Avatarium formed barely two years ago but already word is spreading rapidly about this unique band and their special blend of heavy adventurous music. Jethro Tull, Blue Oyster Cult, Black Sabbath, Rainbow… they’re all there, together with some delicate moments of beauty and fragments of pop and 60s psychedelia.

It all began last winter when Leif Edling, mainman of seminal Swedish doomsters Candlemass, needed help to demo a couple of songs he was working on. Weeks turned into months and a few songs became a full length album with Lars Sköld, a good friend of Leif and skinbeater extraordinarie, being recruited on drums. In addition, Marcus Jidell has played guitar with acts as Evergrey and Royal Hunt and Dr Carl is the man behind cool prog bands like Jupiter Society and Carp Tree. Completing the band are the stunning crystal-clear vocals of Jennie-Ann, who gives the band’s songs an epic ethereal edge.

2013’s self-titled debut garnered slavering praise with Kerrang!, who noted that the band “manage a sense of progressive grandeur while maintaining bludgeoning weight,” while Metal Hammer dubbed the album “a classic at the first attempt.” Selected dates in 2014 saw the band building a reputation for epic live performances too with Jennie-Ann enchanting audiences through mainland Europe.

‘The Girl With The Raven Mask’ retains the same team that delivered that stunning debut, with guitarist Marcus producing. Once again drawing its inspiration from the cream of 70s rock but adding some tempo and vibrancy into the band’s doom riffbased roots, the album veers from the driven title track to the subtle beauty of ‘Pearls And Coffins’.

Leif Edling is content with the result: “I think we have created something unique this time with Avatarium! The songs are more written to be just songs and there are some really nice moments on the record that I personally love… the straight forward title track, the beautiful ‘January Sea’, the riff in ‘Ghostlight’ and the groove in ‘Run Killer Run’. The organ and the Rhodes piano are ridiculously loud in the mix at times, but I think it gives even more edge to the songs.” · Avatarium will be making their debut UK appearance at London’s Underworld in November.

Double LP packaged in gatefold sleeve.