Atavistia hasn’t been resting on its laurels.
In 2026, the Canadian band led by Matt Sippola (guitar/vocals), accompanied by Max Sepulveda (drums, The Zenith Passage, Exterminatus), Spencer Budworth (bass, Death Machine), and Elia Baghbaniyan (guitar, Exterminatus), teamed up with Blood Blast Distribution for the release of their fifth album, Old Gods Awakens.
Raise All Thy Horns opens the album with sounds that are half-epic, half-folkloric, immersing us in the band’s universe, but it’s with Mystic Tavern that things really pick up speed, as the musicians unleash fast riffs before the vocals kick in, which in turn energize the track. The band’s roots are easily identifiable and make you want to headbang furiously, taking advantage of the few softer passages to catch your breath before raising your fist again as the intensity carries you into Seeker of Time, the next track. Shorter but also more straightforward, it stays in the vein of Melodic Death Metal-infused with epic keyboards paired with piercing leads and unifying choruses, though there’s also a passage with clean vocals before the break, then the song returns to cruising speed to launch into To a New World, a track that feels more mysterious in its opening moments. The impression from the introduction is confirmed: the sounds are heavier and darker, and although the track features a wide range of vocal styles, it remains unsettling unlike I Skogens Djup, which offers much more upbeat tones that blend perfectly with the extremely jerky rhythm, in which I could swear I detect echoes of Finnish swamp music. The atmosphere calms with the gentleness of Goddess of My Dreams, a sort of ballad with energetic, catchy moments that contrast with the more enchanting sections, offering us a respite before picking up the pace again on Ride the White Storm, where the warlike tones return in full force, complemented by unwavering ferocity. Even the clean vocals are more menacing, more intense, but the charge is well and truly led by the roars, which propel us into the very long title track, Old Gods Awaken, which allows itself a brief pause before resuming its journey at a brisk pace, though with an emphasis on waves of rage interspersed with grandiose passages that could almost pass for an adventure film soundtrack, from which war cries emerge before a comforting final.
Heavily inspired by the Finnish scene, Atavistia blends epic and aggressive influences to make Old Gods Awakens a true hit! Fans of unifying tracks are in for a treat with this album!
80/100