ALBUM REVIEW: The Winter Way – Atavistia

Any metal record that can take you on a mental journey is one worth hearing, and that journey is all the more fun when it evokes epic quests in varied landscapes and settings. Vancouver, Canada melodeath quartet ATAVISTIA definitely seem to feel the same, as their new album The Winter Way certainly paints a musical portrait of icy plains, tranquil snow covered forests, and darkness where ancient evil sleeps. It’s an ambitious, albeit flawed record that succeeds in creating an immersive musical atmosphere while showcasing the instrumental talent of the band.

Opening track From the Ancient Stones sets the precedent the band is going for. It’s a lush, lovely track featuring orchestral arrangement and nice choral elements. The nature sounds interspersed within puts you right in the thick of a mystical forest full of creatures, and signifies the musical quest is about to start. A lilting celesta passage adds to the magic, and it jumps right into the next track The Atavistic Forest, which hits you with vocalist Mattias Sippola’s high snarl right away. He’s a talented harsh vocalist, but as the song, and the record, progresses, there’s a deal of clean singing that is mixed in that just lacks the melodic power that you’re looking for on a record of this scope.

However, instrumentally ATAVISTIA is really tight. The drums, courtesy of Max Sepulveda, are a highlight from front to back as he jumps from machine gun double bass, to blast beats, to slow dirge marches. The song also demonstrates the really great use of synth and orchestra throughout, and it keeps that magical feel on every song. However, the guitars get lost in the mix, and it would have been nice to have them showcase a little more than they do. As the track progresses, the nature sounds continue and further cement you into imagining you’re there among the trees, on the path to some undiscovered adventure.

Through the Hollow Ravens Eyes has a swaggering, almost sea chanty like rhythm and feel from the start of the track, and definitely conjures comparisons to groups like ENSIFERUM. There’s a deal more clean vocals on this track, which unfortunately detracts a bit, but the soft layered synth interludes really breed a sense of wonder, and you never lose the epic quest sense from track to track. The sound of the tracks do start to blend at this point, which can get a bit tiring, but the consistent sound and through line of the record isn’t lost. The next track, Eternal Ocean, has a great kick in and a dirge-like, marching tempo that brings the mood even darker. There is an introduction of some low talking from Sippola that continues on later tracks that comes off as a bit silly given the gravitas and skill of the instrumentals. But the drumming definitely is the star of the show on this track, and unfortunately the other instruments get buried behind the synth.

Dawn of the Frozen Age has a very cool black metal tinged opening, but it also has some gang vocal passages that don’t exactly work in this track’s favour. However it bounces right back with the best guitar work on the entire album, with an Yngwie-like tone and some great sweeping flourishes, that again, needed to have been mixed a bit louder. There’s a spooky choral backing as the whole track definitely paints a frozen and desolate landscape in its icy vocals and droning guitar. But The Forbidden One is definitely the album highlight. It feels like a finality to the quest of the whole album as it conjures images of a final ancient evil that is awakened and needs to be defeated. Right at the opening it sounds like you’re gazing into a black chasm, with some really neat electronic textures and some white noise adding to a sense of chaos. This track is incredibly dark and foreboding, and it is easily the most epic of the tracks. The clean vocals even sound the best on this track than anywhere else, and the melody is great. There is, however, a deal more talking that still doesn’t quite work, but atmospherically and instrumentally, ATAVISTIA is at a high point on this track and it absolutely works. There’s even a dead stop, before a launch back into a roar from Sippola and crew.

It’s too bad that the final track The Winter Way doesn’t catch as much as the previous. It’s a slow, dirge like song that feels a bit droning and plodding. It’s not particularly memorable, but it does feel like a final respite after an exhaustive journey. The guitar has another chance to shine as well at the end of the track, and guitarists Sippola and Dalton Meadon deserve commendation for their skills. With a better mix, the guitar could have added an extra level to the epic touch of the record.

ATAVISTIA‘s The Winter Way aims to take you on a quest through frozen forests and icy caverns, where your only companion is the wind at your back and the wildlife along the path. Mixing, some vocal issues, and a lack of difference between some tracks all detract from that quest, but the band’s talent and commitment to building an epic atmosphere is to be commended, and they certainly pull it off on every track. If you’re ready to lose yourself in your own imagination and admire sweeping textures and a talented band giving their all, then this is definitely worth a listen, but ATAVISTIA have some adjustments to make to continue growing and refine their sound into something truly epic.

Rating: 7/10

The Winter Way is out now via self-release.

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