The name ‘Avatar’ means a lot of things: people may rave over the Nickelodeon show and begrudgingly acknowledge James Cameron’s blockbusters, but it’s really the Swedish metal crew who deserve your time and attention. The five-piece— including members as diverse as drummer John, guitarist Jonas and vocalist Johannes— have only been amassing more and more fans, putting out quality release after quality release since finding their footing with 2012’s ‘Black Waltz.’ Now on their tenth studio album, we should all know exactly what we’re getting into. ‘Don’t Go In The Forest’ is yet another collection of extravagant ideas and bold executions: just leave it to these guys to get us jumping around once again.

In spite of its horror aesthetic, Avatar’s newest release is really quite jovial, taking great joy in all kinds of weird, off-the-wall song ideas: there’s no through line to tie these ten songs together, save for the whimsical character of the band themselves. Instead, ‘Don’t Go In The Forest’ is on a mission to infuse just about any, and every, sound possible into the group’s usual metal trappings. Opener ‘Tonight We Must Be Warriors’ sees Eckerström and company penning a militaristic, motivational song of all things, with the track’s sharp snare rolls and adorable tin whistle melodies coming completely out of left field— this is a far cry from the maniacal madness of previous opening hits like ‘Hail the Apocalypse’ or ‘Dance Devil Dance,’ but somehow, some way, Avatar make it work. The following ‘In The Airwaves’ is a little more conventional, at least, tearing its way through some of the darkest and most twisted riff writing on the album. Though the song’s overly bright chorus may feel a little whiplash-inducing, there’s just no denying how easily the band unleash full-throated chaos: ‘Don’t Go In The Forest’ proves once and for all that nothing is outside their wheelhouse.

Speaking of variety, how does a sea shanty take your fancy? Lead single ‘Captain Goat’ is as wonderfully bizarre as they come, marching its way through all the layered vocal harmonies and ballsy guitar grooves you could ever need to soundtrack your next voyage. A single peek at the song’s lyrics reveals how unpredictable and adventurous Avatar continue to be, even on their tenth studio album: where some might call it ‘childish,’ we’ll opt for ‘pure entertainment genius.’

“He who knows the boat

Steer us clear of jagged shores

He who's crowned with horns

Row us home, Captain Goat”

No matter what style the group are adapting to, they always manage to slot in a killer hook: such is the case on the title track, which feels precisely engineered to create utter insanity at their live show. The song is on the more stripped-back side as far as this album goes, but that’s no issue when everything about the song just works. That opening bass groove, anthemic guitar solo and stupidly catchy hook are all just begging for our praise, and we cannot help but relent.

Have we mentioned that Avatar sound absolutely awesome in 2025? There’s a peculiarity to the performances across ‘Don’t Go In The Forest’ that feels wholly unique— it’s in the looseness of the playing on single ‘Death and Glitz’ that perfectly sells the track’s cartoonish style, as well as in the sheer venom of Eckerström’s shrieks by the cut’s end. A song satirising the treatment of women in media is a difficult balancing act, yet the finished product feels effortless. The five-piece are fantastic metal musicians, no doubt— just listen to the blistering grooves and unabashedly infectious chorus of ‘Abduction Song’ for proof of that— but that label plays second fiddle to the band’s central role as performers: the Avatar formula is far from stale, bolstered as it is by this loveable crew. Don’t mistake that comment for a slight against the band’s songwriting though, which is always full of surprises. ‘Howling At The Waves’ is a through-and-through piano ballad— a rarity for the group— that shakes off the clown aesthetic in favour of vulnerability and emotional weight: the group cleverly inject the song with some gentle momentum via Alfredsson’s dynamic percussion, but leave plenty of room for the track’s mournful ambience to settle in.

“‘What a day to see the beach,’ she said to me

"It doesn't matter that it rains,’ she said to me

Had a dream last night, a dream about the sea

And I held you, and you said, ‘Let go of me’”

But all magic must fade eventually: the final suite of songs on ‘Don’t Go In The Forest’ have merit to them, but they lack the rambunctious freedom that fuelled ‘Tonight We Must Be Warriors’ and ‘Abduction Song.’ ‘Dead and Gone and Back Again’ has some groovy funk influences to it, coupled with the most Avatar-sounding chorus you’ve ever heard: still, the song does feel like its going through the motions in places, dragging out to six minutes as it is. The following ‘Take This Heart and Burn It’ fits all the same descriptors, though it isn’t quite as lengthy: Eckerström and company really aren’t doing anything wrong on the part of their melodramatic lead lines and choruses, but neither are they truly pushing themselves here. At least closer ‘Magic Lantern’ rounds the record out on another moment of odd experimentation, even if this one is a little more understated than the goofy antics of ‘Captain Goat:’ Avatar could never really be described as ‘meditative’ in the past, but it’s a label they somehow attach to this obtuse flanger guitar-filled track.

If you’ve enjoyed the carefree whimsy of records like ‘Hail The Apocalypse’ and ‘Feathers & Flesh,’ ‘Don’t Go In The Forest’ will be right up your alley: it’s as simple as that. Avatar may toy with a massive range of ideas on their tenth studio album, but they all fit seamlessly into the sound of a band who’ve constantly enjoyed ripping up their own blueprints— songs like ‘In The Airwaves’ and ‘Death and Glitz’ are dripping with fun. If ‘the forest’ houses anywhere near as much entertainment as this record, you can bet we’ll be ignoring Avatar’s advice and making a beeline for the nearest tree.