Review Summary: Between Feathers, Fangs, and Delirium: Avatar’s Distorted Opera
Feathers & Flesh is the moment when Avatar decides that being theatrical is no longer enough — now they have to be grand. After the reinvention of Black Waltz and the consolidation of Hail the Apocalypse, the Swedes take an even bigger leap by creating a full conceptual album, complete with characters, symbols, a dark fable-like narrative, and a sound that blends groove, melodeath, traditional metal, and bold experimentation. The result is a phenomenal piece of work. Even with flaws, it’s impossible to deny the strength, creativity, and personality of this record (it’s my favorite album by the band).
The production was handled for the first time by Sylvia Massy (famous for working with bands like Tool and Red Hot Chili Peppers), and she delivered a phenomenal result. The recording process followed a meticulous structure: the main instruments (guitars, drums, bass) were tracked in Germany; vocals in Helsinki; overdubs and additional elements in Lindome, Sweden.
In addition to the traditional instruments, the album features more elaborate arrangements — strings, organ, choirs — and for that, special sessions were held: string arrangements were recorded in the USA, and the church organ was captured live in a church in Gothenburg. Sylvia Massy saw the album as an “epic” — not just a collection of songs, but a work with conceptual and narrative ambition.
From the emotional introduction of “Regret,” Feathers & Flesh already shows what it came to do. And that intro flows straight into the fast and intense “House of Eternal Hunt,” which is the closest Avatar has ever come to true "melodic heavy metal". Thinking about it (and I had honestly never realized this until writing these lines), “House of Eternal Hunt” sounds like it could have been lifted straight from Angra’s Temple of Shadows sessions — only with much more aggressive vocals than Edu Falaschi’s (with all due respect to Edu, who is a great singer!).
“For the Swarm” is frenetic and sprinkled with System of a Down-style chaos. It’s a song that almost refuses to end. I’ve always had this impression: during its last 30 seconds, it feels like it’s fighting not to wrap up, resisting that final chord. Does that make any sense? OK, I agree with you: It doesn’t.
“The Eagle Has Landed” competes head-to-head with Hail the Apocalypse for the title of my favorite Avatar song. The circus-like opening, the powerful and extremely heavy riff, Johannes’ harsh vocals, the macabre sarcastic laugh, the melodic (and again circus-like) chorus… one hell of a track.
Other standout moments include “One More Hill,” “New Land,” and “Night Never Ending” (which is epic).
The only flaw, for me, in Feathers & Flesh is that the album is a bit too long. It drags a little toward the end, loses impact, and carries a few fillers (I’m looking at you “Pray the Sun Away” and “Raven Wine”) that weaken a work which, with tighter editing, could have been more focused devastating. None of this sinks the record, but it does prevent it from being completely flawless.
Now… I have to finally highlight a detail that goes beyond the music. I don’t know the exact nature of the partnership between Johan Carlén (the band’s longtime video director) and Avatar. But I must say that, with all due proportions, Johan Carlén is to these Swedes what Derek Riggs is to Iron Maiden. Just as Riggs defined Maiden’s entire aesthetic language with Eddie — to the point where his art became inseparable from the music — the Carlén/Avatar partnership built a visual universe so striking that it’s impossible to imagine the band without that distorted-circus atmosphere, dark theatricality, and cohesive imagery. The man’s creativity is magnificently insane. And I love it.
In the end, Feathers & Flesh is a spectacular album — imperfect, yes, but spectacular precisely because it dares far more than the average band ever would. It’s Avatar exploring just how far their aesthetic, their theatricality, and their sound can go. A record that is grand in scale, ambition, and, above all, personality.
Even with its rough edges, very few bands deliver something like this today.
Highlights:
The Eagle Has Landed
For the Swarm
House of Eternal Hunt
Night Never Ending
