Naturally, then, Smith steals the show for just about every moment Death lingers, each syllable she utters holding equal power to any chord. Smith has few equals in the metal world, with her luxurious register continuing to tether us through whatever fuzzed-out twists and slide-abused turns emerge-and boy, does guitarist Marcus Jidell ( The Doomsday Kingdom, ex- Royal Hunt) make sure his slide erupts on the solo to “Stockholm” and outro to “Mother Can You Hear Me Now.” Regardless, w hether Smith stands against the stadium demolishing “God Is Silent” or last call ballad “Psalm for the Living,” Jidell, also the producer, has fought for every bit of her voice to sit at the bow, steering this doom-anchored ship through the murk and fog that Death harbors. But, with Edling’s departure complete, it’s safe to say that vocalist Jennie-Ann Smith is the identity here. Each Avatarium outing has had its own identity, and Death is no different. That should be no surprise, though, to anyone who’s already hopped aboard the Avatarium train. Seemingly a band that can do no wrong, can Death, Where Is Your Sting solidify, yet again, that you really should be listening to Avatarium? Through snaky croon and the mighty riff, the once Leif Edling ( Candlemass, ex- Abstrakt Algebra ) helmed outfit swings us through earth-rumbling grooves and tear-jerking lamentations with a finesse that is as expected as it is bewildering. To my surprise, when I offered my services to review Avatarium and save Itchy, Steel said simply, “Thanks, it better be on time.” 2 But that’s the uniting potential Avatarium holds. It helps that I, too, have been consistently impressed with what this particular Swedish doom-leaning outfit has to offer. But you see, Itchy and I go way back-we fought through the trenches of n00bdom together. Thoroughly enraged, he menacingly marched through the breakroom shouting that someone needed to cover it or he would sacrifice Itchymenace to the great pile of writer mulch that we toss into mash for homebrewed hobo wine.
In true fashion, the great ape had scheduled a holiday 1 just when this one needed to land. Like a cruel joke, Avatariumߵ s releases sneak up on our Steel overlord.
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