Hypocrisy
“Worship”
Death metal
Release: 26th November 2021
Via Nuclear Blast Records
I was sure “End Of Disclosure” had been released in 2013 but when doing the math… I had to double-check on Google, as it seemed surreal that it took eight years for Hypocrisy to come up with something new. So the inevitable question is: was it worth the wait?
Peter Tägtgren’s growls have always had a screeching pitch underlining them, but this time he generally goes for a graver, thicker tone, and that alone gives the whole thing a more somber vibe. I understand you may think it compromises his trademark vocals, but in the end you’ll agree it simply suits with those songs. And mind that I’ve said “generally” – if you’ve checked the three videos that were released in the past couple of months, you’ll understand what I’m talking about when I say “graver and thicker” by listening to “Chemical Whore” or “Dead World”; but then in the brilliant “Children Of The Gray” (oh, how intense this one is! Made me feel exactly how I’ve felt as a teenager, when listening to “Roswell 47” for the first time!), this tone comes on only in the chorus, while Tägtgren hits the rest of the song with his dear ol’ voice. The title-track, which opens the record with a beautiful acoustic intro before merging into an electric version of it and then exploding into the fastest and most shredding song here, has also glimpses of that higher pitch – not to mention straightforward terrorizing screams in the beginning. And still regarding the singing parts, being a sucker for choirs and gang vocals, backing up a handful of choruses with these gave the album a richer and more mature sound.
Musically, well, it’s Hypocrisy. They don’t write exactly the most top-notch riffs or the most elaborate solos and beat patterns, but the way they combine them has always been the key to their creativity and popularity – and it still is. Along with “Worship” and “Dead World”, “Another Day” brings you the most aggressive side of death metal, just as “Brotherhood Of The Serpent”, “Greedy Bastards” or “Gods Of The Underground” remind you that toning down the tempo can be just as fierce. And while “They Will Arrive” bears a triumphant stride, “We’re The Walking Dead” will make you feel like you’re walking on a death row…
So I guess by now you already know my answer: oh yes, it was worth it!
8,5
by Renata “Pieni” Lino
Valkyrian Music 