Avatar Unveil New Album Don't Go in the Forest, Out This Halloween
Swedish metal juggernauts Avatar are stepping into the shadows once again. The band has announced their new album, Don't Go in the Forest, arriving October 31 – a release date perfectly suited to their theatrical and eerie aesthetic. You can pre-save the album here.
Alongside the announcement, Avatar dropped the video for their brand new single, Tonight We Must Be Warriors. The track pairs the band's trademark heaviness with a rallying cry for unity and resilience. Check out the video for yourself here.
Frontman Johannes Eckerström explained the song’s meaning, emphasizing its urgency:
“It has become a necessity to me over the years to be able to answer one question: Why is this important? It can't be just another album. We need to discover something, try something else. It has to come from the heart. What is being said matters…In days of isolation and despair, maybe we need to be reminded that we are not alone? We are one of many…In our shared pain, we find solidarity.”
Eckerström’s words strike with the force of conviction, blurring the line between frontman and messenger. There's an urgency in the way he frames the song, turning it into more than music. It becomes a declaration of strength in the face of struggle, and an invitation for listeners to stand together.
For Eckerström, the upcoming album represents uncharted territory. “Dont Go in the Forest is filled with things we've never done before. It's an album that demanded to be made right now – wild, dangerous, and full of forbidden thoughts that needed to be spoken.” That sense of discovery and danger defines the project. Rather than revisiting old ground, Avatar throws themselves into unexplored territory, chasing sounds and ideas that feel both raw and inevitable.
Early singles like Captain Goat and In the Airwaves offer tantalizing glimpses into the album’s dark, imaginative world, each track hinting at the unexpected corners Avatar has dared to explore. With Tonight We Must Be Warriors, the band cements their commitment to blending theatrical metal with weighty, thought-provoking themes, creating music that's as emotionally charged as it is sonically intense.
Don't Go in the Forest isn't just a collection of songs, it's a fully realized experience. From haunting melodies to thunderous riffs, the album immerses listeners in a world of shadows and spectacle, where each moment is designed to provoke, challenge, and enthrall. Avatar’s willingness to push boundaries and confront the unknown gives the album a vitality and immediacy that can't be replicated.
With this release, Avatar prove once again that they are more than a band. They are storytellers, provocateurs, and architects of a dark, theatrical vision. Every note and lyric feels Intentional, a carefully crafted piece of a larger journey that demands attention and engagement. Don’t Go in the Forest stands as a bold statement, inviting fans to step into uncharted musical territory and confront the unexpected.
