Florida-based black and death metal solo project VITHIAL has released the new single ‚War of the Gods, the Balance of Darkness and Light‘, taken from the forthcoming debut album Awakened Ancient Spirits. The record is scheduled for release on June 5, 2026, and marks a significant step forward for the one-man project helmed by David Dwayne.VITHIAL, the melodic black and death metal solo project from Pensacola, Florida, has unveiled its latest single, ‚War of the Gods, the Balance of Darkness and Light‘, offering a first substantial glimpse into the upcoming debut full-length Awakened Ancient Spirits, due on June 5, 2026.
The track centres on a mythological conflict between mortals and divine forces locked in a struggle over the fate of existence. As light becomes corrupted through mortal interference, the gods of darkness rise to wage war and restore cosmic equilibrium. The narrative serves as one of the central thematic pillars of the album as a whole.
Musically, the single weaves together black and death metal foundations with atmospheric synth passages that frame the composition at its opening and close. Mystic guitar melodies, aggressive riffing, dynamic percussion, and harsh vocals are balanced against restrained symphonic textures, resulting in a sound that bridges modern production values and traditional extreme metal sensibility.
Awakened Ancient Spirits is conceived as a collection of stories probing the perils of existence, human darkness, occult themes, spirituality, and the cyclical nature of life, death, and creation. Drawing heavily from 1990s second-wave black metal and Florida death metal, VITHIAL brings a personal interpretive lens shaped by focused, long-form songwriting.
The six-track album features titles including ‚Tornadic Wind, the Barons of Nightfall‘, ‚Masquerading Deception of Tyranny‘, and the title track ‚Awakened Ancient Spirits‘, each exploring mythological or metaphysical narratives involving gods, spirits, and ancient knowledge.
Photo: VITHIAL / C Squared Music