Avatar has announced the “Don’t Go In The Forest ’26” European headline tour — 23 dates running from November 20 through December 19, 2026, with Danish death metal band Neckbreakker in support on all dates. Tickets go on sale Tuesday, May 26 at 10 a.m. local time here. The tour follows a summer that sees the Swedish theatrical metal band supporting Metallica on their global run and playing major European festival stages before heading to Australia.
Vocalist Johannes Eckerström said: “A Europe in November. A Europe in December. Cold, wet and dark. We all know what it’s like, and we know exactly what you’ll need. The first European leg made us feel very lucky to be doing this. This time around, we will do everything within our power to make you feel lucky to participate. We live by but one ethos: Better than ever. I really want to see you, and you really don’t want to miss this.”
Avatar released its tenth studio album, Don’t Go In The Forest, in October 2025 via Black Waltz Records. The follow-up to 2023’s Dance Devil Dance was produced by Jay Ruston, who has previously worked with Anthrax, Steel Panther and Uriah Heep, among others. Ruston first worked with Avatar mixing Hail the Apocalypse and has since produced Avatar Country and Hunter Gatherer. Dance Devil Dance featured a guest appearance by Lzzy Hale of Halestorm on “Violence No Matter What” and included the single “The Dirt I’m Buried In,” which reached No. 1 on Billboard‘s Mainstream Rock Airplay chart.
Eckerström founded Avatar in Gothenburg, Sweden in 2001, and the band’s lineup has remained largely unchanged since — save for guitarist Tim Öhrström, who joined roughly a decade later. The current lineup is Eckerström (vocals), Jonas Jarlsby (guitar), Öhrström (guitar), Henrik Sandelin (bass) and John Alfredsson (drums).
“Don’t Go In The Forest ’26” European tour dates with Neckbreakker:
- Nov. 20 — Wolverhampton, England — KK’s Steelmill
- Nov. 21 — Southampton, England — O2 Guildhall
- Nov. 22 — Cardiff, Wales — Depot
- Nov. 24 — Dublin, Ireland — National Stadium
- Nov. 25 — Belfast, Northern Ireland — Limelight
- Nov. 27 — Norwich, England — UEA
- Nov. 28 — Newcastle, England — Northumbria University
- Nov. 29 — Edinburgh, Scotland — Corn Exchange
- Dec. 1 — Amsterdam, Netherlands — Gashouder
- Dec. 3 — Oberhausen, Germany — Turbinenhalle
- Dec. 5 — Budapest, Hungary — Barba Negra Red
- Dec. 6 — Prague, Czechia — Sasazu
- Dec. 8 — Innsbruck, Austria — Musichall
- Dec. 9 — Linz, Austria — Posthof
- Dec. 10 — Ulm, Germany — Roxy
- Dec. 11 — Esch-sur-Alzette, Luxembourg — Rockhal
- Dec. 12 — Zürich, Switzerland — Komplex
- Dec. 13 — Frankfurt, Germany — Zoom
- Dec. 15 — Padova, Italy — Hall
- Dec. 16 — Ljubljana, Slovenia — Cvetlicarna
- Dec. 17 — Zagreb, Croatia — Boogaloo
- Dec. 18 — Bratislava, Slovakia — Majestic Music Club
- Dec. 19 — Wrocław, Poland — A2
