Gothenburg, Sweden-based heavy metal group Avatar have released a blistering new single, “Silence in the Age of Apes.” Abundant, as always, the song includes blazing guitar riffs and frontman Johannes Eckerström’s brutal, snarling growls. Plus, the accompanying music video features the band in its new wardrobe and a storyline of a bizarre interrogation by a stuffed animal — and, yes, we’re totally into it. Listen and watch below.
Earlier this month, the theatrical troupe announced they are leaving Avatar Country behind via a movie-trailer-style video teaser. Announcing their highly anticipated eighth full-length, Hunter Gatherer — which is due August 7th via eOne Music (track listing and album art are below) — and the clip foreshadowed a dark new era for the band. And indeed it does with this heavy first taste of music.
“A new door opens. A new era begins. Step into the darkness, and see,” read the YouTube description for the teaser, which was directed by longtime collaborator Johan Carlén. Slipknot and Stone Sour’s Corey Taylor is rumored to guest on the album, specifically, on a new song titled “Secret Door.”
Back in January, Eckerström spoke to Loudwire about the LP and explained its darker direction. “Avatar Country, we wanted to see if we could do comedy,” he said. “It was funny and we wanted to see if we could make something funny … But it was humorous for us, and now it’s important for us to do something devoid of humor, there is no joking around with this and it pulls us back into reality. It deals more with darkness, sadness, detachment, alienation and the anxiety of thinking of the world at large.”
You can pre-order Hunter Gatherer here.
Hunter Gatherer track listing:
Silence in the Age of Apes
Colossus
A Secret Door
God of Sick Dreams
Scream Until You Wake
Child
Justice
Gun
When All but Force Has Failed
Wormhole
