Avatar Release Re-Recorded Piano Version of "Tower"

Heavy metal 'n' roll, dark, madcap visionaries collectively known as AVATAR — vocalist Johannes Eckerström, guitarists Jonas Jarlsby and Tim Öhrström, bassist Henrik Sandelin, and drummer John Alfredsson — are thrilled to share the brand new, re-recorded piano version of their song "Tower."

Watch the video below. Stream the song here.

This gorgeous new version is the first time the band has re-recorded a track in its career thus far. It's an uncharacteristically quiet yet incredibly powerful update.

"This version of 'Tower' became a special moment in a very special period of our lives," states Eckerström. "It feels natural to use it as a way to stop and look back for just a moment before we move forward with full force. It's a thank you to everyone who stands by our side and makes the magic happen."

The original appears on the band's beloved and critically acclaimed fifth album, Hail the Apocalypse, which was released in 2014. This rerecord is of incredible significance because AVATAR have neither ownership nor receives any royalties on Hail the Apocalypse, or any preceding albums, since 2015. The band is currently in the midst of a legal battle to reclaim their rights with former record label Fifth Island Music; formerly Gain Records, a part of Sony Music Entertainment.  

In other Avatar news, the band is planning to enter the studio at the top of the year in January to begin work on its tenth studio album and the follow up to 2023's Dance Devil Dance. Jay Ruston will produce. The album is expected to be released sometime in 2025 through their own label Black Waltz Records which is distributed by Thirty Tigers. 

Never one to sit back and rest on their haunches, Avatar are also opening for Iron Maiden this summer.

PHOTO CREDIT:  Jens De Vos

Avatar Announce Spring 2024 Headline Tour

TREK INCLUDES KEY FESTIVAL APPEARANCES 

The heavy metal 'n' roll, dark, madcap visionaries collectively known as AVATAR — vocalist Johannes Eckerström, guitarists Jonas Jarlsby and Tim Öhrström, bassist Henrik Sandelin, and drummer John Alfredsson — will return to the U.S. for a headline tour this May. The trek kicks off on May 8 in Indianapolis and includes appearances at key festivals such as Sonic Temple. 

Oxymorrons and Conquer Divide will serve as support. All dates are below. Tickets go on sale on Friday, February 16. Get tickets here.

2024 will be quite a year for Avatar! With headline tours in Europe and Latin America announced, and festival dates in the U.S., the band is set to have a monumental start to their year. Europe already has nine sold-out shows, with many others on their way to selling out. Avatar's first headline tour in Latin America is a milestone in and of itself. The band will headline a Sonic Temple stage this May — their first headline set at a DWP Festival. 

The band's latest album Dance Devil Dance is out now.

AVATAR ON TOUR:
WITH OXYMORRONS + CONQUER DIVIDE:
5/8 — Indianapolis, IN — Egyptian Room
5/9 — Huntsville, AL — VBC Mars Music Hall
5/10 — Greensboro, NC — Piedmont Music Hall
5/11 — Norfolk, VA — The Norva
5/12 — Sayreville, NJ — Starland Ballroom 
5/14 — Portland, ME — State Theater
5/15 — Wallingford, CT — The Dome
5/16 — Reading, PA — Reverb 
5/17 — Columbus, OH  — Sonic Temple*
5/18 — St. Louis, MO  — Pointfest*
5/19 — Milwaukee, WI — Milwaukee Metal Fest *
*Festivals

Avatar Issue Vinyl Bundles With Exclusive Tracks, Limited to Only 300 Copies

AVATAR RELEASING 7" SINGLES AS BUNDLES WITH EXCLUSIVE + UNRELEASED TRACKS

ONLY 300 BUNDLES ARE AVAILABLE + A "MUST OWN" FOR DIEHARD FANS + COLLECTORS

The heavy metal 'n' roll, dark, madcap visionaries collectively known as AVATAR — vocalist Johannes Eckerström, guitarists Jonas Jarlsby and Tim Öhrström, bassist Henrik Sandelin, and drummer John Alfredsson — are releasing three exclusive 7" single vinyl bundles via the band's web store. The three vinyls, "Dance Devil Dance," "Chimp Mosh Pit," and "The Dirt I'm Buried In" each have a B-side with exclusive content. 

Get them here.

The "Dance Devil Dance" vinyl will include the unreleased track "Make It Rain."

The "Chimp Mosh Pit" vinyl will feature the unreleased track "On the Other Side of Tonight."

The "The Dirt I'm Buried In" vinyl will include the bonus track "The Dirt I'm Buried In (Live in Paris)."

Neither "Make It Rain" nor "On the Other Side of Tonight" have ever been released before! The only way for fans to listen to them will be through purchasing these extremely limited vinyls, which are bundled as a collector's item for fans!

Only 300 of each vinyl have been made, furthering their status as "must owns" for your Avatar collection. 

2024 will be quite a year for Avatar! With headline tours in Europe and Latin America announced, and festival dates in the U.S., the band is set to have a monumental start to their year. Europe already has nine sold-out shows, with many others on their way to selling out. Avatar's first headline tour in Latin America is a milestone in and of itself. The band will headline a Sonic Temple stage this May — their first headline set at a DWP Festival.

U.S. FESTIVAL DATES: 
5/17 — COLUMBUS, OH — SONIC TEMPLE
5/18 — 3/YLAND HEIGHTS, MO — POINT FEST
5/19 — MILWAUKEE, WI — MILWAUKEE METAL FEST 

Avatar Release "Afterbirth" Liquid "Blood-Filled" Vinyl Version of "Dance Devil Dance"

ONLY 250 COPIES WILL BE AVAILABLE VIA AVATARCOUNTRY.COM

BAND SUPPORTING IN THIS MOMENT + ICE NINE KILLS ON TOUR THIS FALL

The heavy metal 'n' roll, dark, madcap visionaries collectively known as AVATAR — vocalist Johannes Eckerström, guitarists Jonas Jarlsby and Tim Öhrström, bassist Henrik Sandelin, and drummer John Alfredsson — are releasing a creepy cool collector's vinyl version of their latest album Dance Devil Dance, out now.

Only 250 numbered and hand-crafted copies of the blood-filled "Afterbirth" vinyl will be produced. 

The packaging will include an additional standard red opaque vinyl; a 2-pocket silver board gatefold vinyl with platinum Dance Devil Dance vinyl; 24-page photo book; and an autographed 5x7 post card.

The vinyl will be exclusive for purchase to Avatar Country Citizens starting , October 31, at 12PM ET. Any remaining piecers be available for purchase for everyone on the band's website starting on Friday, November 3. 

Watch the trailer below.

"Your first birth was on the house those are the cards you're forced to play," says Eckerström. "Until today. You can be reborn every single night. Evolve. We feed your ear through an umbilical cord. We are the placenta. Your mind rests inside a soft womb of sound. Then, there is light. Escape. Open your eyes. This is the first night of the rest of your life. We are still in you."

2023 has been quite a year for Avatar They achieved their first #1 single "The Dirt I'm Buried In." The track has surged itself to #1 on Mediabase's Active Rock Chart. On Billboard's Mainstream Rock Chart, the single rises to #1 on its 31st week, making it the longest trek to #1 in 20 years! Read more about it over at Billboard. Avatar were also immortalized as a fossil from Southern Sweden; discovered by Dr. Ben Thuy, a​​ paleontologist at the Luxembourg Natural History Museum. This fossil is now known as Ophiocoma avatar. The band appeared on the covers of Revolver and Outburn, as well.

Avatar will return to the U.S. this month on a tour with In This Moment and Ice Nine Kills. All dates are below.

ICE NINE KILLS + IN THIS MOMENT "KISS OF DEATH" TOUR
11/3 — Gary, IN — Hard Rock Live
11/4 — Maplewood, MN — Myth Live *
11/5 — Kansas City, MO — Uptown Theater *
11/7 — Indianapolis, IN — Blue Ribbon Pavilion 
11/8 — Cincinnati, OH — The Andrew J Brady Music Center
11/9 — Milwaukee, WI — Eagles Ballroom
11/11 — Green Bay, WI — Epic Events Center *
11/12 — Louisville, KY — The Louisville Palace Theatre *
11/14 — Greenville, SC — Bon Secours Arena
11/16 — Estero, FL — Hertz Arena
11/17 — Jacksonville, FL — Daily's Place
11/18 — Orlando, FL — Orlando Amphitheater
11/20 — Atlanta, GA — Coca Cola Roxy
11/21 — Greensboro, NC — Greensboro Coliseum Complex
11/22 — Reading, PA — Santander Arena
11/24 — Wallingford, CT — Oakdale Theatre
11/25 — Bangor, ME — Cross Insurance Center
11/26 — Albany, NY — Empire Live #
11/27 — New York, NY — Hammerstein Ballroom
11/28 — Washington, DC — The Anthem
11/30 — Norfolk, VA — Chartway Arena
12/1 — Johnstown, PA — 1st Summit Arena
12/2 — Wheeling, WV — Webanco Arena
*ITM ONLY
#AVATAR HEADLINER

Avatar Land First No. 1 With "The Dirt I'm Buried In" + Fossil Named After Band

AVATAR LAND FIRST #1 SINGLE OF CAREER WITH "THE DIRT I'M BURIED IN"

 IT'S THE LONGEST TREK TO #1 IN 20 YEARS ON BILLBOARD'S MAINSTREAM ROCK CHART! 

NEW ALBUM DANCE DEVIL DANCE OUT NOW VIA BLACK WALTZ RECORDS, DISTRIBUTED BY THIRTY TIGERS

HEADLINE TOUR KICKS OFF IN SEPTEMBER WITH KEY FESTIVAL APPEARANCES

SUPPORTING IN THIS MOMENT + ICE NINE KILLS IN FALL 2023 IN U.S.

SWEDISH FOSSIL NAMED AFTER BAND

The heavy metal 'n' roll, dark, madcap visionaries collectively known as AVATAR — vocalist Johannes Eckerström, guitarists Jonas Jarlsby and Tim Öhrström, bassist Henrik Sandelin, and drummer John Alfredsson— are having a banner year in 2023, with lots of firsts! 

They've achieved their first #1 single "The Dirt I'm Buried In" from their magnum opus and ninth album, Dance Devil Dance, produced and mixed by Jay Ruston which was released in February. The track has surged itself to #1 on Mediabase's Active Rock Chart. On Billboard's Mainstream Rock Chart, the single rises to #1 on its 31st week, making it the longest trek to #1 in 20 years! Read more about it over at Billboard.

"If you told the 16 year old me that we would hit the top of the U.S. radio charts, I'd ask you what you're smoking. If you then would proceed to tell me that a fossil would be named after us, I'd ask you what you're smoking, and if you could share. Hitting the charts was never a priority, but now that we're here, I'm grateful. It shows the reach of what we're doing and it is baffling. The fossil shows something else. That to me is a sign of people truly making our music a part of their lives. It's a true honor. A beautiful gift. All we can say is thank you. We fully intend to keep earning your participation, over and over again," says Eckerström.

Another first — Avatar have been immortalized as a fossil from Southern Sweden; discovered by Dr. Ben Thuy, a​​ paleontologist at the Luxembourg Natural History Museum. This fossil is now known as Ophiocoma avatar. Read below to learn a little more about the Avatar fossil.

Some 80 million years ago, when dinosaurs roamed our planet, southern Sweden was located at the shores of a subtropical sea. One particular location, the old quarries at Ivö Klack, exposes an exceptional palaeo-environment that is only rarely preserved in the fossil record: a rocky shore with oyster-encrusted boulders. The mud that accumulated between these boulders millions of years ago contains the fossil remains of the animals that lived in and around the rocky shore. One of these animals is the brittle star named after Avatar: Ophiocoma avatar. 

Brittle star skeletons tend to fall apart very quickly after death. As a result, most brittle-star fossils consist of tiny skeletal fragments that are collected with the sieve. The original fossil of Ophiocoma avatar is a fragment from the arm skeleton that carried the long arm spines.

The Avatar brittle star belongs to a genus that nowadays lives along tropical and subtropical shores. They are known to hide under rocks and in crevasses at daytime and emerge at night to collect food particles with their spiny arms. A remarkable feature of living Ophiocoma species is that many of them are capable of sight, without even having eyes or a brain! They can literally see with their entire body surface, and some even change color between day and night as part of a sunglass effect. Whether the Avatar brittle star exhibited the same features is impossible to determine based on fossils alone. What we can say, however, is that Ophiocoma avatar is by far the oldest known representative of this exciting group of brittle stars.

The name Ophiocoma avatar, is valid for eternity. Avatar is now a part of the Earth's history, of the palaeontological heritage of Sweden, and has gained a small piece of immortality.

The band will return to the road this fall for their headline "Chimp Mosh Pit Tour" and will be supporting Ice Nine Kills and In This Moment for their "Kiss of Death" Tour. All dates are below, including key festival appearances. Get tickets HERE.

FALL 2023 CHIMP MOSH PIT TOUR DATES:
9/10 — Alton, VA — Blue Ridge Rock Fest +
9/12 — Quebec City, QC — Imperial Bell 
9/13 — Montreal, QC — Olympia 
9/14 — Toronto, ON — Phoenix 
9/15 — Grand Rapids, MI — The Intersection
9/16 — Des Moines, IA — Wooly's 
9/17 — Bloomington, IL — The Castle 
9/19 — Houston, TX — Rise *
9/20 — Oklahoma City, OK — Diamond Ballroom 
9/22 — Louisville, KY — Louder Than Life +
9/23 — St. Louis, MO — Delmar Hall
9/24 — Nashville, TN — Brooklyn Bowl
9/25 — Fayetteville, AR — JJ's Live 
9/26 — Wichita, KS — Cotillion 
9/28 — Fargo, ND — Fargo Brewing Company 
9/29 — Winnipeg, MB — Burton Cummings Theater 
9/30 — Saskatoon, SK — Coors 
10/1 — Calgary, AB — Palace Theater 
10/2 — Edmonton, AB — Midway Music Hall
10/4 — Vancouver, BC — Commodore Ballroom
10/5 — Spokane, WA — Knitting Factory 
10/6 — Eugene, OR — McDonald Theater
10/7 — Sacramento, CA — Aftershock +
10/8 — San Louis Obispo, CA — Fremont Theater
11/26 — Albany, NY – Empire Live ^
+ Festivals
^ No Orbit Culture or Native Howl

ICE NINE KILLS + IN THIS MOMENT "KISS OF DEATH" TOUR
11/3 — Gary, IN — Hard Rock Live
11/4 — Maplewood, MN — Myth Live *
11/5 — Kansas City, MO — Uptown Theater *
11/7 — Indianapolis, IN — Blue Ribbon Pavilion 
11/8 — Cincinnati, OH — The Andrew J Brady Music Center
11/9 — Milwaukee, WI — Eagles Ballroom
11/11 — Green Bay, WI — Epic Events Center *
11/12 — Louisville, KY — The Louisville Palace Theatre *
11/14 — Greenville, SC — Bon Secours Arena
11/16 — Estero, FL — Hertz Arena
11/17 — Jacksonville, FL — Daily's Place
11/18 — Orlando, FL — Orlando Amphitheater
11/20 — Atlanta, GA — Coca Cola Roxy
11/21 — Greensboro, NC — Greensboro Coliseum Complex
11/22 — Reading, PA — Santander Arena
11/24 — Wallingford, CT — Oakdale Theatre
11/25 — Bangor, ME — Cross Insurance Center
11/27 — New York, NY — Hammerstein Ballroom
11/28 — Washington, DC — The Anthem
11/30 — Norfolk, VA — Chartway Arena
Dec 01 — Johnstown, PA — 1st Summit Arena
Dec 02 — Wheeling, WV — Webanco Arena
*ITM ONLY

LISTEN TO OR WATCH:
"Dance Devil Dance"    
"Valley Of Disease"
"Violence No Matter What" (Feat. Lzzy Hale)

Avatar Share "Chimp Mosh Pit" Video — WATCH // U.S. Tour Kicks Off This Week

NEW ALBUM DANCE DEVIL DANCE OUT NOW VIA BLACK WALTZ RECORDS, DISTRIBUTED BY THIRTY TIGERS

HEADLINE TOUR KICKS OFF THIS WEEK!

The heavy metal 'n' roll, dark, madcap visionaries collectively known as AVATAR — vocalist Johannes Eckerström, guitarists Jonas Jarlsby and Tim Öhrström, bassist Henrik Sandelin, and drummer John Alfredsson — released their magnum opus and ninth album, Dance Devil Dance, this past winter via Black Waltz Records, distributed by Thirty Tigers. Get it here.

Today, they have shared the animated hybrid video for "Chimp Mosh Pit." Watch it nelow.

"Choosing what songs to make videos out of from Dance Devil Dance was harder than ever, with some very strong candidates," says Eckerström. "Having battle tested 'Chimp Mosh Pit' on stage over and over makes me feel we made a very good choice. It's a fun ride. I like how it leans into the good rock 'n' roll times we like to mix with the destructive energy of the metal stuff. It feels like we are the only band who could've made this video."

Avatar will also return to the road this week on a headline tour that kicks off April 28 in Omaha and runs through May 28 in Pittsburgh. Veil of Maya and Orbit Culture will support. The rest of Avatar's summer and fall is filling up! With UK and European festivals and their first-ever Australian headline shows this summer, and back to the U.S. in the fall, Avatar are making the world theirs.

All dates are below, including key spring festival appearances. 

Get tickets here.

AVATAR ON TOUR:
WITH VEIL OF MAYA + ORBIT CULTURE:
4/28 — Omaha, NE — The Admiral
4/29 — Denver, CO — Ogden
4/30 — Salt Lake City, UT — The Depot
5/1 — Boise, ID — Revolution
5/3 — San Diego. CA — Observatory
5/4 — Los Angeles, CA — Belasco
5/5 — San Francisco, CA — The Fillmore
5/6 — Las Vegas, NV — House of Blues
5/7 — Phoenix, AZ — Van Buren
5/9 — Austin, TX — Emo's
5/10 — Dallas, TX — The Echo Lounge & Music Hall
5/12 — Minneapolis, MN — Skyway Theater
5/13 — Green Bay, WI — Epic Events Center
5/14 — Moline, IL — The Rust Belt
5/15 — Chicago, IL — House of Blues
5/16 — Detroit, MI — Royal Oak Theatre
5/18 — Daytona Beach, FL — Welcome to Rockville+
5/19 — St. Petersburg, FL — Jannus Live
5/20 — Atlanta, GA — Buckhead Theater
5/21 — Lexington, KY — Manchester Music Hall
5/23 — New York, NY — Webster Hall
5/24 — Boston, MA — Paradise
5/25 — Silver Springs, MD — The Fillmore
5/26 — Philadelphia, PA — TLA
5/27 — Columbus, OH — Sonic Temple+
5/28 — Pittsburgh, PA — Roxian Theater
+Festival date

Avatar's New Album "DANCE DEVIL DANCE" Out Today + Band Touring The U.S. This Spring

AVATAR RELEASE NEW ALBUM DANCE DEVIL DANCE TODAY, FEBRUARY 17, VIA BLACK WALTZ RECORDS, DISTRIBUTED BY THIRTY TIGERS

BAND TO EMBARK ON HEADLINE U.S. TOUR THIS SPRING

The heavy metal 'n' roll, dark, madcap visionaries collectively known as AVATAR — vocalist Johannes Eckerström, guitarists Jonas Jarlsby and Tim Öhrström, bassist Henrik Sandelin, and drummer John Alfredsson — released their magnum opus and ninth album Dance Devil Dance, today, February 17, via Black Waltz Records, distributed by Thirty Tigers. Get it here.

"Dance Devil Dance is the culmination of the most intense artistic journey of our lives," the band says. "We haven't been this excited about putting out new music since our first demo, way back when. We have made a point out of treating every album like our last, never taking what we get to do for granted. This holds true for this one as well. That being said, in more ways than one, this feels like our first. We have fallen in love with the noise, the chaos, and the creation all over again. It's hard to find words for it. It's just so very special to us. It's good that the day has finally come."

The almighty Avatar will also return to the road this spring on a headline tour that kicks off April 28 in Omaha and runs through May 28 in Pittsburgh. Veil of Maya and Orbit Culture will support. All dates are below, including key spring festival appearances. Get tickets here.

AVATAR ON TOUR:
WITH VEIL OF MAYA + ORBIT CULTURE:
4/28 — Omaha, NE — The Admiral
4/29 — Denver, CO — Ogden
4/30 — Salt Lake City, UT — The Depot
5/1 — Boise, ID — Revolution
5/3 — San Diego. CA — Observatory
5/4 — Los Angeles, CA — Belasco
5/5 — San Francisco, CA — The Fillmore
5/6 — Las Vegas, NV — House of Blues
5/7 — Phoenix, AZ — Van Buren
5/9 — Austin, TX — Emo's
5/10 — Dallas, TX — The Echo Lounge & Music Hall
5/12 — Minneapolis, MN — Skyway Theater
5/13 — Green Bay, WI — Epic Events Center
5/14 — Moline, IL — The Rust Belt
5/15 — Chicago, IL — House of Blues
5/16 — Detroit, MI — Royal Oak Theatre
5/18 — Daytona Beach, FL — Welcome to Rockville+
5/19 — St. Petersburg, FL — Jannus Live
5/20 — Atlanta, GA — Buckhead Theater
5/21 — Lexington, KY — Manchester Music Hall
5/23 — New York, NY — Webster Hall
5/24 — Boston, MA — Paradise
5/25 — Silver Springs, MD — The Fillmore
5/26 — Philadelphia, PA — TLA
5/27 — Columbus, OH — Sonic Temple+
5/28 — Pittsburgh, PA — Roxian Theater
+Festival date

 AVATAR ARE:
Johannes Eckerström — Vocals
John Alfredsson — Drums
Jonas Jarlsby — Guitar
Henrik Sandelin — Bass
Tim Öhrström — Guitar

Avatar Drop "Violence No Matter What" Duet With Lzzy Hale — LISTEN // Band Touring the U.S. This Spring

The heavy metal 'n' roll, dark, madcap visionaries collectively known as AVATAR — vocalist Johannes Eckerström, guitarists Jonas Jarlsby andTim Öhrström, bassist Henrik Sandelin, and drummer John Alfredsson — have unleashed yet another track from their upcoming magnum opus and ninth album Dance Devil Dance, out Febriuary 17 via Black Waltz Records, distributed by Thirty Tigers. Pre-order the album HERE.

Today, the band has shared the new song "Violence No Matter What," a powerhouse duet with the inimitable Lzzy Hale. Watch it below.

 Eckerström says, "'Violence No Matter What' is about one thing and one thing only. It's ok to debate and fight and to think differently. But there is a limit, and the line must be drawn at authority held with violence, a world view that cannot survive without enemies, a promised return to a fabricated former glory." 

Hale says, "'Violence No Matter What' was such an inspiring piece to be a part of! Thank you so much to the boys for giving me the opportunity to express my angst against the horrors of this world through such a brilliant song!"

The almighty Avatar will also return to the road this spring on a headline tour that kicks off April 28 in Omaha and runs through May 28 in Pittsburgh. Veil of Maya and Orbit Culture will support. All dates are below, including key spring festival appearances.

Get tickets here.

AVATAR ON TOUR:
WITH VEIL OF MAYA + ORBIT CULTURE:
4/28 — Omaha, NE — The Admiral
4/29 — Denver, CO — Ogden
4/30 — Salt Lake City, UT — The Depot
5/1 — Boise, ID — Revolution
5/3 — San Diego. CA — Observatory
5/4 — Los Angeles, CA — Belasco
5/5 — San Francisco, CA — The Fillmore
5/6 — Las Vegas, NV — House of Blues
5/7 — Phoenix, AZ — Van Buren
5/9 — Austin, TX — Emo's
5/10 — Dallas, TX — The Echo Lounge & Music Hall
5/12 — Minneapolis, MN — Skyway Theater
5/13 — Green Bay, WI — Epic Events Center
5/14 — Moline, IL — The Rust Belt
5/15 — Chicago, IL — House of Blues
5/16 — Detroit, MI — Royal Oak Theatre
5/18 — Daytona Beach, FL — Welcome to Rockville+
5/19 — St. Petersburg, FL — Jannus Live
5/20 — Atlanta, GA — Buckhead Theater
5/21 — Lexington, KY — Manchester Music Hall
5/23 — New York, NY — Webster Hall
5/24 — Boston, MA — Paradise
5/25 — Silver Springs, MD — The Fillmore
5/26 — Philadelphia, PA — TLA
5/27 — Columbus, OH — Sonic Temple+
5/28 — Pittsburgh, PA — Roxian Theater
+Festival date

 AVATAR ARE:
Johannes Eckerström — Vocals
John Alfredsson — Drums
Jonas Jarlsby — Guitar
Henrik Sandelin — Bass
Tim Öhrström — Guitar