### Hypocrisy: The arrival

#### 15/04/11 || Daemonomania

As was discussed at length in a related thread here some time ago, there are many ways to be a Hypocrisy fan. You can either love the old school shit with Masse on vocals, the middle-career melodic stuff, or even be ensnared by newer more “modern” efforts like “Virus”. One era of Hypocrisy output that is not ok to embrace, however, is their Gothennu output.

“The arrival” shows Pete and the boys emerging from one of the most hated albums of their career, “Catch 22”. Given all the shit I’ve heard about it, I ain’t picking that one up. No sir. But basically it seems they could only go up from rock bottom. So sterile melodeath, by default, trumps absolute shit. That’s the main feeling I get from “The arrival” – a band incorporating a popular style from their region whilst going through the motions. “Hey, at least it isn’t metalcore, and maybe the abduction dreams will abate if I sing about them,” Tägtgren may have thought. All while his eyes sunk further and further into their sockets.

Yep. Pete’s vocals sound a little tired, the riffs mix a bit of thrash with a bit of melody with just a hint of Swedeath, and ole Lars was definitely ready to be put out to pasture. The only things saving this bad boy from the trade bin are the last two tracks. “The departure” has a wonderfully over-the top chorus with clean vocals in the background and funny lyrics about getting cut open and seeing outer space and other such U.F.O. staples. “War within” amazingly sports a good, driving main riff with another solid chorus. From what I can understand (since the lyrics remain a mystery) this tune returns to anti-religion territory, which makes a necrofag like me exclaim to Althotas.

None of these tracks are truly awful, mind you, just uninspired. I’d recommend it only to those who yearn for the days when meloSwedery stood tall, or for Hypo completists. I’ll allow it to dwell between “Inferior devoties” and “Virus” for the time being. If little green men held me at lasergunpoint and demanded one metal CD from the H area of my collection, however, “The arrival” just might find itself speeding past Alpha Centauri in short order.

- Information
- Released: 2004
- Label: Nuclear Blast
- Website: www.hypocrisy.tv
- Band
- Peter Tägtgren: vocals, guitars, keyboards
- Mikael Hedlund: bass
- Lars Szöke: drums

- Tracklist
- 01. Born Dead Buried Alive
- 02. Eraser
- 03. Stillborn
- 04. Slave To The Parasites
- 05. New World
- 06. The Abyss
- 07. Dead Sky Dawning
- 08. The Departure
- 09. War Within