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"Don't Go In The Forest" - Avatar lead us into the dark circus of madness
Hi Immortals, welcome to Jack's review!
There are places you shouldn't go. Places you are warned about because they have a life of their own, because they change you. But what do we do, Immortals? Right, we answer the call. And that's exactly what Avatar do on their new album "Don't Go In The Forest".
The Swedish masters of modern metal return with a work that is less an album than an experience, a dark, theatrical, untamed work of art. Between horror and fantasy, between sanity and madness, Avatar create a sonic universe that goes so deep that it crawls right under your skin.
A forest of sound, symbol and feeling
The forest is not just a backdrop here, it is the soul of the album. A place of dreams, fears and suppressed thoughts. "Don't Go In The Forest" is an invitation to descend into your own subconscious. Between flickering shadows and shining eyes, Avatar tell stories of lostness, truth and the eternal search for meaning in chaos.
Frontman Johannes Eckerström paints grotesque, almost cinematic scenes. His lyrics are haunted by ghosts, myths, madness and humanity at the same time. It is this mixture of nightmare and beauty that makes Avatar so unique.
But instead of preaching fear, they celebrate the strange. Because for Avatar, the senseless has a meaning. The darkness is not a threat, but an inspiration.
Musical diversity with passion and madness
In terms of sound "Don't Go In The Forest" a monumental statement. Avatar combine melodic death metal, groove metal with stadium rock and choirs with unexpected, experimental sounds.
Songs like "In The Airwaves" or "Abduction Song" whip forward with massive force - raw, direct, physical. In these moments, you can feel the energy that characterizes Avatar, especially on stage ... this mixture of circus, theater and pure metal.
Then follow tracks like "Howling At The Waves" or "Magic Lantern"that slow down the tempo and develop emotional depth. The band plays with light and shadow, aggression and fragility, creating a dynamic that is captivating.
And yes, somewhere in between, a flute hook suddenly appears - in "Tonight We Must Be Warriors" - which somehow fits perfectly into the overall picture. Crazy? Absolutely. But that's exactly what Avatar is ... bold, playful, uncompromising.
The production remains deliberately raw. Not a synthetic studio album, but one that lives and breathes, that sounds like sweat, earth and fire.
Art, madness and the eternal circus
Avatar have always been more than just a band. Since its foundation by John Alfredsson and Jonas Jarlsby and later joined by Johannes Eckerström, Henrik Sandelin and Tim Öhrström, the band has stood for a mix of classic and modern metal.
With "Don't Go In The Forest" they take this concept further than ever before. The album is a theatrical Gesamtkunstwerk, a circus that pitches its tent in the deepest forest. It is a taboo to be broken, a whisper to be followed.
Avatar don't just play music, they create worlds. On stage, they transform every performance into an unforgettable experience. A frenzy of light, sweat, costume and pure energy. Not only in Scandinavia, but worldwide fans celebrate their shows as a must-see.
The fact that they manage all this with their own label, Black Waltz Records, shows how strong Avatar's vision is. They not only remain true to themselves but also independent, creative and wild.
An album for explorers, dreamers and outsiders
"Don't Go In The Forest" is not a simple record. It is an experience that demands attention and rewards it.
It tells of those who do not turn away when it gets dark. Of those who have the courage to embrace the unknown. Of artists who understand metal as an art form.
Here, theatricality, emotion and pure energy merge into a sound that is second to none. It is a work that redefines Avatar without denying their roots. A monument to modern metal ... wild, experimental, honest.
Our conclusion - the circus is back!
With "Don't Go In The Forest" Avatar are back more impressively than ever before. The band shows once again that they are not only Part of the modern metal world ... they are clearly helping to shape it. This album is raw and magical, poetic and brutal at the same time! A wild ride through madness, dreams and goosebumps. Every song pulsates with life, every beat reminds us why we love metal:
Because it makes us feel, because it shakes us awake, because it connects us.
With this work, Avatar have created a soundtrack for all those who are not afraid to look when it gets dark. For those who know that beauty is in the eye of the beholder. "Don't Go In The Forest" is not just an album, it is a call. A call to all the freaks, the rebels, the dreamers among us.
So, my Immortals: follow the whispers between the trees. Let yourselves be guided by the beat of the drums, carried by the screeching of the guitars and seduced by the madness. Turn up the volume until the walls shake and dance the night away with Avatar.
Because anyone who dares to go into the forest will not find fear there - but freedom.
Crowned with a glorious 10 out of 10 points "Don't Go In The Forest" deserves to be our album of the month for October 2025. "Don't Go In The Forest" is not just an album, but a ritual - a hypnotic triumphal procession through madness, myth and pure passion.
"For those about to rock, Jack salutes you!
Photocredit: Johan Carlén
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