Hunter Gatherer is Avatars 8th studio album. The record is much more heavy and focused than their last album, Avatar Country, while still keeping and adding to their experimental and odd style.
The album opens up with one of the heavier cuts off of the album, Silence in the Age of Apes. The track is filled to the brim with heavy riffs and soaring guitar solos. It is the perfect live track as it has an intense and heavy chorus. Colossus demonstrates Johannes Eckerström vocal range as he jumps from low to high singing throughout the track. The song is by far the catchiest on the album. Child is an easy highlight as it showcases Avatars storytelling skills. The lyrics are great and the song frantically changes styles throughout. They switch from circus music to death metal to a catchy but slow chorus while still sounding focused and cohesive. Another highlight is When All But Force Has Failed. It is without a doubt the heaviest song on the record as every band member is let loose. It is incredibly fast-paced with an unforgettable drum fill, heavy riffs and a fantastic guitar solo. The album ends with Wormhole. The track has a lot of creative riffs. The memorable chorus and the intense verses help make this the perfect way to end this record.
Avatar does have an issue with making transitions between styles smooth in multiple tracks on the album. This problem is most notable on the tracks A Secret Door and God of Sick Dreams as the transitions between styles can be rather jarring. However, the positives on these songs definitely outweigh the negatives as they are both experimental and are interesting to listen too. It is hard for A Secret Door to not get stuck in your head and God of Sick Dreams holds a great breakdown and some fierce vocals. The song Gun is very disappointing though. The track feels completely out of place from the rest of the album and the raw vocals do not suit the song at all. However, the piano melody is definitely good and lyrics are interesting. I just think the song would have been so much better if took a different approach to making it.
Overall, this is a great album. Each song is unique and memorable and the band explores many new sounds. Every band member has a moment where they shine and despite some negatives the album holds, such as poor transitions and Gun, it is still a great listen and if you enjoy metal it is any easy recommendation.
MY TOP 5 SONGS:
1. Child
2. Colossus
3. When All But Force Has Failed
4. Silence in the Age of Apes
5. Wormhole
Johannes really is a clown live, it was great fun. Lots of crowd engagement
