Hypocrisy – End Of Disclosure

Once upon a time there was a band called Hypocrisy. They came from Sweden and their guitarist was about to be one of the greatest metal heroes of the 90’s and of 00’s. Ok back in reality now, Hypocrisy existed and still exists and they are one of the most productive and influential bands of Swedish death metal around the globe. Many of you would expect that this review should be released earlier. Yet for a band like Hypocrisy I couldn’t just listen to their album just once or twice. I had obliged myself to do many auditions of “End Of Disclosure” before I am ready to judge it and to be honest that is what you have to do too.

It will seem to you that is just another Hypocrisy album like all their previous. Its quality is exactly that; it appears to be like just another album. It is not complex or technical, as most of the CDs by Peter Tägtgren and his companions, but it is melodic and intense. The opening and title track reminds me the melodic elements of “The Final Chapter” and “The Arrival”. Nonetheless the following songs have nothing to do with the recent albums of Hypocrisy. Yes there still are melodies and catchy riffs which grooves you to the point of no return, but most of the songs have a simple brutality that will make you headbanging like there is no tomorrow.

The drumming of Horgh is once again simple with many mid-tempo parts and rhythms. Yet we experience many of the brutal side of the Swedish trio with his blastbeats. “Tales Of Thy Spineless” is a perfect example. He sticks on the rhythm guitar and without him Hypocrisy would be a totally different band.

Mikael Hedlund has the most awkward role in the band by playing the bass. And that is because he is just following steady the rhythm guitars. He doubtless does an excellent work and thankfully he plays in a band of Peter Tägtgren. The production is clear and polished so we can listen to the bass loud enough without being buried under the sound of the guitars.

The compositions of Mr. Tägtgren are again of top quality. Grooves and intense blasting are present. Simple melodies that stick inside your head and power choruses that you will sing to for many weeks, that are a few of the weaponry of Hypocrisy which again they made me headbang to their songs. And of course the issues of the lyrics have to do with alien life and conspiracy theories – a favorite theme of Peter.

This trio gives a lesson to all about how melodic death metal should be played without the melodies being cheesy for a second. “United We Fall”, “Hell Is Where I Stay” are two songs with the grooviest ferocity that I liked very much and stand out. But then again if you will hear “The Eye” or “Tales Of Thy Spineless” you will see that these guys have still a lot to offer us. In the end you will beg for more with songs like “When Death Calls” and “The Return”. The return of Hypocrisy with such a great album was necessary for the melodic death metal fans.