[QUIZ] See If You Got What It Takes To Be A Member of Swedish Metal Juggernauts, Avatar
What started as whispers about a special metal band with a fanatical cult following has slowly grown into a crescendo of plaudits, main stage appearances at Download Fest UK, Hellfest, Wacken and a personal invite from Iron Maiden to join them on tour. Here at Wall Of Sound we are proud to say we spotted AVATAR relatively early and have been on the case for a long time (we even gave frontman Johannes his first Australian interview) and reviewed their 2020 release Hunter Gatherer).
With their new record, Dance Devil Dance coming in February, we thought we'd give them some more love with a quiz to find out if you've got what it takes to don the makeup and join the Swedish metal group - made up of Johannes Eckerström (vocals), Jonas Jarlsby (guitar), Tim Öhrström (guitar), Henrik Sandelin (bass) and John Alfredsson (drums).
Let's begin!
1. Slipknot/Stone Sour frontman, superstar, and the undisputed voice of metal COREY TAYLOR, offers to drop by your recording studio and collaborate with you on your new album...
Do you:
a) Try to cash in on his clout and involve him on every possible song.
b) Be tasteful and Keep it to a couple of duelling vocals.
c) Have him whistle and do backup vocals on one song. Don't publicize it.
2. Your band has been called Avatar for a few years. And then some bloke named James Cameron (director of Titanic and Terminator) decides to make a mega-blockbuster franchise with your band's name and trademark it, putting your band's future at risk.
Do you:
a) Lawyer up big time. Sue him for millions!
b) Write a nice letter pleading your case
c) Threaten to change your band's name to Terminator 2 in retaliation
3. Air France loses your luggage, leaving you without your elaborate stage clothes.
Do you:
a) Panic and cancel the show. You must protect your image!
b) Try and find some appropriate gear locally. Maybe a couple of black robes, etc.
c) Do the show in the middle of winter barefoot and in your underwear.
4. You just completed an EPIC concept album called Feathers & Flesh; about a war between an Owl and an Eagle. It is sheer poetry, full of symbolism, meaning, daring, hope and despair; all set to killer riffs and poignant orchestration. But now the label is demanding a "bonus" track.
Do you:
a) Do a related hidden track, something serious, keeping with the theme of the album
b) Use the opportunity to tease the direction of your next album
c) Do a cover of SOUTH PARK's 'I Have Something In My Front Pocket For You'
5. Your guitarist is nicknamed "The King" by your fans.
How far do you take this?
a) Be flattered but stay humble and ignore the plaudits
b) Thank the fans and occasionally refer to him by the nickname when introducing band members on stage
c) Invent your own country, make all the fans citizens, issue passports, currency, release a hilarious concept album then do a world tour with a throne on stage and dress your crew and merch people as courtiers!
6. How do you approach making video clips for your single?
a) Do a live video with a bunch of fans and then overdub the studio track like every other band
b) Go Spartan. Do the video in an empty warehouse, staring into the camera looking moody and enigmatic
c) Crawl around the Scandinavian forest in the dark in sub-zero temperatures and get hyperthermia, break your knuckles smashing your fist into a concrete floor, almost drown in an icy lake and injure your penis flying around in a harness. It's not a proper video clip unless you end up in intensive care!
If you answered mostly:
a) You are not in Avatar...
b) Neither are you!
c) Congratulations. You are mad as a sack of frogs and qualify to join Avatar!
Follow the band on Facebook | Instagram | TikTok
P.s. the track with Corey Taylor is 'A Secret Door' check it out below!
