Hypocrisy Virus

This is an era in which "out with the old, in with the new" is primarily the guiding ethos with regards to the record-buying metal public, although this is showing signs of relenting as of late, due largely to rejuvenated veterans like Malevolent Creation, Sodom, Hirax, Exodus, Obituary, Immolation, Bolt Thrower, and Deicide. Hypocrisy's latest and twelfth album overall, Virus, will surely continue this trend with a newfound awareness of what has long been needed of Peter Tagtgren & Co. to bring Hypocrisy to a new level; one at which they could compete with the overabundance of new talent causing the metal scene to balloon as of late. The additions of ex-Immortal drum master Reidar Horghagen and second guitarist Andreas Holma, radically altering the Hypocrisy lineup for the first time since 1993's Osculum Obscenum when Masse Broberg was their vocalist, have made all the difference for a brawny, traditional death metal band that could always be trusted to abide by convention from one album to the next. Had Hypocrisy stayed the course that brought them to 2004's The Arrival, an admirable blend of European, death, thrash, and hardcore rudiments, their staunchly loyal global fanbase would have lapped it up. Instead, Hypocrisy took a step forward, tweaking their sound just enough to make Virus one of their most memorable albums, and certainly one validating their continued existence. Substituting the predominant chunkiness and plodding melodiousness of their many previous albums with a new sense of breakneck viciousness, tracks like "Warpath," "Craving for Another Killing," "Incised Before I've Ceased," and "Blooddrenched" help to refreshingly distinguish some of Hypocrisy's newer material from the old. Tagtgren's deepest death metal growl thus far (as the frontman of Hypocrisy) also serves to augment Virus' appeal to something more than just another conventional Hypocrisy album. Could his ferocious vocal performance on Bloodbath's acclaimed 2004 album, Nightmares Made Flesh, have influenced his decision to scream at lower octaves than usual Either way, these recent increases in death flavorings should not be feared as compelling Hypocrisy to a forsaking of their classic sound. Familiar up-tempo tracks like "Scrutinized" and "Compulsive Psychosis," and slower melodic numbers "Fearless" and "Living To Die" recall the finer moments of 1996's Abducted, 2000's Into The Abyss, and 2002's Catch 22 albums. The solos throughout are traditional and effective, showing Tagtgren's appreciation for the era in which screaming guitars controlled the world: The Eighties. Bottom Line: Virus is yet another testament to Peter Tagtgren's unwavering commitment to composing, producing, and literally breathing metal every second of his waking life. His memorable contribution to grind supergroup Lock Up's 2001 debut, Pleasures Pave Sewers, will not be soon forgotten, and his proud, industrial solo identity Pain's 2002 album Nothing Remains The Same displayed Tagtgren's more accessible yet no less crestfallen songwriting capabilities. Virus breaks with the once-strict adherence to linear song structuring by incorporating more volatility, yet still retaining the essence of Hypocrisy's failsafe formula.