Band:	In Aphelion
Album:	Reaperdawn
Style:	Melodic black metal
Release date:	August 2024
A review by:	AndyMetalFreak

01. The Fields In Nadir
02. A Winter Moon's Gleam
03. When All Stellar Light Is Lost
04. The Darkening
05. They Fell Under Blackened Skies
06. Further From The Sun
07. Reaperdawn
08. Aghori

Many have tried to follow in the footsteps of the 90s Swedish meloblack legends without ever quite managing to achieve the same greatness, but who better to revitalize the scene than a spawn of the dark, unholy Necrophobic themselves?

From the deepest, darkest reaches of who knows where is In Aphelion, a Swedish meloblack band established in 2020 by long-term Necrophobic guitarist Sebastian Ramstedt (vocals/guitar) and seasoned drummer Marco Prij. Following a brief demo, this duo introduced fellow Necrophobic guitarist Johan Bergebäck to the line-up, completing an unholy trio that would then unleash not just one of the biggest meloblack surprises of 2022, but one of the best the genre has offered up in years in Moribund. Now, the band returns with highly prolific bass player Tobias Cristiansson on board for their highly anticipated sophomore effort, Reaperdawn.

Just going by the outstanding reputation this line-up possesses, and the fact it follows one of the best meloblack debuts in recent years, one can only expect a sophomore worthy of Satan's praise himself, but will this prove to be the case? Well, from the opening track "The Fields In Nadir", it's clear this band aren't messing around. This is a dark, sadistic opener, filled with furious blast-beating, traditionally melodic, ferocious blackened tremolos, tremendous howling leads, and of course Sebastian Ramstedt's trademark evil demonic shrieks. Simply put, this opener is like an unrelenting fiery storm of pure, evil, dark savagery, yet it's strikingly traditional and catchy, not entirely a long way off from the style that Necrophobic represents. However, there's a sense of more depth and detail to the songwriting here, which is more richly layered, achieving a sound more dense than what basic traditional meloblack typically offers.

A clear standout track in the form of "A Winter Moon's Gleam" then follows, and there are a lot of highly memorable moments here, from its opening dark, folkish acoustic passage and striking repetitive, melodic tremolos, to the tremendous lead guitar breakthroughs. From here, the album sustains a similar style and level of quality; alongside the vocals and instrumentation, there's eerie, dramatic sound effects that only add to the overall diverse and immersive experience. "The Darkening" (definitely as dark as the title suggests) is the next definite album highlight. The main looping tremolo riff melody on this song is perhaps the most memorable riff featured on the album, one that hypnotizes and enchants you ever deeper as the song progresses; this is only helped further by a mighty powerful, cutting tone, relentless blast beats, and an eruption of classic wailing leads. Another song representing the title itself is "Further From The Sun", through its rumbling powerful bass, thunderously pounding drumming, majestic riff melodies, and harsh blackened sinister shrieks that echo out from the deep blackened void as if a demonic presence is calling out to you. I have to say the production really works wonders here, as all the elements gel together clearly and efficiently, whilst retaining its powerful intensity.

There are songs not all that out of the ordinary but still vitally important to the album's overall memorability, and "Reaperdawn" is one. This is a short catchy memorable track that's more traditional meloblack than any other; the replay value is definitely high, especially for its main riff, which is a real headbanger, as well as the non-stop frantic rhythm and tempo. "Aghori" closes the album off in epic style. The vocals on this closer are impressive to say the least; other than the usual harsh blackened shrieks, you have a deep, menacing, hellish choir in the background, and the way this song builds up at mid-tempo is dramatic and at times cinematic. Then suddenly there is an outburst of fierce, devilish energy, where interlocking guitar work goes into a more unorthodox dissonant mode, before a repetitive fading outro finishes the song and album off. This is definitely the most diverse song structurally, and I'd even say it borders on progressive black at times, showing the band are capable of more than just traditional songwriting in the genre.

Not only do I believe Reaperdawn triumphs over its highly praised predecessor Moribund, but it also tops Necrophobic's very own In The Twilight Grey released earlier this year. To release an album as strong as one from the godfathers of meloblack themselves, who have one of the most top-quality consistent discographies in extreme metal, only proves that In Aphelion are no mere gimmick, but a real force to be reckoned with. With two exceptional releases in the space of 2 years, I expect that this band is only just getting started, and firmly believe they'll continue to thrive in the world of extreme metal.