When Johannes Eckerström speaks, it’s with the clarity of a philosopher and the sparkle of a ringmaster. Just two months after our last talk at Alcatraz, Avatar’s frontman sits down again — now at the edge of the release of ‘Don’t Go In The Forest’. The record has already sparked conversation with its singles “Tonight We Must Be Warriors” and “Death and Glitz,” but what lies behind those titles is a world as strange and alluring as the name suggests. “It’s been a period where everyone’s asking me about me,” Johannes laughs. “We’re building hype, sure — but when the album drops, the world will still spin the same way.” He compares making music to “throwing a bucket of water into the ocean.” Pointless, maybe, but worth it — because it makes life worth living. “In our short time on earth, it means a damn lot to me.” That combination of self-awareness and mischief runs throughout our talk. He reflects on activism, privilege, and politics in music, dismissing the idea that art can ever be apolitical. “If you’re white, straight, and comfortable, you get to say you’re neutral. For others, just existing is political,” he explains. “But you don’t have to tell people how to vote in every song. Just speak your truth.”

From philosophy to fanboy joy, Johannes recalls touring with Iron Maiden as both a dream come true and a humbling challenge. Playing their own headline slot at Alcatraz afterward felt like coming home. “They were our people again,” he says with visible satisfaction.

The album’s title, ‘Don’t Go In The Forest’, reflects that mix of danger and temptation. “If you’re a little metal kid and someone says, ‘Don’t go there,’ you immediately go there,” he laughs. To him, the forest is both metaphor and aesthetic, a Lynchian landscape where curiosity leads to revelation. “You walk through the dark, see lights between the trees, and suddenly there’s a circus tent. You go inside — and that’s the Avatar world.” The circus metaphor feels apt. Avatar’s music thrives on contrasts: beauty and horror, melody and chaos, humor and tragedy. The new single “Death and Glitz” embodies that balance with biting commentary on true crime culture. “True crime is more perverted than any pornography,” Johannes says. “It’s sensationalism — we zoom in on real people’s tears and call it entertainment. And it’s always a sexy death. What does that say about us?” The track’s dance-floor pulse only sharpens the irony.

Elsewhere, intuition and dreams guide the songwriting. Unlike the more concept-driven ‘Dance Devil Dance’, ‘Don’t Go In The Forest’ grew organically — less planned, more subconscious. “Every album strips away another layer of bullshit,” Johannes says. “We’re getting closer to the core, whatever that is.” One of the album’s most surprising pieces might be “Howling at the Waves.” Born from soundchecks on tour, it evolved from a quiet piano idea into a full-band composition. “It’s probably the most ‘lovey’ love song I’ve ever done,” he confesses, laughing. “I’m finally man enough to say that.” The song balances tenderness and melancholy — a new facet of Avatar’s emotional palette. For all the experimentation, Avatar remains a collective. “I’m more a song starter than a songwriter,” Johannes explains. “An idea becomes an Avatar song when the others say, ‘That’s cool.’” He credits guitarist Tim Öhrström and drummer John Alfredsson for helping shape the sound into something distinctly their own.

Visually, the “metal circus” continues, this time infused with natural and aquatic imagery. “There’ll be nature sounds and atmosphere — it’s that tent in the meadow I picture when I think of the album,” Johannes says. “We’re eclectic by nature. There’s death metal, disco, and classic heavy metal — and the only constant is that it’s us.”

That spirit extends to their tour lineup, where he lights up talking about bringing along bands like Witch Club Satan and Alien Weaponry. “I’m picky with metal,” he laughs. “If I listen to old Italian schlager, my filter is wide open. But with metal, I get protective. I want the perfect package — and this one’s a fuck yeah.”

Before wrapping up, he turns sincere again, speaking directly to fans. “When people show up, it’s impossible to fully comprehend. Thank you for your interest — that’s an amazing thing to experience.”

And with that, he smiles — the ringmaster waving us back into the forest, where curiosity and chaos dance hand in hand.

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