There was or is (I say such words for being away from the scene for some years, and I’ll keep in this way) an idea that the old and new Metal elements can’t live together and get along. But ideas can be overthrown as a band has guts to blow them into pieces, because music doesn’t have limits. And to break limits apart seems the driving force behind THRONE OF ROACHES, a Swedish quartet from Malmö. Their musical work shown on “Chrysalis” depicts such idea. The main conception that one can have in mind before starting on the band’s music is that they’re combining features from Swedish ways on Death Metal and Melodic Death Metal, with modern elements and insights.

Such a form is full of intense harmonies, heavy crushing guitar riffs, some very good melodic appeal (as heard on the guitar lines on “The Endless Hunt”), but with a massive weight and brutality. Well, the best to be done is to hear to make things clear, but they have guts, energy and personality at their side, so be prepared. “Chrysalis” was mixed and mastered by Andreas Linneman, who worked in a way to make things clean and defined for the sake of the hearers’ understanding; but the heavy weight and aggressiveness shown is astonishing. And to make things even better, Vilhelm Thoresson created a fine artwork that translates in visual what their music shows.

Beware of your ears when dealing with “Chrysalis”, because it’s heavy, intense and aggressive, but what is offered on songs as “The Hive Awakens” (just an instrumental intro), “Infernal Cleansing”, “The Endless Hunt”, “Hollow Words”, “Where is Your God?”, “Life of Guilt”, “I Depart”, “Ashen Sun”, and “Gates of Horror” is a frantic combination of a good technical appeal, brutality sharpened by subjective melodies, rhythmic contrasts and extreme Metal hooks everywhere. Very good growls contrasting with screams, charming harsh riffs entwined by melodic arrangements, a very good technical appeal on bass guitar and drums, and the fusion of the elements written above makes the audition of this album a pleasure.

THRONE OF ROACHES is truly an amazing new name (“Chrysalis” is just their first full-length), and their musical ideas have a tendency to become even better in the future.