Avararium - Hurricanes and Halos

Monday, New Week, time to introduce "Record Of The Week"

Swedish metallers AVATARIUM, fronted by Jennie-Ann Smith, have launched their third full-length opus titled "Hurricanes and Halos".

Founded back in 2012’s by CANDLEMASS mainman and bassist Leif Edling and SOEN guitarist Marcus Jidell, AVATARIUM completed their line-up with keyboardist Carl Westholm, known for his work with CARPTREE, KRUX and JUPITER SOCIETY and drummer Lars Sköld of TIAMAT, beside already mentioned Jennie-Ann Smith, Edling still continues his influence as mentor and creative force, and has written six of the eight new tracks. However, this time Jennie-Ann and Marcus were also strongly involved in the songwriting process, and with the new bass master Mats Rydström.

"Hurricanes and Halos" is a bluesy, 70s influenced quasi-doom rock monster. The album fires off with the killing tune "Into the Fire – Into the Storm", where a powerful voice together with a great guitar work with masterful solos and a hammond organ that makes you weak in every single bone in your body. "The Starless Sleep" (today's tune) is an amazing tune, with superb vocals and a melody that have an convincing catchiness that easily could be a big radio hit in the future. "Road to Jerusalem" is a folksy half pace tune, amazing strumming guitar-work and beautiful vocals. The nine-minute epic "Medusa’s Child" is far out piece with kids sing-alongs, creepy weirdness, shifts between heavy and melodic and progressive old school. Next masterpiece is the "The Sky at the Bottom of the Sea" where the typical Edling trade mark make it's appearance along with psychedelic DEEP PURPLE organs, groovy and very powerful and the vocals make you vibrate of happiness. "When Breath Turns to Air" is a slow thing, a beautiful ballad. "A Kiss (From the End of the World)" is a another great tune with guitars that will flip you over and astonishing Jennie-Ann, it’s remarkably how she with that kind of ease adapts to the overall mood of the songs on the album. The record wraps up melancholy and elegant with the instrumental piece of the title track "Hurricanes and Halos".


Summary: "Hurricanes and Halos" is a very joyful and elegant album, classic, epic and powerful!

Today's tune "The Starless Sleep", second single/video release from "Hurricanes and Halos", enjoy!



More info @

Official Avararium Web

Listen to ”Avararium - The Starless Sleep" on Spotify!



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Tiamat - The Sleeping Beauty

Category Six: 

(Optional tune) 

taken from the annual hard rock evening. 

For this category my choice was the Swedish Psychedelic Rockers SALEMs POT with the excellent tune "Tranny Takes A Trip". Not so popular around metal heads, but I like it :)
 

Other tunes that was played.

CARDINAL SIN - Spiteful Intent
SALEM POT - Tranny Takes A Trip
TIAMAT - The Sleeping Beauty
SKELETONWITCH - Red Death, White Light
LIZETTE & - Reduced
HARAKIRI FOR THE SKY - Funeral Dreams
MACHINE HEAD - Is There Anybody out There?
ARTILLERY - Bombfood

(Missing songs from two participants).

Today's tune "The Sleeping Beauty" was Sköldans choice, great one indeed, the tune is taken from the third full-length album "Clouds" by TIAMAT. This album was issued in 1992 through Century Media Records.

Clouds expanded upon the death/doom sound of the previous album by introducing a broader focus on melodic and goth rock-inspired elements, including occasional clean vocals, while retaining much of the crushing death/doom edge and Edlund's guttural death growl.



More info @

Official Tiamat Web

Listen to ”Tiamat - The Sleeping Beauty" on Spotify!

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Avatarium - All I Want

Hailing from Stockholm, gloomy metal outfit Avatarium was founded in late 2012. Following the success of their eponymous debut, out on November 01st, 2013 and the first ever single "Moonhorse", released September 20th of the same year, Avatarium have just announced the release of their new EP ‘All I Want’. The vinyl/digital only EP will be out November 14th, 2014 via Nuclear Blast.

Mid 2013, just eight months within the bands’ history, the word was spreading rapidly about their special blend of heavy adventurous music: Influenced by the likes of Jethro Tull, Blue Öyster Cult, Black Sabbath, Rainbow, adding the peaks of pop and 60’s vibes, Avatarium deliver some delicate moments of beauty and frailness rarely to be found in a band these days.

Avatarium have launched a lyric video for the title track from their upcoming EP "All I Want". I

The band are led by Candlemass bassist Leif Edling, and also feature frontwoman Jennie-Ann Smith, guitarist Marcus Jidell (Royal Hunt, Evergrey), drummer Lars Sköld (Tiamat) and keyboardist Carl Westholm.

The old spirit comes even more alive, with psychedelic percussionist Michael Blair, who has worked with Tom Waits and Lou Reed, among others, guesting on "All I Want".
Commented Marcus Jidell: "[Michael] showed up at the studio with a big 'bag of tricks' with metals, crashers, shakers and a lot of strange things which he made sound like if you throw in a punkrocker at Woodstock and feed him with psychedelic pills!" About the new songs, he adds: "We tried to keep things simple and spontaneous during the recordings, something I hope people will be able to hear. Also, I think that Jennie-Ann Smith has reached new levels with the way she sings on both of the new songs!"

The three live songs were recorded at the 2014 edition of renowned Roadburn festival in Tilburg, The Netherlands, which was the second ever Avatarium show and the first one outside of Sweden.

Due to his health condition, Edling was unable to perform with Avatarium at some of the band's most recent gigs. Filling in for him once again was Anders Iwers from Tiamat.

Percussionist Michael Blair guests on the EP and Jidell previously said his contribution helped them break new musical ground. He said: "Michael showed up at the studio with a big bag of tricks, with metals, crashers, shakers and a lot of strange things. He made sound like if you throw in a punk rocker at Woodstock and feed him with psychedelic pills!

Order The EP:
Gold Vinyl: (Limited to 300 pcs)
Black Vinyl: 

MiniLP in Gatefold.
Side A (45rpm):

1. All I Want
2. Deep Well Side

B (33rpm):

1. Pandora’s Egg (live)
2. Tides Of Telepathy (live)
3. Bird Of Prew (live)



More info @

About Avatarium Web

Sorry No Spotify yet, will update up on release.

Follow tuneoftheday.blogspot.com on Spotify here

Tiamat - 384

Tiamat is a metal band that formed in Stockholm, Sweden in 1987.

The latest and tenth album is an atmospheric and dark jewel! "The Scarred People" presents the band in absolute top form! Mainly based in hypnotic mid-tempo, the songs combine elements from the legendary first albums and the latest long-players in the impressive Tiamat discography and offer brilliant Dark Gothic Metal, full of emotion and melody. "The Scarred People" was recorded at Woodhouse Studios in Hagen, Germany with producer Siggi Bemm. The CD cover artwork, which was created by Tiamat mainman Johan Edlund.

Todays tune "384" is taken from the tenth studio album "The Scarred People". The album was released on November 2, 2012 through Napalm Records in digital download, CD and limited edition vinyl formats. The video was directed by Ioanna Lampropoulou.


In a recent intervie with Metal Underground, Edlund stated about the musican direction of "The Scarred People":

"We're happy being Tiamat; that's the only label we put on ourselves. In fact, Tiamat is by far our own biggest influence. We often quote ourselves, what we've done in the past, when needed in the studio. There are a lot of elements both in the music and in the lyrics that we have developed over the years that feel genuinely Tiamat, be it a clean electric guitar sound, a special way of drum patterns, certain ways to express lyrics. We often go back there and sample ourselves, so to speak."

More info @

Official Tiamat Web
Official Tiamat Facebook

Listen to "Tiamat - 384" on Spotify here!

Follow tuneoftheday.blogspot.com on Spotify here!

Aoria - The Black Heart

First December, that means it's time to open the doors in this year's Advent Calendar, the Christmas (Advent) Calendar can be seen on TV, and a new bunch of reviews that have been published on WeRock.se.

My contribution to WeRock this month, is the band Aoria, Read my review on WeRock! Other bands that have come under the microscope are Dark Confessions "Insanity", review written by BiblioteKarin, Propagandhi "Failed States", review written by Fredrik, Tiamat "The Scarred People", review written by Robert who also puts teeth in Soundgarden "King Animal" and Vivid Remorse "Down To The Wire", Jarno as the new writer gives his thoughts on http://www.werock.se/Recension/visarec.php?id=860.. Furthermore, you can read about Aeon "Aeons Black", Cryptopsy "The Best Of Us Bleed", Nomentory "Where Death Is Most Alive"

In July 2011, after four years of silence, Erik Nilsson (A Swarm of the Sun, Kausal), Robin Bergh (October Tide) and Niklas Sandin (Katatonia) began recording Aoria's debut album The Constant.

During the silent years the band earned a dedicated following through music communities and media. After four years of individual progress with other musical projects, the band has reformed and picked up where it left off - with a vision to create an emotionally earthshaking album of melancholic and powerful soundscapes.

The album is recorded at Garaget Studio and produced by band member Erik Nilsson. It is mixed at Studio Riddarborgen by Magnus Lindberg (Cult of Luna, Khoma) who, with his uncompromising sound, has intensified what has become The Constant.

Todays tune "The Black Heart" is the first single of the new album "The Constant"


More info @

Official Aoria Web
Official Aoria Bandcamp

Listen to "Aoria- The Black Heart" on Spotify here!

Follow tuneoftheday.blogspot.com on Spotify here!