Aphelion, Black Metal from the States, “I” being the first offering divided in 6 tracks, everything recorded in the bands houses, so expect a rawer attack of darkness but well balanced.
After a choir like intro, the band blasts its way through a slightly melodic tune with some slower, almost classic Doom like parts, showing a wide range of dynamics where even clean guitar passages are induced before frost takes over once again (“Inferno Malefic”).
Besides the the Black Metal and Doom riffs there is also a portion of Death Metal, well woven together, leaving space to everything without sounding just riff upon riff clusterfucked. The melodic aspect reminds me of LLN, Les Légions Noires, and some German acts.
“Cloak of Dying Light” is an epic Black Metal track with a highly melodic and melancholic atmosphere, build up in a fantastic way with slow passages, sometimes heard in bands like Amon Amarth, just more fitting here…interesting how in this track the guttural vocals are more displayed. Afterwards clean guitar sounds whisper in your ears what may sound like the call to the Winter Gods before a beautiful melody kicks in and the Gods answer the call with furious Black Metal. The mid-section has a fantastic Mayhem/Hellhammer groove before turning back to the initial melody and alternate between them just separated by a bridge. The last part is necro 90’s blasty Black Metal with octavated riffing, more Vassafor-like. “Of Lesser gods” fades the Ep “I” with similar choirs like the intro and closes the chapter.
We are in June now, but outside it feels like Winter, this might be a fitting output to the frosty and dark times. (DPF)
