Chuck Schuldiner Project

Friday, April 8, 2016

Avatar - Feathers & Flesh


One of the things that always impresses me about Avatar is how mature they sound given that their debut release came out in 2012. And yet here they are, four years later with an album that blows the lid off the original. Feathers & Flesh sees Avatar taking their grandiose mishmash of sounds to the next level with dazzling guitar solos and luscious instrumental passages accompanying vocals that go all over the map and help to create a mind expanding, earth shaking rock and roll experience that hints at great things to come. 

Asides from the obligatory shredding and power metal magic that pads the record (This is Avatar after all) the band has really captured my attention with the song structures they deploy on Feathers & Flesh. It sees their musicianship pushed to the brink, and yet Avatar seem to take it all in stride. The beauty of Feathers & Flesh is that even in its ridiculous diversity the band is able to make the ntire experience feel cohesive. Even as Rammstein-esque portions contrast folk passages one gets a sense of swirling continuity. It speaks to the excellence of the musicians as songwriters, that you could get lost in the world that they have created with these tracks. 

Avatar have expanded their sound significantly on Feathers & Flesh just as any good band should on their sophomore release. This is a band who transcend common limitations, they are unafraid to embrace the future, even if the future is apparently extremely weird. Given the bands distinct aesthetic and incredible technical skill that doesn't seem encapsulated into any one genre I get the impression that not only will Avatar go far, but they could very well drag in quite a few fans from outside the metal fanbase. 

Find them on Facebook!

1 comment:

  1. A little more research wouldn't go amiss. This is their 6th album. Schlact, Thoughts of No Tomorrow, Avatar, Black Waltz, Hail the Apocalypse and now Feathers and Flesh. These guys are absolutely AWESOME!!!

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