Swedish heavy metal outfit AVATAR have turned a traditional holiday trope on its head. The band—vocalist Johannes Eckerström, guitarists Jonas Jarlsby and Tim Öhrström, bassist Henrik Sandelin, and drummer John Alfredsson—announced they’ve been placed on Santa’s Naughty List, and they’re treating it as a badge of honor rather than a penalty.
The group just released the official music video for their new single, “Naughty List,” which features a guest solo from Zakk Wylde. Öhrström personally extended the invitation to Wylde while both were out supporting Metallica on the European leg of the M72 World Tour last summer. Wylde’s contribution adds his characteristic intensity to the track, giving it an extra edge that fits AVATAR’s theatrical, boundary-pushing style.
Eckerström described the song’s core idea as centering on people who stand out for being different rather than for doing wrong. He framed it as a call for forgiveness and acceptance, and for choosing what feels genuinely right over simply following expectations. In typical AVATAR fashion, the band is leaning into the concept instead of pushing back against it.
The release also marks a milestone for the group. This Halloween, they celebrated the one-year anniversary of their most recent studio album, Don’t Go In The Forest.
On the live front, AVATAR are heading out for a European headline run to close 2026. Several UK and Ireland dates originally scheduled for late November have been postponed, while the rest of the itinerary continues through December across the Netherlands, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Italy, and other markets. Latin America follows in January 2027. After supporting Metallica across Europe last summer, the band will link up with them again in summer 2027 for the North American dates of the M72 tour, this time with Limp Bizkit also on the bill. Additional headline shows and international dates remain part of the plan.
Formed as teenagers by Alfredsson and Jarlsby and later joined by the rest of the current lineup (with Öhrström arriving after the departure of an earlier guitarist), AVATAR have built a reputation for blending heavy riffs with circus-like theatrics, unconventional instrumentation, and a willingness to explore darker or stranger territory. They operate through their own Black Waltz Records and have steadily expanded their reach through high-profile support slots, festival appearances, and sold-out headline shows on multiple continents. Their live shows remain the clearest expression of the band’s identity—equal parts spectacle and straight-ahead metal energy.
With the new single out and a busy run of touring ahead, AVATAR are carrying their outsider perspective into the holiday season and beyond.
AVATAR ON TOUR:
EUROPE 2026:
11/20 — Wolverhampton, England — KK’s Steelmill*
11/21 — Southampton, England — O2 Guildhall*
11/22 — Cardiff, Wales — Depot*
11/24 — Dublin, Ireland — National Stadium*
11/25 — Belfast, N. Ireland — Limelight*
11/27 — Norwich, England — UEA
11/28 — Newcastle, England — Northumbria Uni
11/29 — Edinburgh, Scotland — Corn Exchange
12/1 — Amsterdam, Netherlands — Gashouder
12/3 — Oberhausen, Germany — Turbinenhalle
12/5 — Budapest, Hungary — Barba Negra Red
12/6 — Prague, Czechia — Sasazu
12/8 — Innsbruck, Austria — Musichall
12/9 — Linz, Austria — Posthof
12/10 — Ulm, Germany — Roxy
12/11 — Esch-Sur-Alzette, Luxembourg — Rockhal
12/12 — Zürich, Switzerland — Komplex
12/13 — Frankfurt, Germany — Zoom
12/15 — Padova, Italy — Hall
12/16 — Ljubljana, Slovenia — Cvetlicarna
12/17 — Zagreb, Croatia — Boogaloo
12/18 — Bratislava, Slovakia — Majestic Music Club
12/19 — Wrocław, Poland — A2
*POSTPONED
