Wintersun hasn’t released an album since 2017’s The Forest Seasons. Dimmu Borgir hasn’t issued anything new of note since 2018’s Eonian. That year also happens to be the same one in which Vesania broke up. Emperor are “touring” the US later this year and have teased about the possibility of new material, but I’ll believe that when I hear it. On the surface, things might appear to be in a holding pattern when it comes to new goods by the big names from the epic sounding world of those equally inspired by Scandinavian melodic black and death metal, symphonic richness and heavy music with aristocratic and regal leanings.
In reality though, there isn’t a dearth of bands of this ilk — Ensiferium, Suidakra, Sirenia and even Cradle of Filth have all been active more recently — as there are countless acts bubbling beneath the surface clawing for attention. One of those is Vancouver’s Atavistia who independently issue Cosmic Warfare, their third full-length, tomorrow. Taking cues from both the mountainous landscape of their British Columbia home, the vast nothingness of space and the schism between them, Cosmic Warfare is a rollicking ride through metal’s propensity for duality as the quartet show off their skill at fist banging harshness on one end and melodic layered density on the other, all of which you have the opportunity to discover via a stream of the album below.
Vocalist/guitarist Mattias Sippola, who started the band as a bedroom project back in 2016 before drafting in guitarist Dalton Meaden, bassist D’wayne Murray and drummer Max Sepulveda, comments on the new album: “This upcoming album portrays many emotions which have transpired over the past two and a half years. There are dark moments full of pure chaos and anger to moments of triumph and tranquility. I am very proud of how the album flows together.”
Cosmic Warfare is available through the band via the usual suspects. Check ‘em out at:
Website
Spotify
Bandcamp
Additionally, if you happen to be in western Canada sometime in the next few days, they’re doing a mini-tour consisting of the following stops:
April 20 – Kamloops, BC | The Blue Groto
April 21 – Edmonton, AB | Rendezvous
April 22 – Calgary, AB | Dickens Pub
April 23 – Kelowna, BC | Jacknife Brewing
