Araphel

***Spontaneous and genuine yet undeniably within the canon of extreme metal, Araphel wear no masks nor offer no mysticism. Full-length proof: The Endchanter, which follows last year's introductory Old Comet Transition EP. Across the record's seven-song / 39-minute runtime, one will hear the honest voice of a musician speaking about his experiences and point of view—in this case, prolific Italian musician Santo alongside a lineup made up of veteran musicians of the Italian underground scene—sharing a critique of society and the dullness of our lives and rules we are forced to live by. The music is rooted in black metal, with a clear METAL aesthetic, and has deep ties to the best of the underground and classic metal tradition, but it's the heartfelt synthesis of form and content where The Endchanter creates its own poignant landscape.

To be sure, sonic signposts are aplenty on The Endchanter—from old-school Greek black metal to the culter likes of Poland's Xantotol and Colombia's Nebiros to the spirit of Bathory, Dissection, Immortal, and Desaster among others—but where Araphel excel is narrative songwriting, rooted in sincerity and personal truth rather than fantasy. To immerse oneself in the album's lyrics is as engrossing as the music itself. There are no devils, messiahs, or sacrificial horrors here—just reality, resulting in an experience brimming with tragedy and triumph. A raw-yet-poetic reflection on the END—not just of individual existence, but of an entire belief system—Araphel's debut album seeks authenticity in a fragmented era, offering a perspective that is clear-eyed, disenchanted, but deeply human. It's an invitation to reclaim one's own vision, even if solitary, even if misunderstood: to be guided by nature, silence, and doubt, rather than the deafening voice of false certainties. Here reigns... The Enchanter!