Atavistia – Cosmic Warfare

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A band this complex can best be described by their own press release. ATAVISTIA is an epic metal band from Vancouver, Canada. They explore various forms of metal within their music resulting in a symphonic mix of nature, atmosphere, and technically precise musicianship delivering a wall of sound that joyously greets the ears and assails the senses with sweeping instrumentals, grand orchestrations, and guitars heavier than Thor’s hammer. 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. Following up their first two studio releases; “One Within the Sun” in 2017 and “The Winter Way” in 2020, with their latest mind invading production “Cosmic Warfare” to be unleashed on  April 21, 2023. All arrangements, lyrics, production and engineering are by Mattias Sippola (guitar, vocals). Not being familiar with ATAVISTIA, I am definitely intrigued and curious about this diverse soundscape of rhythmic cacophony I’m introducing my ears and senses to.

We open this escapade with “Omega Nova”, a brief two-minute piece with a movie opening feel complete with horns, strings and pummeling bass drums over a space age backdrop climaxing to a deafening earful, feels like I’m about to take off with Darth Vader. I probably should board up my windows before I move on to the title track “Cosmic Warfare” blasting pure death metal vocals and crashing beat that has me looking like the Memorex ad (hopefully you all remember that picture), finished dynamically with a whipping and fiery guitar solo and some pretty intense lyrics “Drifting atoms Solar winds Entwine at the speed of light Revealing secrets from Oblivion Violent explosions illuminate the tides Dark matter enthralls celestial minds Transcendence of a known dire plain”. I can immediately tell this is no easy listen, this is a must pay attention album, with a thrill ride of non-stop musical elements coming at you from every corner, every direction. “Spectral Rebirth” opens again with the colossal production of a space galactic movie fight scene,  with death, speed and progressive, metal all tied into a furor of mind inducement. Quite a mix on “Forgotten Silence” with orchestral strings lead way to a monstrous wall of sound with everything, but the kitchen sink thrown in, symphonic vocals that feel like an opera on speed.

This is an elaborate and complicated album, no doubt and is not for everybody and definitely not for the faint of heart. “Cosmic  Warfare” will either leave you gasping for more or running to the hills. I wound up giving a high review mark for the simple fact that talent NEEDS to be rewarded, and ATAVISTIA is one talented band that deliver with grandeur and episodic brilliance.


Songwriting: 10
Musicianship: 10
Memorability: 8
Production : 9