review: Withering Soul - paranormal-themed black/death metal from Chicago, USA

Withering Soul

Passage of the Arcane

Liminal Dread Productions

14 November 2025

When a new Withering Soul album arrives, it calls for repeated listening. Active since 1999, this American band from the Chicago area consistently delivers quality songwriting that only reveals itself in full over time, a characteristic exemplified by their fifth and latest effort. On this new release, their sound is black and death metal, characterized by speed, intense melody, and subtle progressive elements. The growled vocals are notably enunciated, clear, deep, and sustained, carrying a distinct black metal intensity in the long-lasting screams. This sound could be described as melodic black metal fused with an aggressive American death metal production, for brutality, speed, and melodic depth.

It is clear that black metal is a crucial component, shaping the melodies, the drumming style, and a significant portion of the riffs. However, Withering Soul rejects the "garage" or low-fidelity aesthetic often associated with certain black metal acts. Conversely, they also avoid the "boring" aspects of death metal, such as generic growling, simple chugging, faceless guitar work, and overall minimal-effort songwriting. They take the best elements of both genres, the melodic complexity and intensity of black metal, and the clarity of modern death metal for their unique musical vision.

The album, featuring an intro and seven songs totaling 41 minutes, provides substantial value to the listener. The band has clearly worked hard to deliver songwriting that can withstand the test of time. The combination of American and European characteristics, along with the amalgamation of various time periods (the 1990s and 2000s) within their sound, makes for an engaging and dynamic listen. Listeners can be confident that they are receiving a work put together not just with serious effort, but with demonstrable skill. Two quick clarifications: First, there are no clean, melodic vocals on this album. Second, regarding the lyrics, I have not seen the official text, but my understanding is that the band explores themes related to the paranormal, such as town legends of unexplained disappearances or myths surrounding local spectral sightings.

https://www.facebook.com/witheringsoulband

review: Atavistia - melodic extreme metal from Canada

Atavistia

The Winter Way (Reforged)

Blood Blast Distribution

12 December 2025

Once upon a time, in a land far away, there lived a mighty queen. There, in the land of Mal-ibu-Cal, she possessed an abundance of riches and a multitude of servants, with all the diamonds and crowns, jewels and palaces, and land and rivers that a monarch could desire. Yet, she remained unhappy. Her true poverty was not gold, but the one thing that she could never own for herself: time. She gazed upon the vast oceans and the sailors who served her, who smiled readily upon her sight, and she sang “If I could turn back time, if I could find a way, I’d take back..." her thoughts trailing into the distance of infinity, while the sailors looked at each other glad standing behind the presence of the queen.

Where the mighty queen failed, the band Atavistia succeeds. Atavistia has turned back time. They have found a way. They have taken back their regret. How did they achieve this bending of time? Before addressing that, we need to answer something else: What, or rather, who is Atavistia? This melodic death metal band is based in Vancouver, British Columbia, on the western side of Canada.

Back to the matter at hand: this album. In a time-warping move that would surely impress the queen of Mal-ibu-Cal in this story, Atavistia traveled back to 2020, took their original work from that year, and brought it forward to 2025 and recorded the entire album again. This is not, the band says, a remaster nor a remix of the 2020 album. They say that it is a total rebuild. "The Winter Way (Reforged) features new recordings, arrangements, modern production, and completely rewritten orchestral and atmosphere elements." It is a new recording of the album of the same name.

The music is a catchy blend of progressive, melodic, and grand death/black metal, which should appeal to fans of both melodic death metal and melodic black metal. Reviewers have often noted the band's epic and neosymphonic feel, drawing comparisons to groups like Wintersun. The vocals integrate traditional black metal and death metal growls with melodic singing. Instrumentally, the guitars and rhythm section work with elements from black metal, epic heavy metal, power metal, and shredding. While the 2020 album was certainly enjoyable, this new interpretation is a strong effort. I would agree with the band: start here. It is such a catchy and melodically compelling album that it serves as a great starting point into their discography.

The Winter Way (Reforged) by Atavistia