AVATARIUM
AVATARIUM “Between You, God, The Devil and The Dead”
By Colonel Angus
Swedish metalers AVATARIUM are back with their sixth studio record. I was initially drawn to the band due to the CANDLEMASS connection but when Leif Edling left, so did my interest which is a shame because I have had to play catch-up on the records that I missed. To call AVATARIUM a doom metal outfit would be a disservice as they are much more than just a doom. They incorporate other instruments to channel prog and even some folk elements to create unique and varied records.
This new disk does focus on the doom aspect of the band but fear not, they still offer up a few surprises and give the listener a well-rounded release. The band does make a definitive statement that doom is in their blood with “Long Black Waves”. While it is a plodding rocker, the keyboards wash over (no pun intended) your ears like warm wave. Jennie-Ann Smith steers the track with her emotional vocals and it’s as if the instruments are playing on her command. Marcus Jidell also adds more than just the pounding riffs. Listen carefully and you will hear some really subtle guitar leads that add so much to the track. Certainly a great way to start things off.
Although we get some standard doom at the beginning of “I See You Better in the Dark”, the track builds into quite a rocker. The tempo change makes this record more varied and wait to you get a hold of the chorus. I find myself going back to this track often because it doesn’t plod along (not that any of the material here does) and the chorus is downright infectious. Drummer Andreas Habo Johansson and bassist Mats Rydström do a great job of being heavy and slow when needed but change gears to compliment the faster parts as well.
The dirge-like “My Hair Is On Fire (But I'll Take Your Hand)” fits a lot into the five and half minutes that it occupies on the record. Starting off with some piano and Smith’s angelic vocals, the track builds into an epic track that is almost cinematic. With a title like that, you would think it would be hard to make the words work but the band’s performance creates the appropriate mood for such lyrics. While it builds to that dirge-like middle section, the track reverts back to the piano and Smith vocal bringing the whole affair full circle.
I was surprised that they followed up a slow track with another one but “Lovers Give a Kingdom to Each Other” is just a beautiful song. The piano and guitar interplay elevates this tune beyond a simple ballad and the guitar solo at the end is perfect. Both Smith’s vocal performance and Jidell’s guitar work shines here and shows another side of the band. While some might crave more plodding doom metal, I feel that tracks like this give AVATARIUM that x-factor needed to stand above all the other doom metalers out there. It’s a crowded field so hats off to the band for sometimes going in a different direction.
Things get back to doom with “Being with the Dead” which starts off with this cool tribal drumming. This sounds like a latter day DIO track which is not a bad things. The verses are heavy and plodding and while the chorus still keeps that same tempo, it gets a bit lighted with some additional guitar work and Smith’s melodic vocals. This track is one of the more straight-forward pieces on the record although there is a cool tribal section right after the guitar solo.
If DIO and DEEP PURPLE created a song, I think it would sound like “Until Forever and Again”. Just my opinion but the keyboards sound like they would be in a DEEP PURPLE track and the main body of the song is latter day DIO. There is just something about her voice coupled with the heavy dirge-like music that raises these songs above just standard doom metal.
“Notes From Underground” is an instrumental that showcases Jidell’s guitar prowess. I have been clear in previous reviews that I’m not that much of a straight-up instrumental fan. Sure, I can get on board with YNGWIE MALMSTEEN or JOE SATRIANA but by and large, I’m more into tunes with vocals. That being said, I really enjoy this lyric-less piece. Jidell shows off his many styles form heavy riffing to downright shredding which is makes the track move along without ever getting boring or repetitious.
The record closes with the title track that again focuses on Smith’s vocal and piano. Unlike previous songs, this one stays the course most of the way until towards the end where the rest of the band comes in to give the tune an epic feel. That epic feel and the build-up makes this the perfect way to end this release.
I am man enough to admit when I am wrong and I was wrong for dismissing AVATARIUM just because one member left. The last few releases by them have been great and “Between You, God, The Devil and The Dead” is another jewel in the AVATARIUM crown. For those of you who are looking for just straight-up doom metal, you’ll find plenty here but you will also get so much more.