Araphel unveils its debut album.
Created by Italian musician Santo (Thulsa Doom, Into Darkness, Demonomancy), the project unveils its debut EP Old Comet Transition in 2024, in collaboration with Nuclear War Now! Productions.
He is accompanied by Doomed Warrior (Into Darkness, Thaclthi) and Eros (Extirpation, Into Darkness, Terrorsaw) on guitars.
Old Comet Transition, the eponymous composition, initially draws us in with a catchy melody, but this is quickly followed by an Old School rhythm and aggressive vocal parts. The track also features more soaring, atmospheric parts, such as the slower moments and the break where a few backing vocals join the progression, but the sound picks up with A Meaning Quest – The Smile of Sisyphus, which follows with a rather similar approach, perfectly serving the harmonics. The instruments are all relatively present in the mix, even during the more imposing martial parts leading up to the finale, but Full Moon Necrophilia, a cover by Greek band Zemial, already rings the end of the EP with coherent tonalities, giving this twenty-year-old track a second lease of life. Although slightly longer than the original, its essence remains intact.
Two compositions and a cover are a little short to assess Araphel‘s true potential, but the band already gives us a glimpse of their macabre approach with Old Comet Transition.
75/100
