Description
Product Description
Content Introduction Swedish doom metal band Avatarium's 3rd album, "Hurricanes and Halos," is set for release! Jenny Ann Smith's alluring mood and occult taste invite you into a beautiful world of darkness! Recording and mixing are handled by David Castillo, known for his work with Catatonia and Opeth, and mastering is by Jens Bogren, who has worked with Sepultura and Soilwork! Bassist Leif Edling is known not only as an original member of the pioneering epic doom band Candlemass, but also as a central figure in the Swedish metal all-stars Crux, comprised of members who have played in Entombed, Grave, Therion, Tiamat, Niflheim, Merciless, and others. The band Avatarium, formed in 2013 by a lineup that could be called a living witness to metal in the Kingdom of Sweden, consisting of former Royal Hunt/Evergray member Markus Idell (guitar), Tiamat's Lars Skold (drums), former Candlemus/Crux member Karl Westholm (keyboards), and Idell's wife, Jenny Ann Smith (vocals), has released their new album "Hurricanes and Halos" on the prestigious German label Nuclear Blast Records, following two critically acclaimed albums, "Avatarium" (2013) and "The Girl with the Raven Mask" (2015). After the release of their previous album, founder Edling amicably left the band to balance his work with Candlemus and to start a new solo project, "The Doomsday Kingdom" (Idell also supports The Doomsday Kingdom). With Westholm also having left the band, 'Hurricanes and Halos' was created with the Idell couple and Skold, joined by Mats Ludstr?m (bass) from the American stoner rock band Abramus Brahma, and Ricardo Nilsson (keyboards), an old acquaintance of Edling's, as new members. Six of the eight tracks are songs Edling left with the band. In other words, the style of reconstructing 1960s blues and hard rock, and 70s doom rock, with a metal sensibility that spans from the NWOBHM era to the modern era, and outputting it as evolving hard rock/heavy metal, is carried over from the previous work. Recording and mixing were handled by David Castillo (Ghostword Studios), known for his work with Catatonia and Opeth, and mastering was handled by Jens Bogren, who has worked with Amon Amarth, Soilwork, Pain of Salvation, etc., and the tough production style that has emerged after passing through death metal is still alive and well. However, in this album, they have shed another layer of their previous work, revealing a more open and captivating "rock" appeal, showing a next-level transformation. This change can be attributed to Jenny Ann Smith and Markus Idell putting more effort into songwriting and arrangement than ever before. Idell, who also handled production, is not only a renowned guitarist in the world of melodic hard rock, but is also currently active as a member of Soen, a progressive rock band led by former Opeth member Martin Lopez. Perhaps reflecting this experience, the arrangements, which elevate complex developments into catchy tunes, have evolved even further. Jenny Ann Smith's vocals retain their alluring and occult mood, but have also been shifted to a more positive tone. The influence of veteran percussionist Michael Blair, known for his collaborations with Tom Waits and Lou Reed, joining the band as a collaborator for the first time since the 2014 EP "All I Want," is also significant. The guest vocalists, including Leif Sundin, known for her work with the Michael Schenker Group, and Annie De Ville of the Stockholm-based all-girl metal band Hysteria, exude a glamour far removed from the "doom" label. For Avatarium, "Hurricanes and Halos" is the equivalent of Pink Floyd's "The Wall." [Includes Japanese liner notes/lyrics translation] [Members] Jenny Ann Smith (vocals) Markus Idell (guitar) Lars Skold (drums) Mats Ludstr?m (bass) Ricardo Nilsson (organ) [Track Listing] 01. Into the Fire / Into the Storm 02. The Starless Sleep 03. Road to Jerusalem 04. Medusa Child 05. The Sky at the Bottom of the Sea 06. When Breath Turns to Air 07. A Kiss (From the End of the World) 08. Hurricanes and Halos Media Reviews and More Swedish doom metal band Avatarium's third album is set for release! Jenny Ann Smith's alluring mood and occult elements invite you into a beautiful world of darkness! Recording and mixing by David Castillo, known for his work with Catatonia and Opeth, and mastering by Jens Bogren, who has worked with Sepultura and Soilwork! (C)RS