Last night, I had the privilege of witnessing Avatar, the masters of metal chaos, perform their debut Sydney show. The band finally graced the shores of our humble continent, and I was fortunate enough to experience their live performance, basking in their towering Swedish magnificence on the stage of Sydney’s Metro Theatre.
The evening commenced with Pyrefly, a last-minute opener who stepped in with a mere three days’ notice, taking over from the original opener Our Last Enemy. This sudden change arose after their guitarist Wade managed to break his arm in a mundane and uneventful manner while moving house – a far cry from any daring exploits like wrestling a dolphin.
This quartet of talented musicians – made up of Alanis on drums, KJ as lead singer and guitarist, Andrew on guitar and Trent on bass – filled the room with their melodious heavy sounds, capturing the audience’s hearts and refusing to let go. Despite their 30-minute time slot, this group managed to cultivate a fanbase among those who might not have been familiar with them before. Lead singer and frontman with a plan KJ even ventured into the audience midway through their set, becoming one with the crowd. Their final song, the incredibly catchy and addictive “Silver Tongue,” ensnared listeners leaving them screaming and pumping their fists for an encore. They are one I will be following along with and seeing them again as soon as possible.
And now, onto the main event of the evening!
Johannes, the vocalist and ringmaster extraordinaire, began the evening by seeking consent and establishing a safe word – what could be more alluring than that?
Especially after all the suggestive banter, paired with his resonant growls, I know I’m in for an incredible night.
The guitar gimps (not techs, definitely gimps) introduced a delightful touch of humour to the already uproarious band.
A band that is profoundly attuned to their own music and each other’s performances is a sight to behold as a fan. They flirt, jest, and feed off each other’s energy, creating an electric atmosphere.
The bassist Henrik, exudes an air of nonchalance and groove, but you can tell he genuinely cherishes and supports his bandmates.
Their collective hair volume exceeds anything I’ve ever seen in a band; the sight of them all windmilling, including the drummer, is breathtaking. Also, a good point to insert is that Johannes can sing while he’s windmilling and I now want to know what his cardio routine looks like because my chubby ass is out of breath just thinking about it.
Watching their drummer, John is absolutely awe-inspiring. The contrast between his motionless body and the pulsating fury of his arms working the drum kit is a sight to behold. I’m going to pose a theory that he might be an automaton because no human should be able to move the way that he does. Check out our Reels page on Instagram to witness this phenomenon; it’s unsettling yet utterly captivating.
Johannes’ act of sipping from a fuel canister for the whole set is pure hilarity. Moreover, his live performances feature more power metal-style screams compared to the recordings, endearing him to the audience even further.
Johannes ventured to the upper tiers of the theatre, treating the crowd to more of his antics. He even fashioned a balloon animal dog and tossed it into the crowd; I’m quite certain I spotted someone leaving the venue with it intact – kudos to them! Surprisingly, it turns out that Johannes is following the European trend of band members mastering a variety of random instruments; he plays the trombone. This quirky addition aligns perfectly with the band’s theme of being a circus of madness – it makes sense once you overcome the initial surprise.
“How do I get to the Sydney Opera?” Johannes queries before delivering the most terrible of punchlines.
“Practice”
…..
What an absolutely abysmal sense of humour our ringmaster has.
At this point, the vibrations from the crowd’s enthusiasm – their dancing, headbanging, and immersion in the infectious groove – could be felt resonating through the floor.
The guitarists Tim and Kungen – who could easily have been stand ins for the Twins in Matrix Reloaded – engaged in a phenomenal riff battle that elicited screams, tears, and a fervent desire for more. I am not immune to their whims and am left craving more of these beautiful Swedish men seeking my approval.
Johannes playfully mentions his intention to push our buttons as we continue; my safe word is “apples” FYI. To my surprise, he brought out a piano for the song “Tower.” Accompanied by the tech gimps with their red headlamps, this presentation exuded an odd yet alluring charm. Even in the restroom, Johannes’ voice resonates vividly, sending vibrations through one’s very soul.
After an hour of endless screaming, headbanging and watching the crowd follow every order our ringmaster presented, we came to the end of the night and our final song in “Hail the Apocalypse” and I could not have named a single song that would have been more suited in the final slot. The crowd screamed themselves hoarse, threw their sweaty hair all over the place and maybe even jarred a muscle or two fervently throwing their horns in the air.
I left the theatre energized, exhausted, stiff necked and wanting to do it all again and again. Don’t let the makeup and costumes deter you into thinking they’re a particular genre. Avatar are more than worth listening to. Go on, give in, join the circus.
Review by Alison Setright
