Atavistia
The Winter Way (Reforged)
Blood Blast Distribution
I’m not keen on bands retrospectively tinkering with their pasts, there’s something Orwellian about reworking songs or even entire albums. For better or worse, music represents a moment in time and a marker along an artist’s evolutionary curve. So when I heard Atavistia were re-recording their classic The Winter Way album I was a touch mystified, because said album was near faultless, and you shouldn’t mess with perfection. While there’s been no radical overhaul of The Winter Way, the band streamlining things as opposed to rebuilding, changes such as altering lyrics and song structures are as likely to turn off as many fans as they turn on, and your reaction to the tweaks will largely depend on your relationship with the original record. For example, whereas the album once flowed as a continuous piece of music, the tracks are now separated which tends to break the magical spell somewhat. However, the album’s themes are now coherent, ensuring it hangs together conceptually, while the new mix is razor sharp and crystalline and more in keeping with the album’s glacial aesthetic. This isn’t an album for those who re-tread the path to the past, yet for those who like the road forwards, it’s time to explore The Winter Way (Reforged).
Review by Peter Dennis.