a dark but catchy touch.
90/100