ALBUM REVIEW: Aftermath – Aphyxion

Following the release of Earth Entangled, APHYXION have their second full studio album around the corner, Aftermath. It is the first album to be released by the Danish melodic-death metal group under the Prime Collective record label, as they strive to be the fastest rising band in Europe.

The opening track on the new album, Dark Stains On Ivory, perfectly sums up exactly what the band is all about. The start perfectly blends the electro elements of APHYXION, before kicking into a killer opening riff from the guitar of Jonas Haagensen. Mix that in with the vocals of Michael Vahl and you’ve got yourself a recipe for what death metal should sound like.

It’s easy to see why APHYXION have gained their reputation, as there are a number of songs on the new record that are absolute gems. The procedure for the songs is very similar throughout the album, which shows the band’s continuity, and gives a good flow to Aftermath. Destined To Fail, the third track from the album, follow the same format as the title track; there’s a slow build up with the electro beats, followed by the riffs in the background before the rest of the band kicks in. There’s no doubting that at a live show, this would be one song that would really get the crowd going.

Another track which really stands out on the new album is When The Lights Begin To Fade. Unlike the previous two tracks, this song begins with the blast beats of drummer Jakob Jensen to set the tempo, followed by another simple yet hard hitting riff from Jonas Haagensen. Running for just over five minutes, this is the longest track on the album, and it ticks all the boxes for what you would expect to hear from a melodic death metal group.

Prisoners Of War is very similar in the build up to Destined To Fail and Dark Stains On Ivory, though the electronic build up lasts a bit longer to the others, which gives you an idea of what the tempo is going to be like early on. While the track builds up to an epic chorus, on the technical side of things this track is quite simplistic compared to others on the album; the riffs are relatively simplistic, and there are few blast beats, but it’s because of these features which makes it stand out more.

The penultimate song, A Part Of The Solution, is different again in terms of the intro. Like with most conventional songs in the genre, this one kicks off with Haagensen’s guitar and Jais Jessen’s bass combining in perfect harmony, followed by the drums of Jensen. However, while most of the tracks on the album have had the same screaming vocals of Vahl, the vocals on this track are much more haunting, and are very similar to the vocals off Till Lindemann in RAMMSTEIN’S hit, Sonne.

This album has a lot of similarities to EQULIBRIUM’S Armageddon, in terms of the way the songs have been constructed by the band and the overall sound of them. Though after listening to Aftermath all the way through, it’s clear to see why APHYXION have been tipped for great things, and the new album is surely a sign of things to come from the Danish group.

Rating: 8/10

Aftermath is set for release on December 2nd via Prime Collective.

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