Swedish metal band Avatar touched down in the states back in early May for The Great Metal Circus tour. Joined by Oxymorrons and Conquer Divide, all three bands put on an unforgettable show.
All three bands hit Sayreville, New Jersey on May 12th 2024 at the Starland Ballroom. My friends and I, being the crazy people we are, arrived at the venue around 7am and proceeded to wait for eleven and a half hours for the doors to open. Did I think this was necessary? No. Was I able to be the first person in the venue because of it? Yes. Did we do an insane amount of line dances while waiting to get in? Also yes.
The Venue
From the Starland Ballroom Website
The Starland Ballroom is a venue unlike many others. Located in Sayreville, NJ, Starland Ballroom has hosted a wide variety of bands and artists including: Justin Timberlake, The Jonas brothers, Bruce Springsteen, and more.
From the outside the venue looks huge, but once inside you are met with an intimate concert experience. With the stage in the middle, a bar area on the left, right, and back of the venue, and table seating around the edges for those who want a more relaxed evening.
Conquer Divide
Photo from Conquer Divide Website
Conquer Divide is an all-female metalcore band consisting of members from the United States, The United Kingdom, and Canada. At the moment they have 47.2K followers on Instagram, 688,818 monthly listeners on Spotify, and 46.8K subscribers on YouTube. The band consists of Kiarely “Kia” Castillo (vocals), Janel Duarte (temporary vocals + bass), Isabel “Izzy” Johnson (guitar), Kristen Sturgis (guitar), and Samantha Landa (drums).
Going into the show I had no idea what Conquer Divide would be like. All I knew about them was that their name was Conquer Divide and that they would be on this tour. When the band came on stage and I saw that they were all female, I was excited. Kiarely came out on stage with lots of energy, and the crowd was infected by it. Everyone around me was jumping, headbanging, and connecting with the music. Each member had their own moments in the spotlight and the band as a whole seemed to enjoy themselves on stage. I highly recommend catching them on one of their upcoming support tours.
Conquer Divide in Sayreville NJ- Shot By Me
Check Out Their Sound!
Interested in joining the band? Conquer Divide is currently looking for a new screamer/bassist, check out this Instagram post for more information.
Oxymorrons
Photo From Oxymorron’s Instagram
Oxymorrons, with two R’s not one, hails from New York City and consists of brothers KI and Dee (vocals), Matty Mayz (drummer), and Jafe (add accent) Paulino (guitarist). The band describes their music as an embodiment of “. . . the essence of New York City, a melting pot of sounds, styles, and cultures that can never be succinctly defined or shoved in a box”.
Like Conquer Divide, the moment Oxymorrons got on stage, the venue was hyped. They came out blazing, jumping around on stage and getting the crowd going. Again, I had no clue who they were before coming on stage, but I’m so glad I came in blind. KI and Dee set the stage on fire with their energy while Jafe and Matty electrified the air around them. Their set felt like what I imagine being in Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater feels like, intense and thrilling.
Oxymorrons in Sayreville NJ- Shot By Me
Check Out Their Sound!
Going to the X-Games in Ventura? Catch their set at 4:15pm on June 28th.
Avatar
Photo Taken By @jensthepanda
Avatar, the metal band not the James Cameron movie, formed in 2001 and consists of Johannes Eckerstrom (vocals), Tim Ohstrom (guitar), Jonas “Kungen” Jarlsby (guitar), John Alfredson (drums), and Henrik Sandelin (bass). The clown-themed metal band hails from Sweden and has toured with BABYMETAL, Ice Nine Kills, In This Moment, and Iron Maiden to name a few. Their recent album, Dance Devil Dance, features Lzzy Hale of Halestorm as well as their first Billboard No. 1 with their song, The Dirt I’m Buried In.
Unlike Conquer Divide and Oxymorrons, I’m no stranger to Avatar. This was my tenth time seeing them live and it felt like my first time all over again. The sheer intensity of their stage presence leaves you unable to look away at all times. We got the chance to hear the recently released single Make It Rain live for the first time and it did not disappoint. I swear, my neck was sore for three days after the show (which proceeded to get worse after seeing them for the 11th time a couple days later). Like always, Avatar brought an enthusiasm to the stage that feels different than any other band I’ve seen live.
Interested in experiencing Avatar Country? Check them out while they open for Ice Nine Kills and In This Moment a second time on the Kiss Of Death pt II tour.
Avatar in Sayreville NJ- Shot By Me
Check Out Their Sound!
