Symphonic melodic death metal band ATAVISTIA return with their reimagined and re-recorded album The Winter Way (Reforged), unleashed today via Blood Blast Distribution. The Winter Way (Reforged) showcases ATAVISTIA’s ability to merge cinematic orchestrations with ferocious metal intensity to form a catalyst for their epic storytelling. The new album is accompanied with a lyric video for the dramatic and enthralling “Eternal Oceans (Reforged)”.
Engulfed in the lyrical theme of a vast, cosmic sea, “Eternal Oceans (Reforged)” sees the pacing become slower with lower-tuned guitars, but without lessoning the power and resonance of the arrangement. The track demanded extreme changes from its original incarnation; the band focused intently on removing unnecessary details so that the most important parts of the song could make the greatest impact. Although the arrangement remains long, the orchestration and atmosphere were completely overhauled, and a guitar solo was added for a sudden burst of energy. It is as dynamic and thrilling as the untamable nature of the open water.
Originally released in 2020, The Winter Way marked a defining moment for ATAVISTIA’s ambitious fusion of extreme metal and orchestral soundscapes. However, founder Mattias Sippola felt that its execution and production did not live up to his vision for the album. While working on a brand new record, unforeseen delays arose and during this pause, Sippola decided to completely reconstruct The Winter Way from the ground up. This new version is not a remix or remaster but an entirely new recording, featuring reworked arrangements, modern production, and rewritten orchestral and atmospheric elements. Some of the original drum and bass recordings remain but have been refined for tighter performance. The addition of Spencer Budworth’s powerful growls brings an entirely new energy to the mix, elevating the album to new heights.
The Winter Way (Reforged) was produced, mixed, and mastered by Matthew Richard Sippola at Atavistic Studios with engineering support from Maximilian Sepulveda. The recording lineup includes Mattias Sippola on vocals, guitars, orchestrations, and production, Max Sepulveda on drums, Spencer Budworth on backing vocals, and D’wayne Murray on bass. The album artwork was created by Simo Häsänen.
ATAVISTIA lineup:
Mattias Sippola – Guitar, Vocals, Composition, Production
Max Sepulveda – Drums, Engineering
Elia Baghbaniyan – Guitar
Spencer Budworth – Bass, Vocals
About ATAVISTIA:
Formed in 2017 in Vancouver, Canada, ATAVISTIA takes their fans on a spellbinding journey though vast sonic landscapes of snow covered forests, desolate tundras, and permafrost-laden landscapes. Fans of WINTERSUN, ENSIFERUM, DIMMU BORGIR, and XANTHOCHROID will be enthralled by the elements of melodic death metal, black metal, and Scandinavian folk that is intricately woven together throughout their diverse soundscape.
Taking inspiration from the majestic natural landscapes of their homeland, earthly seasons, and ancient Norse culture, ATAVISTIA’s grandiose sound matches these lyrical themes in an impressive symphony of destruction. Their debut EP, One With The Sun (2017) introduced their unique blend of beauty and ferocity, which they followed up with a stormy full-length in 2020 through The Winter Way. The next two releases, the full-length Cosmic Warfare (2023) and the EP Inane Duncam (2024), saw the band spreading their wings and exploring a wider variety of influences. Through it all, ATAVISTIA balances graceful melodies with a brutal rhythmic cacophony, swirling elegance and fury together like a ferocious northern blizzard.
On stage, ATAVISTIA is a force of nature, like waves crashing against a rocky shore. Their music washes over audiences worldwide, leaving them gasping for more long after the last note has faded. They have toured Europe twice alongside notable acts such as SKÁLMÖLD, METSATÖLL, and SEVEN SPIRES, and have opened locally for MOONSPELL, ELEINE, and OCEANS OF SLUMBER. ATAVISTIA has firmly established its presence in a niche among a wide swath of metal genres.
Are you ready to lose yourself in the juxtaposition of lush and arid, the dichotomy of hope and despair, and welcome the inevitable and beautiful end?
Track Listing:
1. From The Ancient Stones (Reforged)
2. The Atavistic Forest (Reforged)
3. Through The Hollow Raven’s Eyes (Reforged)
4. Eternal Oceans (Reforged)
5. Dawn Of The Frozen Age (Reforged)
6. The Forbidden One (Reforged)
7. The Winter Way (Reforged)