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Hypocrisy: Virus
20/11/08 || Daemonomania
Writing reviews is always a good idea, because it makes you go back and do a bit of research about the album. In this case, I’m glad I did because lo and behold I learned something important. I was going to complain about an irritation that periodically appears throughout “Virus,” kind of an obnoxious scratchy sound that fucks up my enjoyment of the whole fucking disc. Given that Evil Pete is supposedly the consummate producer, I was surprised he would let something like this slip. And sure enough, when I was looking up info for this review I found the following statement…
Early printings of the disc have an error on tracks 6-11 that sounds like a warped LP is playing in the background.
Nuclear Blast has stated they will mail a replacement disc to anyone who has one of these glitched discs. See Hypocrisy’s official website for more details.
Fuck yeah! That’s what I get for rushing out and buying the damn thing. But I will most certainly be turning it in for a new copy. Take THAT, Nuclear Jizzblast.
Aside from the scratchy noises (which will result in some nerdy person collecting this scratchy edition and rubbing it, perversely, against his genitals in a basement somewhere), “Virus” is a fine effort from Hypocrisy. As I stated in an earlier review they shipped their old drummer off to Burma to make sneakers, and got Horgh from Immortal. He kicks their tunes right in the ass. I’m generally unimpressed by albums in between their “classic” period and today. They needed the asskicking badly.
Another foot-induced enema may have been provided by Peter’s time in Bloodbath. He saw the more evil side of life, filled not with green men and anal probes but instead with masks made of human skin, blood, and marrow for dessert. His signature piercing screams and throaty growls are in great form herein. “Warpath” starts out with a riveting screech, and “Incised before I’ve ceased” closes with a batch of ‘em. Plus there’s some nice but not overdone keyboarding throughout (though there’s one keyboard bit that had me cracking up the first time I heard it, I’ll let you find it on your own), and some lethal riffage that mixes retro and modern Sweden with ease. This sounds a bit too clean and clinical overall for too much bass to intrude, and even the double bass drums seem muted.
Since I’ve started, let’s get into the highlights. No, not the frosted ones you and Ben Affleck are busy putting in the front of your pretty-boy hairdos. Ignoring one of the most idiotic intros ever (16 seconds), “Warpath” furiously descends upon you with more speed than the band has ever shown. Add a cool, catchy, keyboard-backed chorus and you’ve got yourself a winner. “Scrutinized” was the single on here, and with good reason. Accessible, headbangable, thrashy, with a nice solo from Gary Holt to put more pennies on the dollar. “Let the knife do the talking” has a great kill kill kill chanting section fathered by “Creeping death,” and “Blooddrenched “ is fast and brutal with some very meanspirited lyrics. Speaking of lyrics, this is the first time Hyp’Pac has ever decided to print them. Needless to say, the world wasn’t missing much.
So to sum things up, almost every song has its moments besides the “tits on a boar” intro and the sterile clean-vocal laden “Living to die.” With such a high ratio of quality, what’s stopping you? Maybe if you hate the idea of ancient-era Swedeath mixed with Gothenbergerisms with a production cleaner than your mother’s upper lip, you won’t like it. But if you’ve got a cantankering to add to the many viruses you already have contracted, this is a nice addition.
Plus it comes with a bonus DVD. Downloaders and burners, a moment of silence for your loss. No wait, make that silence with an annoying scratchy sound in the background.
7.5 albums I will soon have a brand new copy of out of 10.
- Information
- Released: 2005
- Label: Nuclear Blast
- Website: www.hypocrisy.tv
- Band
- Peter Tägtgren: vocals, guitars
- Andreas Holma: guitars
- Mikael Hedlund: bass
- Horgh: drums
- Tracklist
- 01. XVI
- 02. Warpath
- 03. Scrutinized
- 04. Fearless
- 05. Craving for Another Killing
- 06. Let the Knife do the Talking
- 07. A Thousand Lies
- 08. Incised Before I’ve Ceased
- 09. Blooddrenched
- 10. Compulsive Psychosis
- 11. Living to Die
