By Ola Mazzuca
Peter Tägtgren is killin’ em on Hypocrisy’s latest. That’s why they call it death metal. The Swedes deliver strong melody and gut wrenching lyricism on End of Disclosure, a monstrous record layered with so much gusto. The band’s growth since Penetralia is audible on this contemporary work of traditional elements and modern intention.
End of Disclosure is established by intense, gruesome verse of apocalyptic war, to “nuke the world” while slaughtering animals and committing mass genocide.
Tägtgren filters elements of power metal in his riffs on catchy track, “The Eye.” “United We Fall” and “44 Double Zero” stand out as pummeling, dark pieces with contrasting tempo but smooth conducting by Horgh’s every downbeat. Don’t expect a Deep Purple cover on “Soldier of Fortune” (another Swedish band has already checked that one off) but an intricate original work that’s woven with clean interludes, agile instrumentation and technicality.
Beautiful closure lies in “The Return.” Written by former drummer Lars Szöke, it begins with gentle chords before delving into guttural aggression at a sedate pace in a melancholic tone. There’s catharsis in every fading final note, but chaos erupts again on bonus track “Living Dead.” Tägtgren and crew stay sharp as he spits, “I’ve been buried alive at least a thousand times/Nothing can hold me down.”
Hypocrisy aren’t zombies, but their decade-plus career has spawned fantastic music for the Swedish melodic scene. They live up to their name, be it through song titles or thematic elements of each record. Just look at the album art for this one: a Baphomet-esque alien clutching an orb while sitting on a catacomb throne. There’s not much to disclose here – if that’s not death metal enough for you, I don’t know what is.
(Nuclear Blast)
