Live Review: Avatar - Academy, Manchester
15th February 2025
Support: Alien Weaponry, Witch Club Satan
Words: Matthew Williams
Photos: Tom Atkin
Arriving at the venue just in time to witness one of the current flavours of the month, Witch Club Satan. The Norwegian all-female black metal trio have that visual appeal, as they slowly amble on stage in their horned costumes, and begin with one of the only songs I know, “Fresh Blood, Fresh Pussy”. It’s dark and grizzly, creating that satanic atmosphere that they wish before drummer Johanna Holt Kleive comes to the front for the piano soliloquy “Mother Sea” which ends with them slowly, ponderously walking off stage.
They return, to a rumbling background sound, and kick into “I was Made by Fire” but hampered by a spluttery guitar sound. They indulge their political side by saying “Silence is a crime” and want no mercy for Netanyahu and Epstein, and plough into “Black Metal is Krig”, which has insane amount of satanic laughter at the start, and see Hedda, using a violin bow to play her bass. An interesting set to witness, that some would have enjoyed, others not so.
When reviewing Alien Weaponry’s “Tangaroa" back in 2021, I put them on my must-see bands list, and here I was finally seeing them live. The blend of traditional maori songs and meanings are great to hear, and when drummer Henry Te Reiwhati de Jong stands aloft his kit and starts a traditional dance, they kick off in style with “Ru Ana Te Whenua”. Its fast paced, with a great sounding bass from Turanga Morgan-Edwards and they’ve got lots of movement on stage.
They are full of energy, with singer/guitarist Lewis Raharuhi de Jong, controlling things as they play “Te Riri o Tawhirimatea” and the crowd get fired up, even more so when the distinctive opening riff of “Mau Moko” comes along. Their music makes me think this is what the English defence must have felt like when Jonah Lomu made that massive bruising surge through them in the 1995 Rugby World Cup, battered and bruised.
They only play five songs, but all are immensely powerful, none more so than “Taniwha” which is excellent. They have the taped vocals from Lamb of God’s Randy Blythe who Lewis comments “are my all-time favourite band” and end with “Tangata” a song about a traditional maori custom. It’s more fast and furious music, and with a wall of death chucked in for good measure, I now regret not having seen these before, as they were superb.
And so, onto the headliners for the evening, Avatar, visiting one of their favourite cities as part of their “A Night to be Torn Apart” tour. With a rumbling of thunder, all eyes are fixed on the stage, as the drum rise splits to allow the hooded band members to walk through. Carrying a lantern, part frontman/part clown/part court jester for the evening, Johannes Eckerstrom, sings “Captain Goat” in a motionless state. There’s a touch of mystique around their presence, and with cloaks off, the synchronised headbanging begins during “Silence in the Age of Apes”.
With red curtains draped at the back and sides of the stage, I don’t think I was quite prepared for what was about to unfold. It’s a theatrical performance led by Eckerstrom, an act he’s honed well over the years no doubt. “The Eagle has Landed” and the faster “In the Airwaves” see him in complete control, “you are beautiful, you are special, you are Manchester, we are Avatar” just in case anybody needed reminding.
I love the fact that the two set of 8 lights, in rows of four, move around the stage, to create a dramatic and at times, jolly atmosphere, all adding to the spectacle. They have songs packed with solos, prominent bass lines, especially in “Death and Glitz”, and dominating drums. There’s the usual clap along sections, as the frontman appears in his red coat, hat and cane, but he has an expansive vocal range to much his showmanship.
A mysterious figure appears on stage, with a cymbal on top of his head, which drummer John Alfredsson hits once to start off the impressive sounding “Blod” which sees the first crowd surfer emerge. “I’m starting to feel good, starting to break a sweat” quips and animated Eckerstrom as he introduces “The Dirt I’m Buried In”. With more cracking solos, the songs flow well, and they’ve got a certain swagger about their well-rehearsed performance.
With the drummer now stage left, as I looked, on a smaller kit, they all stand motionless in a line across the front to play “Colossus” before the high energy returns for “Torn Apart”. After this, the band take a rest, as a piano emerges from between the drums, and Eckerstrom tells us a story about their first gig in Manchester as Satan’s Hollow. “There is so much love in this room right now, it’s disgusting” as he laughs and whilst wearing his “piano jacket” the band saunter back to play the elegant “Howling at the Waves”.
With the sound of a radio changing stations, they introduce “Legend of the King” which sees Jonas "Kungen" Jarlsby sit upon a throne playing his solos, which made me laugh, as it’s a sight to behold, but adds to the pageantry. “Let It Burn” really gets the crowd bouncing, and the song has that touch of Marilyn Manson about it in parts, before the anthemic “Tonight we must be Warriors” roars out, with a high energy display from the quintet on stage, as the military style drums fade out and they exit to loud applause.
Hooting owls signal the start of the brilliant “Don’t Go in the Forest” as Eckerstrom teases the crowd by saying “you only shouted one more song, we wanted to do three, but we respect your wishes and will only play one”. The cries of two more songs ring out and with several deep inhales of his armpit, “Smells Like a Freakshow” sees the audience go nuts. “What a night. Thank you, it’s been energising” and with horns in the air, they finish with “Hail the Apocalypse” to end what has been a thoroughly enjoyable and entertaining evening in Manchester.
Photo Credit: Tom Atkin
