A new force is awakening, stretching the boundaries of consciousness, and devouring everything in its path. In Aphelion is now ushering in their sophomore album, Reaperdawn, which is out today, August 9, 2024, via Century Media Records. The black metal brainchild of guitarist/vocalist Sebastian Ramstedt (best known as guitarist and songwriter with Necrophobic) is now unleashing the final single from the offering, “Fields of Nadir,” along with a grim music video. The clip was directed and filmed by Ramstedt himself.
Ramstedt explains, “It takes the viewer away from the comforting light. In order to put the viewer in the same state as me when I wrote the song it was necessary to break some rules. In nadir everything that is beautiful turns ugly. The warmer skin tone during the performance parts symbolizes this side of death. The cold colour of the outside is purgatory. The out of focus singing with the candles symbolizes death and the other side. The video is chaotically blending visions of the past the present and the future. It’s cut with a dreamlike logic in mind.”
Darker, stranger, more epic and progressive than admirers of his work were expecting, this new outlet for enigmatic and artistic expression emerged firmly tethered to the white-knuckle viciousness of benchmark, Northern European black metal, while also exhibiting a profound affiliation with both classic, traditional heavy metal and the black magic of psychedelic repetition. Based around a core line-up of Ramstedt (guitar/vocals), drummer Marco Prij (also Cryptosis), rhythm guitarist Johan Bergebäck (Necrophobic) and bassist Tobias Cristiansson (Necrophobic, ex-Grave), In Aphelion have taken the uncompromising DIY route to their current status as new Century Media signees.
The atmosphere of Reaperdawn is a swirling maelstrom of obsidian sparkle and iridescent grime.
Reaperdawn is now available in standard CD jewelcase, gatefold black LP, and a limited Gatefold bloodred LP (red Vinyl), 300x via cmdistro.de and other retailers. Orders can be found here.
Tracklisting:
“The Fields in Nadir”
“A Winter Moon’s Gleam”
“When All Stellar Light Is Lost”
“The Darkening”
“They Fell under Blackened Skies”
“Further from the Sun”
“Reaperdawn”
“Aghori”
“A Winter Moon’s Gleam” video:
“When All Stellar Light Is Lost” video:
Lineup:
Johan Bergebäck – guitars
Tobias Cristiansson – bass
Marco Prij – drums
Sebastian Ramstedt – vocals, guitars
(Photo – Leo Bergebaeck)