Avatar
Channel 24, Sacramento
April 16, 2026
Photos by Paul Piazza
Avatar, a rapidly ascending melodic death metal band from Gothenburg, Sweden recently brought their circus-like caravan to Sacramento’s Channel 24. Led by lead vocalist/demented ringmaster Johannes Eckerstrom, the band treated their fans to a high energy set that blended hyper-tempo songs along with some pretty catchy heavy anthems.
The whole show went over very well with their growing legion of fans.
When they first formed in 2001, their sound was in the melodic death metal realm, but they have since evolved into a versatile theatrical powerhouse known for their showmanship and chops. That, along with some catchy anthems and a dynamite stage show have continued to grow the band. The band’s set for the show focused mainly on 2025’s Don’t Go Into the Forest but also leaned heavily on tunes from 2012’s Black Waltz and 2014’s Hail the Apocalypse.
Throughout it all, frontman Eckerstrom exhorted the crowd gleefully with challenges to rise to the occasion and the crowd did over and over again with boisterous cheers, screams and mosh pits. The band was buoyed by the excellent twin guitar work of Jonas “Kungen” Jarlsby and Tim Ohrmstrom. They are anchored stoutly by drummer John Alfredsson and bassist Henrik Sandelin. The band are in the midst of a US tour which concludes in May before crossing over to Australia and then back to Europe for some big summer metal festivals. This show also marked the biggest venue the group have headlined in Sacramento to date.
Opening the show was Italy’s symphonic death metal heroes Fleshgod Apocalypse. The band, widely known in Europe, was founded by guitarist/vocalist Francesco Paoli in 2007.
Known for their mythological and historical themes, the band’s 2013 album Labyrinth explored the ancient Greek myth of the Minotaur and how some themes from that story connect to modern times. Their recent album, Opera takes a different turn, utilizing the talents of opera singer Veronica Bordacchini along with French horns and other orchestral instruments. Also of note was the Phantom of the Opera-like performance of piano maestro Francesco Ferrini. As one would expect, the band’s live show was dramatic and theatrical and emphasized heavy rhythms as well as some gothic and operatic influences, which were embedded in the steady death metal chaos.
Also on support for the show were Frozen Soul, a Texas death metal band who played things on the little throwback, with a slight tip of the cap to Bolt Thrower. Their sound emphasized mid-tempo, heavy sounds that have caused some to place them in a category called New Wave of Old School Death Metal. Or NWOSDM if you will. All in all, it was a pretty loaded night of globally proficient artists who are into all things heavy.
