Avatar’s – The King Live in Paris CD review
If you are an Avatar fan you’ll love the CD titled The King Live in Paris. If you have never heard of Avatar (we are not talking blue people or airbenders), you’ll also love this CD. Avatar, in my option, is fresh and one of the few bands that are amazing both on CD and live. They take their show to a whole new level that is so enjoyable, that, for a moment, you can forget all your stresses in life and just enjoy yourself. Luckily, with The King Live in Paris, recorded at the mighty Download Festival, you can take this feeling with you everywhere.
Quick intro to who is Avatar. “GLORY TO AVATAR COUNTRY! GLORY TO OUR KING!” They are a heavy metal band from Sweden who have been around since 2001. The members that make up Avatar are: Johannes Michael Gustaf Eckerstrom (vocals), John Alfredsson (drums), Kungen (guitar), Tim Ohrstrom (guitar), and Henrik Sandelin (bass). Avatar have released seven studio albums, with this one being their eighth. Avatar’s sound is heavy, melodic, metal, death metal, dance metal, and good ol’ rock n’ roll…all rolled into one. If you are one of the unfortunate ones who have never seen Avatar live, my advice to you is to see them as soon as you get the chance, and get this CD and listen to it on repeat until you do.
The intro starts out with someone speaking in French. Although I have no idea what this gentleman is saying, it really begins to take you away to the Download Festival atmosphere. You can hear the voices of the audience, which is no doubt massive in numbers, cheering for Avatar to take the stage. Next you’ll hear the commanding guitar break in on “A Statue of the King” off their 2018 album Avatar Country. It is the perfect intro to start the set. Johannes calls out, “On this glorious day we’re all citizens,” and as the song continues, it gets faster and I can totally imagine the big circle pit that happened. Trumpets sound for the intro on the next song. We are truly in the presence of the King when the country-like guitar riff starts for “Let it Burn.” The King Live in Paris gives you a well balanced Avatar show with the melodic “Bloody Angel” and the fast “For the Swarm.” The hauntingly beautiful song “Tower” gave me goosebumps the first time I heard to it. I hit repeat many times on this song because it is absolutely spectacular live! Johannes has such a way with the crowd; they feed on his every word and do anything and everything he asks of them. He offers the best transitions and introductions, giving the needed enthusiasm for a great show. On this release you’ll hear the crowd sing along with my personal favorite, “The Eagle has Landed” off their 2016 album, Feathers & Flesh. Tim’s guitar solo on “Avatar Country” will energize you just by listening to it. Add in the crowd chanting and you’ll be transported there. I absolutely loved it when the crowd sang in unison, “We’ll take good care of you / I bid you welcome to / Avatar Country.” If you’re ever down or having a bad day, this is the tune for you to turn your day around. Hell, this is the perfect album to listen to when you’re having a rough day, a happy day, or any kind of day. Remember in Avatar Country, we are all family. Hail the Apocalypse!
