On a chilly night at Kemba Live in Columbus, Ohio, Swedish melodic death metal band Avatar prepared to take the stage. Touring the U.S. in support of their newest release, In The Airwaves, the band brought one of their most ambitious productions of their career. Pulling out all the stops, Avatar delivered a set that spanned their extensive discography and put on a show unlike anything the crowd had seen before.
Joining them on tour was Alien Weaponry. Hailing from New Zealand, the trio brought their unique fusion of nu-metal, thrash, and groove metal to energize the room. As they stepped onto the stage, drummer Henry Te Reiwhati de Jong opened the night with a powerful haka, paying tribute to their M?ori heritage. Launching into “R? Ana Te Whenua” from their debut album, Alien Weaponry made it immediately clear they were not here to just warm up the stage, they were here to dominate it. Singing in both Te Reo M?ori and English, the band shared stories of M?ori history and culture with electrifying force. They continued with three tracks from their latest album Te R?: “Te Riri o T?whirim?tea,” “Mau Moko,” and “Taniwha,” before closing their set with the crowd favorite “Kai Tangata.”
With the audience amped up, it was finally time for Avatar to take over.
The lights dimmed, smoke rose, and the curtains parted to reveal the band riding in on a moving platform. As they reached center stage and took their positions, the opening notes of “Captain Goat” filled the venue. Frontman Johannes Eckerström stood cloaked in a robe that masked his face, lantern in hand, delivering the haunting first performance of the night. When the song concluded, the band shifted quickly into their next costumes and launched into “Silence in the Age of Apes” from their 2020 album Hunter Gatherer.
From there, Avatar worked their way through a dynamic setlist, pulling songs from Avatar Country, Feathers and Flesh, Black Waltz, and more. Slowing things down for an emotional moment, Johannes took a seat at the piano as the band performed “Howling at the Waves” and, a personal favorite, “Tower.” Throughout the night, their costumes evolved with the eras of the songs, adding a theatrical layer to every transition. When “Legend of the King” began to play, the crowd erupted as the King himself emerged from behind the curtains, perched proudly on his throne in full regal attire.
As the concert approached its finale, Avatar unleashed a barrage of heavy hitters: “Let It Burn,” “The Dirt I’m Buried In,” and “Tonight We Must Be Warriors,” among others. But the night was far from over. Returning for an encore, the band reignited the venue with “Dance Devil Dance,” giving the crowd one last adrenaline boost. They closed with two of their most beloved songs, “Smells Like a Freakshow” and “Hail the Apocalypse,” leaving no doubt that whenever they come to Ohio, the state becomes Avatar Country.
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