Avatar

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Avatar is a death metal band from Romania. The band was founded in 1996.

History

The band was formed in 1995 by Dan Scurtu (guitar), Marius Popeanga (vocals and drums), and Andrei Nemes (bass). They soon recorded their first demo, Orgiastic Ceremony. The following year Mihai "Bryzby" Petrescu joined the band on keyboards, and they recorded their second demo, Holy Infection. In 1999 they signed with Bestial Records. The following year Alin "Cocozoi" Deca joined the band as the second vocalist, and Cornel Tudosie replaced Nemes on bass. This lineup recorded and released the band's first album, The Alchemist. After releasing their first video, "Inner Alchemy", in 2001, the band had another lineup change: Marian Calin took over on drums and Catalin Branzan replaced Tudosie on bass. From 2002 to 2004 they performed at various metal festivals in Romania, Serbia, and Austria.

In 2005 Avatar recorded the promo Cyclops and later they started a tour called "Avatour" through Germany and Austria; the Salzburg concert was recorded and released as Live on Mozartstrasse. Later that year, Victor Manescu joined the band as second guitarist. In March-April 2006 they recorded the EP Tentacles, which was released in July 2006 under the Metalfan Records Division label, and they also released a video of the song "The Deepest Corner of the Mind." They later embarked on a new tour throughout Europe. 2007 was a busy year for Avatar, with concerts all over Romania. In May they represented Romania at "The Cultural Days of Bucharest in Wien"; on July 12 2007 they performed in Bucharest as the opening act for Sepultura. After Victor Manescu left, a new guitarist, Catalin Diaconu, joined the band. In 2008, The Avatar band members performed at the Artmania INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL, from Sibiu, Romania, on the stage with prestigious names such as Lacrimosa, Atrocity or Gamma Ray. At the end of the year 2008, the Avatars offered to their fans a preview of their next album, which will be released in 2009, the single and the video Pendulum.

Members

Current members

• Dan Scurtu - lead guitar
• Marius Popeanga - vocals (also drums 1995-2001)
• Marian Calin - drums (2001-present)
• Catalin Brinzan - bass (2001-present)
• Catalin Diaconu - guitar (2008-present)

Former members

• Andrei Nemes - bass (1996-2000)
• Cornel Tudosie - bass (2000-2001)
• Mihai "Bryzby" Petrescu - keyboards (1997-2000)
• Alin "Cocozoi" Deca - vocals (2000-2004)
• Victor Manescu - guitar (2005-2007)

Discography

• Orgiastic Ceremony (Demo, 1996)
• Holy Infection (Demo, 1997; reissued as promo, 1998)
• The Alchemist (Album, 2000, 2004)
• Cyclops (Promo, 2005)
• Live on Mozartstrasse (Live album, 2005)
• Tentacles (EP, 2006)
• Pendulum (single, 2008)

External links

• Official website
• Official page at MySpace