It's common to see people locked inside a shell resisting new musical expressions of a same Metal genre. This is the reason why many bands with what is called 'Old School Metal' speaks of how being 'true to the past' instead of saying only that 'this is how we like to sound' (a better and honest answer, because anyone can be honest with music, being both in old or younger ways). Anyway, the Swedish trio IN APHELION seems to use aspects of both ways on "Moribund", the band's first album.

Their musical work is based on a form of music that brings to the minds of those who listen to the album the ways of older Swedish Black/Death Acts as DISSECTION (the same melodic sense mixed with Thrash Metal and traditional Heavy Metal elements), a good technical insight, and a massive and aggressive energy. But the band's music presents elements from the past and present alike in its core, and it's able to conquer fans, because it's really charming and full of many darkened and melodic hooks. The band hired Fredrik Folkare (known for his works with NECROPHOBIC, UNLEASHED, CRYPTOSIS and others) for the mixing and mastering. And it's a nice choice. Because things are sounding as the band's music needs: sharp, rough and defined, with instrumental tunes nearer of an organic approach. It's a fine combination of the past and present on the sound quality, indeed.

The band's work is really what fans of extreme Metal ways are waiting for, but on songs as "World Serpent (Devourer of Dreams)" (a fine combination of melodies of Swedish Black/Death Metal with the crude approach of the past, and what great work on the guitars on the riffs and leads), "Draugr" (a sharp and great mix of aggressiveness with climatic rhythms, in a great work of bass guitar and drums), "Let the Beast Run Wild" (what lovely instrumental arrangements that fits on the melodic hooks and snarls of the vocals), "Luciferian Age" (the contrasts between harsh aggressive approach with a slower approach on the rhythms create a morbid ambience, indeed), "He Who Saw the Abyss" (a mastodonic weight flows from this one, and what great guitar parts again), "Moribund" (a massive set of aggressive hooks can be heard on this one), and "The Origin" are the right ones for the first time on the album for the lazy ones. On the second time (because this album becomes an addiction) one will hear all the songs, and it'll be hard to not become a fan of their work.

IN APHELION is really an excellent name of the new Swedish Metal generation, so listen to "Moribund" as much as you can. And if this writer was living in Europe, he would buy a physical copy of it for sure!