ATAVISTIA – Spotlight Reworked ‘Beneath The Elder Stone’ on Old Gods Awaken Deluxe Edition

ATAVISTIA’s Old Gods Awaken deluxe edition brings an extensively reworked song into focus: ‘Beneath The Elder Stone,’ originally written in 2022 and held back from the main release. The Vancouver melodic death metal band have supplied a video accompanying the announcement, with the expanded release available via Blood Blast Distribution.

Founder Mattias Sippola describes the track’s long route to release: ‘“Beneath The Elder Stone” was originally going to be on the main release of Old Gods Awaken but unfortunately didn’t make the cut at the time. This track was written back in 2022 and went through drastic changes. Almost 100% rewritten.’

For Sippola, the delay gave the song room to develop. ‘However, it’s a blessing in disguise that we waited to release it on the Deluxe Edition because it sounds unrecognizably better than it did during the Old Gods Awaken release cycle,’ he says. The focus track is also available to stream on Spotify.

The announcement describes Old Gods Awaken as ATAVISTIA’s most folk-inspired material to date, emphasizing shorter, catchier and more direct compositions. Folk metal and black metal influences remain part of the record’s direction, within the band’s broader melodic death metal sound.

The two-disc edition places eight tracks on each disc. Alongside ‘Beneath The Elder Stone,’ the second disc includes dungeon synth, acoustic, English-language and shamanic versions, as well as ‘Seas of Stars (Reforged).’ Sippola says this approach will continue: ‘Releases like this Deluxe Edition will become more common with our future albums, etc. We currently have 5 albums worth of upcoming music written + bonus material.’

Sippola produced, mixed and mastered Old Gods Awaken. Recording took place at Atavistic Studios with Sippola and Max Sepulveda, while Costin Chioreanu created the cover artwork.

Formed in Vancouver in 2017, ATAVISTIA combine melodic death metal, black metal and Scandinavian folk elements. Their musical and lyrical inspiration draws on Canadian natural landscapes, the seasons and ancient Norse culture. Their release history includes One With The Sun (2017), The Winter Way (2020), Cosmic Warfare (2023) and the EP Inane Duncam (2024).

The band have toured Europe twice alongside acts including SKÁLMÖLD, METSATÖLL and SEVEN SPIRES, and have opened locally for MOONSPELL, ELEINE and OCEANS OF SLUMBER. The announced lineup comprises Sippola on guitar and vocals, also handling composition and production; Sepulveda on drums and engineering; Elia Baghbaniyan on guitar; and Spencer Budworth on bass and vocals.

Disc 1

1. Raise all Thy Horns
2. Mystic Tavern
3. Seeker of Time
4. To a New World
5. I skogens djup
6. Goddess of My Dreams
7. Ride the White Storm
8. Old Gods Awaken

Disc 2

1. Raise all Thy Horns (Dungeon Synth Version)
2. In the Shadow of Tomorrow
3. Beneath The Elder Stone
4. Where Gods Lie Among Stars
5. Through Nature’s Embrace (English Version)
6. Goddess of My Dreams (Acoustic Version)
7. Seas of Stars (Reforged)
8. Vanhat jumalat heräävät (Shamanic Version)

Official band social profile