Avatarium

COMPOSERS |SONGWRITERS | PRODUCERS | ARTISTS

Located in: Sweden
Open for: collaborations, co-writes
Genres: Heavy Metal, Rock
Writes in: Swedish, English

Almost 10 years ago, Candlemass legend Leif Edling made the doom metal world a darker and ultimately more interesting place with a new band, Avatarium. Over the next eight years the band released two EPs, four critically acclaimed full-length records. Edling eventually left Avatarium's ranks due to health issues, but the band forged onward, and 2022 finds them capping off a prolific decade with the epic new album, 'Death, Where Is Your Sting'.

From the first album, Avatarium operated with the keywords "dark", "heavy" and "poetic", which best describes the Swedish outfit at its core. The band has evolved since their 2013 self-titled debut, and although they have introduced new elements along the way, Avatarium continue to operate within this doom-laden framework.

Guitarist Marcus Jidell, who also produced the Grammy-nominated Candlemass song "Astorolus" featuring Black Sabbath icon Tony Iommi in 2020, is complemented by Jennie-Ann Smith joining the band and contributing largely to the band's lyrical foundation.

Avatarium is somewhat unique within doom metal in that that they have a female singer, unintentionally breaking genre boundaries. She has learned a lot from working with Leif Edling, whom she affectionately refers to as The Master Of Doom, and 'Death, Where Is Your Sting', marks the first time Smith has written all the lyrics for an album. This is significant in that lyrics have always inspired the song arrangements in Avatarium.

"There's a red thread from our debut album dealing with all sorts of existential questions.That's what doom is to me. Avatarium is a vehicle that soothes the seriousness, and offers the sheer joy of music. It is intellectual, it is existential, there are serious topics of religion, philosophy and psychology, but you can still just enjoy the music and get lost in the riffs." Jennie-Ann says of her lyrics.