(CD/LP, AFM Records, 2022)
The combination of Leif Edling’s songwriting and Jennie-Ann Smith’s magical singing in the form of AVATARIUM poured fresh blood in the Doom Metal cauldron. But the band did not stay in the impressive debut and, in fact, the lineup evolved the sound and forged forward without Leif’s involvement. Contrary to what some of us may had thought, AVATARIUM was not a project, but a full-fledged band, and if I have failed to convince you, then their five-records backcatalogue will do this. Come to think of it, and after spending a lot of quality time with “Death, Where Is Your Sting”, I could easily have used just the band’s latest record to showcase the evolution of the AVATARIUM sound.
In hindsight, I will say that Leif’s departure from the lineup gave AVATARIUM the room to grow away from the CANDLEMASS mastermind’s Doom-heavy shadow. Because, it would have been such a shame to call this band a side-project, simply because it is not. The sad string melodies and the clean guitar slowly lift the curtain of “Death, Where Is Your Sting” with “A Love Like Ours”. Jennie-Ann Smith joins in and right there you’ll feel there is something great brewing because really, this song starts like an intro. Marcus Jidell’s riff sneaks in and winks at you in an evil way. Yes, AVATARIUM have cracked the door open, and you are invited to enjoy the festivities that climax during the killer solo and the pounding, almost Stoner rhythm section. The violin does not act like an extra act in a movie and, in fact, delivers a great solo closer to the end - excellent. Melancholy-dipped “Stockholm” starts with a traditional Doom Metal riff and boot-of lead rhythm, proudly showcasing the band’s foundations.
I said earlier that Leif left the band some time ago, but this was not a valid statement. You see, CANDLEMASS and AVATARIUM are in close quarters and there is some back-and-forth in their respective albums, and “Stockholm” is the first interaction of the two for this record-release cycle (it is not that difficult to discover the other one). Aside from the music, the lyrics managed to draw my attention this time, something I have not really done in past AVATARIUM albums. This one has a lot of room for interpretation, so you may find a different meaning when you read “be aware of your soul, in the lonely pain that binds you, there are demons out to find you”. No matter what your take on these will be, you should know that this is (also) Doom Metal because this genre is not only about the Heavy and slow-laden music. The same goes for the title-track, even though the music has a Hard Rock backbone and borderline mood-lifting chorus. However, the concept of discussing with Death, how close you came to your demise but you are still here, it does have a ring to it, doesn’t it? Of course, some may frown upon having a positive twist in Doom Metal, but really, it is not all about gloom just like life is, and I will let this sink in for a bit, while “Psalm For The Living” is gracefully caressing your ears. There is limited percussion here and really the guitars are one step back, letting Jennie-Ann’s Soul-type vocals blossom for your personal listening delight. As I usually advise, using a good set of headphones will unlock all the melodies for you. And to have “God Is Silent” as a follow-up? The main riff is Doom Metal perfection (the vibrato does it for me), the basslines have a strong presence, and the Eastern flair (there is some Blackmore in the guitar work) in the guitars will blow your socks off. This song is a slow-burner, but once you have felt its bite, it will stay with you, claiming the title of the ‘best song of the album’. Marcus has done his magick with the soundboard, and I will draw your attention to all the things happening during the solo (again, headphones will help you in this).
The slow parts in “Mother Can You Hear Me Now” give me some THE GATHERING vibes, and I am sure you will appreciate the guitar layers Marcus have used here to such an extent that the listening attention during the solo wanders for the actual solo to the supporting rhythm melodies. Oh hell, you will know what I am talking about once you’ve your ears on this. Another thing I have been enjoying in AVATARIUM album number 5 is all the different elements claiming your attention; hear the keyboards working their way in “Nocturne” and how they feed the atmosphere for the guitars that hit the Doom Metal button with might. Probably this is the faster song of the album, although it slows down a bit only to put the guitars under the spotlight, especially during the solo.
The album drops the curtain in a gentle way (just like it started) with the beautiful clean guitar arpeggios and atmospheric keyboard melodies and effects of “Transcendent”. The seasoned ear will sense that this calmness is a tricky one, and soon enough the distortion and the dramatic violin will reveal its other evil face. Oh yeah, contrast is what makes this instrumental so powerful that you will start imagining deserted landscapes, only in black and white. After reading what I have wrote about “Death, Where Is Your Sting”, I have reached to the conclusion that it’s the best AVATARIUM release in their backcatalogue; the song-writing diversity and the powerful lyrics are just two things to take note of. I think it’s about time to have AVATARIUM open for CANDLEMASS here in the States; what do you think?
9/10
Links:
www.Avatarium.Se
www.FaceBook.Com/AvatariumOfficial
Tracklist:
01. A Love Like Ours
02. Stockholm
03. Death, Where Is Your Sting
04. Psalm For The Living
05. God Is Silent
06. Mother Can You Hear Me Now
07. Nocturne
08. Transcendent
Lineup:
Jennie-Ann Smith - Vocals
Marcus Jidell - Guitars
Andreas Habo Johansson - Drums, Percussion
Mats Rydström - Bass
Daniel Karlsson - Keyboards