ASTILLIAN
“Formed in 2016 by Chicago area melodic metal veterans, Âstillian began as a project to cast a vision upon Dark Age inspired metal. Utilizing unique elements of Scandinavian folk combined with blistering melodic death metal, Âstillian created a powerful sound that captures the Saxon’s rage with infectious hooks and unforgettable soaring melodies.
Their self produced debut album, Waves at Dusk, (2017) is a concept album inspired by G.K. Chesterton’s epic tale, “The Ballad of the White Horse,” other Anglo-Saxon writings, and Norse sagas. This album captures the inescapable misery and undeniable hope of the early middle ages; raiding hordes, mass migrations, and kingdoms rising through the discord. The album features a hardwood Anglo-Saxon lyre and other folk instruments alongside a three-pronged electric guitar assault and viscerally blasted rhythms. Waves at Dusk also features a Saxon war cry historically used on the battlefield against the vikings.”