AVATAR Taps HALESTORM's LZZY HALE For 'Violence No Matter What'

Swedish metallers AVATAR have unleashed yet another track from their upcoming ninth album, "Dance Devil Dance", due out February 17 via Black Waltz Records, distributed by Thirty Tigers. Today, the band has shared the new song "Violence No Matter What", a powerhouse duet with the inimitable Lzzy Hale of HALESTORM.

AVATAR frontman vocalist Johannes Eckerström says: "'Violence No Matter What' is about one thing and one thing only. It's okay to debate and fight and to think differently. But there is a limit, and the line must be drawn at authority held with violence, a worldview that cannot survive without enemies, a promised return to a fabricated former glory."

Hale states: "'Violence No Matter What' was such an inspiring piece to be a part of! Thank you so much to the boys for giving me the opportunity to express my angst against the horrors of this world through such a brilliant song!"

As previously reported, AVATAR will embark on a U.S. tour this spring. The trek, which will feature support from VEIL OF MAYA and ORBIT CULTURE, will kick off on April 28 in Omaha, Nebraska and conclude on May 28 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

"Dance Devil Dance" was recorded in the Swedish wilderness, far away from all the perceived glamor of the big city and modern studios. Jay Ruston (ANTHRAX, MR. BUNGLE, CROBOT, STONE SOUR, AMON AMARTH, URIAH HEEP) returned as producer. He first worked with AVATAR when he mixed "Hail The Apocalypse", a role he reprised on "Feathers & Flesh" before taking the wheel as producer on "Avatar Country" and "Hunter Gatherer".

Last August, Eckerström told TotalRock about AVATAR's upcoming LP: "My best thing to liken it to is [JUDAS PRIEST's] 'British Steel' in the sense of that… JUDAS PRIEST were always great, and before 'British Steel' you had 'Killing Machine', you had 'Sad Wings Of Destiny' and all this, but they were a great heavy metal band, a great rock and roll band, a great prog band at times and kind of eclectic. And then with 'British Steel' I find they really got laser focused, cut off the fat. And we're focused on what we feel right now metal needs — this very pompous but yet…

"Honestly, I feel like we have to save heavy metal," he continued. "Because either people are lost in the past… They did it better than we will ever do what they do. Don't do that. What's next? What's next for us? And do that without disappearing up your own asses completely.

"When people end up doing metal that is best enjoyed while sitting down and shutting up, you miss the point," Johannes added. "Metal is the music that you move to — in the pit, banging your head, dancing around, whatever, lifting weights, drinking too much, getting pregnant, impregnating someone, doing things. It's music to move with. You have drums in the band; why would you have drums if you don't move?

"We look a lot to the masters — that is wisdom from MOTÖRHEAD, from JUDAS PRIEST, from a lot of things — but then just… yeah, that, but not that. They did that. We're now and what's next with that. Where can we try to help bring it? And that is this album."

AVATAR enjoyed quite a productive summer last year, traipsing North America on a successful headline tour. They next embarked on some of the biggest shows of the career — a trek with IRON MAIDEN, supporting the band in stadiums in Brazil. AVATAR also played arenas supporting SABATON. They secured slots at major festivals globally — Inkcarceration, Summer Breeze and Bloodstock Open Air, among others.

Photo credit: Pierre Veillet