Don’t go in the forest and go to AVATAR instead

Avatar have been exploring the dark soul of alternative and melodic death metal—and have been doing so with consistent success for over 20 years. With their penultimate album, “Dance Devil Dance,” released in 2023, they taught Beelzebub to dance; with their latest album, “Don’t Go in the Forest,” they skillfully navigated the tightrope between intricate rhythms and catchy choruses. Both approaches resonated with their global fanbase, helping the albums achieve notable chart positions in many countries. Equally successful were their extensive tours this past spring—including five shows in Germany in March—during which they filled their largest venues to date in many locations. Yet the band was never focused on hits or massive success—far more important to the quintet, led by singer, keyboardist, and trumpeter Johannes Eckerström and guitarist and lead songwriter Jonas “Kungen” Jarlsby, is the continued evolution of their multifaceted metal sound. This was most recently evident on “Don’t Go in the Forest,” which, in addition to the band’s tried-and-true metal elements, placed greater emphasis on melody.

Read about the show at Docks, Hamburg in March this year: https://markusheavymusicblog.org/2026/03/15/live-report-avatar-alien-weaponry-agabas-docks-hamburg-march-13th-2026/

Get your tickets here: https://www.eventim.de/artist/avatar/