On January 24, 2025, Swede Doom Metalists AVATARIUM release their sixth full-length album, Between You, God, The Devil And The Dead. The band has long been a brilliant force in the Metal scene. Part Doom, part Prog, all class, the band’s songwriting, their execution, and ongoing inventiveness has been widely acclaimed. This latest release sees them hearkening back to their Doom roots.  

AVATARIUM have always been an intelligent and deep feeling band and Between You, God, The Devil And The Dead continues that tradition. The band’s promo materials describe the album as being “dominated by existential tumult and philosophical conundrums . . . elegant explorations of the human condition, and the meaning of life itself. Eschewing fantasy or conceptual indulgence in favour of a stark but poetic dive into real life challenges, Between You, God, The Devil & The Dead is a fiercely intelligent but unashamedly raw and emotional rollercoaster ride.” And that captures it perfectly. The album reflects on the intricate fabric that makes up life in the long wave as opposed to the day-to-day trivialities. And it does it against a backdrop of bluesy Doom.

Don’t let all of the above give you the idea that AVATARIUM has become a puddle of middle-aged introspection. Between You, God, The Devil And The Dead creates a fine balance of visceral angst and mature introspection. Doom haunts include “Long Black Waves,” “Until Forever And Again,” “Notes From The Underground,” and the whimsically named but deadly sober “My Hair Is on Fire (But I'll Take Your Hand)”; bluesy rockers are “I See You Better In The Dark” and “Being With The Dead”; and the two heart-wrenching ballads are “Lovers Give a Kingdom to Each Other” and “Between You, God, the Devil and the Dead.”

Between You, God, The Devil And The Dead is 43 minutes of standout track after standout track. A year and half in the making, the album strikes a high watermark for AVATARIUM which, in fine Swedish tradition, I’m sure they’ll surpass with the future releases.