Araphel is a new name in the Italian underground but
the members are not newcomers. The band is led by Santo,
a prolific figure in the scene, handling vocals, bass, and acoustic guitar.
Alongside him are Doomed Warrior and Gabriel on guitars and backing vocals, with
session drummer Mirko Soncini completing the
lineup. They released the EP “Old Comet Transition” in 2024, a glimpse into
their raw and personal vision of black metal. Now they return with their debut
full-length, “The Endchanter”, a 39-minute album that arrives through Nuclear War Now! Productions on Samhain 2025.
The
production keeps the sound grounded. It is raw enough to fit into the
underground, but recorded and mixed with enough care to make the layers
distinct. The guitars weave between sharp tremolo patterns and heavy riffing,
sometimes breaking into passages that lean toward melancholy, while the drums
give a steady backbone without drowning in speed for its own sake. Tracks like
“Old Comet Transition” and “Elysian Fields Ablaze” show how the band balances
aggression with atmosphere, while the shorter “Tempus Edax Rerum” serves as a
pause, giving breathing space before the album’s closing statement.
The
experience of “The Endchanter” is compact, sincere, and grim. It invites
multiple listens, not because it hides technical trickery, but of the
atmosphere it builds comes across as genuine, as if every note and word is
drawn from lived experience. It is heavy in spirit, direct in execution, and
speaks to listeners who want their black metal to carry human truth rather than
fantasy escapism.
Score: 7.3
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