BatAAr
| Industry | Music |
|---|---|
| Founded | 2005 |
| Defunct | 2019 |
| Headquarters | Gothenburg , Sweden |
| Products | Music albums, singles |
BatAAr was a musical group originating from Gothenburg, Sweden, active between 2005 and 2019.
Group
Established in Gothenburg, BatAAr featured four members: Endigo on vocals, Patrik and Simon on guitars, and Tobias handling drums.
History
The inception of BatAAr dates back to 2005 when school friends Simon and Patrik, both musicians, began working together. Shortly thereafter, Tobias joined them, forming a trio that performed throughout their school years. The band finalized their lineup and launched their debut EP "ABSORB" in early 2011. This release, mastered by Göran Finnberg, earned them national radio exposure and live performance opportunities. Pursuing a unique identity, BatAAr integrated Japanese visual kei influences into their visuals, including music videos, costumes, and stage presence. They also partnered with Sweden’s Top Floor Studios, collaborating with producer Jakob Herrmann and mixing engineer Tue Madsen.
Japan emerged as a significant market for the band, where they conducted yearly tours that expanded in scale and included numerous sold-out concerts. BatAAr introduced the term Art Metal to define their blend of eclectic musical styles combined with visual kei aesthetics. In 2014, they issued the mini-album 'MEMORIA,' which merged earlier singles with fresh material. For this project, the band signed with Japan’s premier visual kei label 'FWD Inc', becoming the sole non-Japanese group on its roster.
In 2015, Patrik, Simon, and Tobias brought on Endigo—a longtime friend—as their new vocalist to propel the band's development. January 2016 saw BatAAr's comeback with the two-track single "REBIRTH," featuring re-recorded songs showcasing Endigo's vocals. Their initial single and accompanying video with Endigo titled "ALWAYS DIE YOUNG" amassed over 10,000 views within its first week.
While working on the fighting game Tekken 7, series director Katsuhiro Harada invited BatAAr to create the theme song for Lars Alexanderssson, a character of half-Swedish descent. The band was granted creative liberty under the condition that Swedish lyrics be incorporated to honor Lars' background. Patrik conducted thorough research on Lars' character to ensure lyrical alignment with his narrative. The resulting track "Vrede" ("Wrath") was included on a CD single as well as the official Tekken 7 soundtrack. The band developed a strong affinity for Lars’ persona, frequently selecting him in Tekken 7 tournaments while performing "Vrede."
VGMOnline characterized "Vrede" as an intense heavy metal piece with guttural vocals and robust rock elements but remarked that it stood apart stylistically from other soundtrack compositions.
Discography
| Title | Release Date |
|---|---|
| Absorb | February 23, 2011 |
| Rebirth | January 14, 2016 |
| Gravitas | 2016 |
| DEVOUR | March 25, 2018 |
| Under Isen | November 28, 2018 |
| GHOSTMODERN(ism) | April 12, 2019 |
| THE FINAL TRAIN | September 11, 2019 |