With Metallica now shifting focus to their upcoming Las Vegas Sphere residency after completing another U.K. and European leg of the M72 tour, the band has taken a moment in an article to thank one of their openers for “raising the bar” on the road with them, as reported in Loudwire.
Being invited to support Metallica is an honour in itself, but having the metal giants offer such enthusiastic public praise must feel surreal. Metallica have never shied away from championing their tour mates, yet in the case of Sweden’s AVATAR, the compliment lands as a testament to the band’s stagecraft and the visual theatre that has defined their twisted, carnival‑like musical universe for more than two decades. And we’ve even heard back from frontman Johannes Eckerström after he saw the kind words Metallica offered.
In a carousel photo post on Instagram, Metallica showcased Avatar in their element onstage, writing:
‘’Ringmaster Johannes and the Swedish madmen from @avatarmetal brought something completely new to the #M72 stage. Every night felt like a spectacle. Massive thanks for raising the bar and keeping crowds across Europe and the UK on their toes!’’
AVATAR 2026 Australian and NZ Tour Dates
Wednesday 26th August ADELAIDE, Lion Arts Factory
Friday 28th August MELBOURNE, Northcote Theatre
Saturday 29th August SYDNEY, Manning Bar
Sunday 30th August BRISBANE, Princess Theatre
Tuesday 1st September AUCKLAND, Powerstation
Tickets On Sale Now From: https://thephoenix.au/avatar-2026/
