The latest album of the Swedish band Avatar was released when an epidemic has been plaguing the world, there are many protests in a lot of countries, natural disasters decimate the wildlife... Thematically, this very serious material connects with these events very well. The title Hunter Gatherer evokes hunter-gatherer societies, but the album draws attention to factors that affect modern societies.
Listening to the first two songs (Silence In The Age Of Apes, Colossus), movies popped up in my mind like Terminator, Alien, Saturn 3, Westworld... It is an interesting topic. A modern creation story is played, in which humankind considers itself God and it shapes its creatures (for example robots) into its own image. But what happens if these creatures would really take over the power? Musically, Silence In The Age Of Apes an aggressive, twisting piece, as if we should be hurry, because we are running out of the time. After the intro with some industrial vibes, Colossus operates with massive riffs and displays a variety of themes. But we could already get used to it from Avatar. By the way, Corey Taylor (Slipknot) supports the band in the refrain.
More lyrical and harder parts take turns in A Secret Door. It is like the undulating surface of the sea. As for its message, you have to believe that there is a way out, there is hope. You can't give up. And of course, Corey's whistling can be heard in this song, that gives some wild west atmosphere around it.
God Of Sick Dreams that was inspired by one of Johannes' nightmares is also a very heavy work. The tension can be felt in it. As for me, the refrain reminds me of some military marching music.
Scream Until You Wake floods the listener with a bunch of hysterical questions. It is like when someone can't find his place. He is distracted, lost. The refrain is quite catchy and evokes the 80's and the 90's a bit. Of course, the song itself reflects the "typical" Avatar.
Listening to Child (one of my big favorites from the album), sometimes I had such a feeling as if I would have heard an Irish folk song. As for the lyric, János Arany's ballads came into my mind. Maybe this is an abstract parallel, but somehow the same tension returns as in Arany's works.
Some parts of Justice have some metalcore feeling. I really like this song with its dynamic verses. It is (also) a good song for headbanging.
We could already hear more lyrical songs by Avatar like Tower, Fiddler's Farewell or Regret. But I was little surprised by Gun which is full of emotions. I didn't expect such a song by this band in which only a piano accompanies Johannes.
The song When All But Force Has Failed punches into the face very hard and rams into the ground the listener quickly. It makes a huge exclamation mark after environmental pollution and climate change.
Finally, Wormhole pulls us into the deep. It is a doom-like song slightly. It is interesting to think about wormholes which may be the synonym of the time in this case. You can't turn back the time, the past is closed.
Avatar could manage to create another collection of various and cool songs again. Those who expected an Avatar Country-like album might be disappointed, but who are open to such a colorful music with surprising twists, they will take pleasure in Hunter Gatherer.
By the way, the band made the whole album available to everyone on YouTube!
1. Silence In The Age of Apes
2. Colossus
3. A Secret Door
4. God of Sick Dreams
5. Scream Until You Wake
6. Child
7. Justice
8. Gun
9. When All But Force Has Failed
10. Wormhole
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