Andromeda
Chimera

The Andromeda are not a debuting band. They are on their fourth release, and this latest “Chimera” turns out to be their most successful album. Their progressive metal is equipped with excellent compositional openings that give the music a peculiar atmosphere, different in each piece.

Also equipped with influences that heavily draw from an old Thrash repertoire, the work presents itself as complex, at times futuristic (thanks also to well-chosen keyboard effects), very intricate in time changes and not easy to listen to, but once assimilated it manages to surprise with every listen. The start is entrusted to “Periscope.” A very fast track that immediately showcases the technical caliber of the members. I would definitely define it as the classic progressive track, characterized by continuous alternations between sound explosions and moments of calm and acoustic atmosphere, without neglecting the classic instrumental part placed in the middle of the song. The singer performs a truly good performance, which fully reveals itself with the following “In the end,” of rare executive as well as atmospheric beauty, thanks to an excellent chorus and a great and relentless rhythmic section. It goes from more heavy sounds to more acoustic solutions with “The Hidden Riddle.” Another noteworthy track, given its great sonic variety and also a great performance by the singer, endowed with a truly excellent expressiveness in this song.

“Going Under” takes us back to more prog territories, thus reconnecting to the discussion started by the initial track: a very thrashy intro and then diving into futuristic keyboard sounds and a very good central part. Excellent the finale, which becomes calm and reflective. “The Cage of me” has Pantera-like atmospheres. It is immediately evident that these are songs endowed with great sonic aggressiveness, almost unusual for a prog-metal band. This sonic violence comes alive again in “No Guidelines,” endowed with fine and very original guitar lines. “Inner Circle” is experimental, with calm and dark atmospheres that explode in a technical jubilation. “Iskenderun” shows the band in a moment of confusion instead: the oriental atmosphere that pervades the track is not too original, almost forced and constrained. An ugly track, in the end. But the singer's performance is always and even more to be praised, in a whirlwind of expressiveness and at times almost theatricality. Compositional confusion is revealed again in the last track, which, according to prog tradition, is the suite: “Blink of an eye” is very fragmented and piecemeal, difficult to fully listen to and for this reason difficult to appreciate in its entirety, even though it features marvelous cues like the piano interlude.

In conclusion: an excellent performance, once again, by this Swedish band. The production is professional and perfect, and the musicians' performance is top-level. The record has very few weak points, precisely in the last two tracks. A record to listen to multiple times, but it will surely be appreciated and loved.