Artist: Hypocrisy
Label: Nuclear Blast Records
Release Date: 2/24/04
|
|
Title: The Arrival Artist: Hypocrisy Label: Nuclear Blast Records Release Date: 2/24/04 |
Judgment Committee Reviews | Rating |
|
3 | ||
|
4 | ||
|
5 | ||
|
| |||
Abyss's Review:
I have been a huge Hypocrisy fan for a long damn time now. I, like many others, believe Abducted was a milestone in their career, and I, also like many others, was disappointed with Catch 22. That latter album was described by Peter as (and I'm paraphrasing) 'the first true Hypocrisy album.' Well, after the fans and the critics had their say, it seems Peter has backed off a bit, and now he just claims it was an album that they 'needed' to make (yeah, and John Travolta needed to make The Experts). What they really meant to say is this: We fucked up.
"One word review: Flawed." To win back the respect of their long time fan base, the band has returned to their middle years in style and direction - even revisiting the alien conspiracy themes of Abducted and The Final Chapter. And although I've read many a snippet that claim this album to be a return to form, I can only half-heartedly agree with that sentiment.
There is no doubt that Peter & Co. have made an obvious attempt to make Abducted II, but I think what they've come up with is far less of a throwback than it appears on first listen. This album has just as much to do with Into the Abyss as it does with Abducted. In fact, it sounds like a feeble attempt to rerecord Abducted despite the fact that the band has moved on considerably since then. In short, it feels forced. Those who saw the recent tour had a preview of "Erased" which is a blatant attempt to recapture the magic of "Roswell 47" (Think "Hangar 18" vs. "Return to Hangar" in the Megadeth catalogue). The problem is that it just doesn't seem like the band's heart is in it. It seems more like the band is doing it because they think its what they should be doing. And as a result it comes up a bit short.
Of course, that doesn't mean these guys haven't come out with a somewhat compelling album. Uninspired it may be, but it's still relatively solid. These guys are a talented bunch in style, songwriting, and presentation, and I'd be lying if I said I haven't been playing it, and enjoying it, quite often. And for this reason I can recommend it to the average metal fan. However, I'm fairly certain that it won't have nearly the staying power as their earlier albums. One word review: Flawed.
Death's Review:
"All in all, Hypocrisy fans that have stuck it out this far will find their patience rewarded by the arrival of Arrival." To some, classic hypocrisy might refer to statements made by certain politicians or religious leaders. To me, classic Hypocrisy means downtuned, harmonized Scandinavian death metal with atmospheric overtones and alien themes. Yes, Peter Tagtgren and Co. have returned to their classic sound and style, and while this can be viewed by the more jaded among you as yet another classic metal band claiming a "return to form," I assure you that the music on The Arrival kicks ass and approaches the genius of the band's best material from the Abducted and The Final Chapter album's such as "Roswell 47." The opening track on Arrival, "Born Dead Buried Alive," is my favorite, followed by the next track, "Eraser," which I understand will be the video. There are some serious dynamics and some cool feel going on with both of these tracks, and Tagtgren sounds like he is screeching for his life. All in all, Hypocrisy fans that have stuck it out this far will find their patience rewarded by the arrival of Arrival. Nothing groundbreaking, but it is nice to see the band recognize exactly what it is the fans want to hear from them.
Hel's Review:
Favorite tracks: “Eraser,” “New World,” & “The Departure”Following the craptacular Catch 22, I began to wonder what the hell was going on with Hypocrisy, as I’m sure many others did as well. I’m very pleased to report that The Arrival is everything that Catch 22 was not. Yes, it’s actually good!
"I’m very pleased to report that The Arrival is everything that Catch 22 was not." As a long time Hypocrisy fan, I breathed a sigh of relief to find that, just as the press release claims, it has much more in common with their Abducted-era material than with the most recent release. My heart would have been broken if that had turned out not to be true.
Fortunately, the new album began kicking my ass the moment I put it into my player, and has not stopped yet. I’ve been enjoying it on and off since the moment it landed in my hands, and I foresee that it will make it back into my player again and again. The alien themes have returned, and the songwriting is indeed highly evocative of their mid-era works.
I’m relieved that Peter and Co. seem to have listened to their fans, and have abandoned whatever craziness possessed them while creating Catch 22. Maybe aliens abducted them? Who knows? I’m just glad they’ve returned to their senses. The Arrival heralds the return of the Hypocrisy we were all fans of and the album is well worth your time if you are inclined to check it out.
[- Metal Judgment Home -] [- Email Metal Judgment -]
©1999 Metal Judgment. All rights reserved.