I just wanted to say that I already consider Aphelion a masterpiece. Yes, a masterpiece, and I am not exaggerating. I am seriously in awe of this album.
Every single song is a little piece of art on its own, but still the album works as a whole, probably because of the constant dark atmosphere and the prominent string arrangements throughout the whole album. I was able to listen to it before the release and am now listening to it for the first time on vinyl. As usual, it works differently on this medium and I'm still finding details I hadn't noticed before. It's been a while that someone released an album that I come back to this often over the course of six weeks or so. I just can't stop listening to every single song. From the dramatic opener with its catchy chorus and querulous cello solo, Out Of Here and Have You Ever? with subtle electronic influences and opulent choruses, the D&B influences and furious Silhouette, The Shadow Side featuring the only (!) solo of the album, a tasty guitar feature by Robin Ognedal, up to the demonic finale in Nighttime Disguise (which leaves no doubt in me that Solberg is able to open the gates of hell with his voice) - every day I have a different favorite track.
Without a single doubt my album of the year as I can't imagine anything shaking me up like this album in the coming months. And I seriously don't understand why it isn't being hyped up and hailed as what it is: a brilliant piece of music.
By the way, I think the band's secret weapon and my personal "secret star" of Aphelion is guitarist Robin Ognedal. He's a consequent Stratocaster player and his tasteful playing in higher frequencies is in perfect contrast with Tor's dark, djenty riffs (don't start telling me these riffs are no longer present on Leprous's new albums, because they are). It's the inclusion of this second guitarist that makes the arrangements of the last three albums so extraordinary.