The follow-up to the acclaimed Hurricanes and Halos, which saw the band touring throughout 2017, The Fire I Long For is yet another eclectic entry in Avatarium’s more-or-less flawless back catalogue. With Leif Edling no longer able to work full-time with the band (although he did contribute three songs), and new drummer Andreas ‘Habo’ Johansson providing the new blood, Avatarium holed up at Deep Well Studios, Stockholm (with guitarist Marcus Jidell also serving as producer) to record The Fire I Long, and the resulting album stands as a testament to the vision the band have forged over the previous three albums.
Opening with the weighty doom of Voices, Avatarium waste little time in giving the listeners what the want, the epic riffing and crystalline vocals of Jennie-Ann Smith, multi-tracked into a thing of subtly psychedelic wonder, all present and correct on a track that captures Avatarium’s might and melody in full flow. Just as you think the band have hit a peak, Avatarium throw in a remarkable, call-and-response section which pits a Doors-esque solo on the keys (Rickard Nilsson) against Marcus Jidell’s heroic guitar soloing, and everything ratchets up another notch. It’s one hell of an opening and it sets the pulse racing. Next up, recent single Rubicon sees an airy opening give way to a greasy riff that sounds like it was cooked up in a biker bar. Jennie-Ann, effortlessly cool, adds a touch of vocal class and it’s another cracking track. In contrast to the sturm und drang of the opening tracks, Lay Me Down is a beautiful lament awash with acoustic guitar and subtle flourishes which draw the listener deep into its emotional heart. It’s a lovely, progressive piece of music and it highlights the wonderful musicianship at the core of the band. However, gargantuan riffs are never too far away, and the hulking Porcelain Skull returns to more traditional doom pastures, all minor-key progressions and pounding rhythms.
Hiking the pace, the band kick off the second side with the hard, psychedelic rock of Shake That Demon, the perfect track with which to cruise down America’s endless highways with Hunter S. Thompson and a bag of Quaaludes for company. In contrast, the methodical Great Beyond, with its keyboard swells and dynamic shifts, is a grand statement that sees the band move from Bowie-esque verse to immense, Gothic chorus with ease. It’s a remarkable track that showcases the more progressive side to the band’s output and it’s an album highlight. Similarly diverse, The Fire I Long For is symphonic in scope, the slow pace perfectly suited to Jennie-Ann’s yearning vocal. Having taken the listener on an emotional journey, the band return to epic doom on Epitaph Of Heroes, a dark slab of grandiose metal with richly textured keyboards and a killer riff on the chorus. It leaves the jazz-infused Stars They Move to see the album out on an atmospheric high; Jennie-Ann left vulnerable with only Rickard’s piano and a gentle haze of synth for company. It’s a stark, powerful finale that brings the album to an impressive close, allowing the listener to slowly blink themselves back to the daylight, as if from a dream, and it marks the conclusion of the finest Avatarium album to date.
There is not a moment wasted on The Fire I Long For, nor a single second that you would wish to skip. The band’s performances are ubiquitously excellent, with new drummer Andreas gelling with the other members perfectly and Marcus’ production top notch. There’s an organic warmth and depth to the sound that matches the ambitious arrangements over which, Jennie-Ann Smith’s vocals soar. Above all, this is the work of a confident, capable band exploring the possibilities of their remarkable talent and it is a wonderful, life affirming noise that they make. 9/10
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