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Hypocrisy - Hypocrisy

1999 Nuclear Blast Records :: Reviewed by rofreason on 2005-09-04

These are the hardest reviews to write, because how do you place the new album from one of your favorite bands in the same league as all of the other crap discs that fly by every day? Well, it's a tough job, but someone's got to do it. Want the review in a nutshell? The album fucking rules, stop reading and go buy it. Want me to go a little more in depth? Well, Peter and company ahve officially become an institution with this release, providing the metal populace with three back to back incredible metal albums. Existing in the middle of the Abducted's sterility and the dirty crunch of The Final Chapter, Hypocrisy is possibly the best way to present the band. Written more as a complete band then previous works, this disc showcases the obvious talent (and influences) that go into making a band of this caliber. I'm not sure why, but I've read that the band has described this disc as being the black album for Hypocrisy, and in trying to read between the lines for this one, I'd say that that statement signifies the rebirth of the band (they almost split 2 years ago), their opportunity to shine in the fickle spotlight of the "mainstream", and that this album is also comprised of many moods, ranging from the bleak to the chaotic. Themes that were hinted at before are accentuated here, perhaps due to raised confidence or maturity. Lyrically, well, one gets glimpses of subject matter, clarified a little by hefty track titles. I know, it's everyone's wish that we can read these in their original form, but evidently Tagtgren really doubts his creative abilites in that department, so we can only wait. The vocals are less subhuman this time, staying more in the midrange of Peter's spectrum. Less demonic than the past, but very fitting for this material. When I think about this as a whole, it seems a tad slower and more refined than TFC, yet certain sections contain some of the fastest pieces since the debut (check out Time Warp). In my opinion, this is still Tagtgren's show, but no problem there, as Peter is easily one of the best songwriters in music, period. In any regard, this is easily my favorite heavywieght disc this time around, never leaving my player unless by absolute force. For further listening enjoyment (and to get an idea where some of the "new" Hypocrisy sound comes from) check out the Pain album, another masterpiece.