Artist: Hypocrisy
Label: Nuclear Blast
Release Date: 3/19/02 US, 2/25/02 Europe
|
|
Title: Catch 22 Artist: Hypocrisy Label: Nuclear Blast Release Date: 3/19/02 US, 2/25/02 Europe |
Judgment Committee Reviews | Rating |
|
2 | ||
|
3 | ||
|
3 | ||
|
|
Go to Reader Reviews | ||
Abyss's Review:
Well, I guess it had to happen sometime. After years of coming out with some of the best European death metal, Peter & Co. finally disappoint me. If you didn't like the direction this band had been going in for the last few albums, you won't find much to like on this latest album. I, personally, have loved everything up to this point, but this album sounds just a little too synthetic for me.
"If you didn't like the direction this band had been going in for the last few albums, you won't find much to like on this latest album." Don't get me wrong - it's still pretty good, it's just not very exciting. It's almost like Peter has taken his love for technology/Alien conspiracy and decided to clone his band. What I mean by this is that it still sounds like Hypocrisy in many ways, but it is lacking something. What that is I can't be sure, but the word that keeps popping into my mind is vitality.
Where Into the Abyss left off, this album picks up. I didn't like the direction the band was going in back then either, but the songs all had enough hook in them to make the overall effort successful. Songs like "Fire in the Sky" developed that droning, new In Flames type riffing (namely longer, drawn out chords, with little, if anything, staccato) but kept one's interest with memorable riffs and a good deal of hook. This album sounds like the leftover tracks from that one, or maybe a tech-less version of Pain.
"While I will recommend this album to true Hypocrisy fans, it is the first Hypocrisy album that doesn't seem to be a must have." And while I will recommend this album to true Hypocrisy fans, it is the first Hypocrisy album that doesn't seem to be a must have. The promotional material for the band has Tagtgren quoted as saying that this is the first "real" Hypocrisy album, which begs me to ask myself, "What have I been listening to for the last ten years?"
Death's Review:
If you're a metal band and you change too much, the old school fans will hate you. Yet, if you don't change at all, you lose your edge, fire and aggression and are accused of simply rehashing old and tired riffs. A veritable Catch 22, if you ask me. But here's the rub: if you cop out and fail to commit by trying to deliver something right down the middle, you might just end up with one big, mediocre bore. Welcome to Hypocrisy's Catch 22.
There's no denying all that Peter Tagtgren has done for metal. Abducted, The Final Chapter and Destroys Wacken are all serious genre classics. But these days, many "mainstream" music folk in Scandinavia know Peter more for his non-death metal side project, Pain, and many younger and newer metal fans may be slowly becoming more familiar with Tagtgren's studio and production credits than with the sheer, headbanging delight of "Roswell '47". Unfortunately, Catch 22, which Peter refers to as the first "real" Hypocrisy record (whatever that means), will probably not do anything to change those facts.
"If you cop out and fail to commit by trying to deliver something right down the middle, you might just end up with one big, mediocre bore." Simply put, the new Hypocrisy is kinda boring. Yes, the downtuned, plodding riffs are present, but they do simply that - plod along, without much catchiness and without the fire in the belly that gave Hypocrisy their name. Some of this stuff borders on nu-metal, while some simply sparks up a pretty straightforward groove. I like elements of "Destroyed", and I defininitely dig "A Public Puppet," but the former is nothing special and every time I start to get really psyched about the latter, I picture some Roadrunner act or Slipknot playing the exact same thing and my enthusiasm dwindles.
And so it goes for the rest of this record. Let me stress that there really is nothing wrong with Catch 22, however it simply does not exceed or even meet my expectations. All told, I probably like, but don't love the new Hypocrisy, and that in and of itself is a sad statement. I liked 'Into the Abyss' a lot better, and I'm sure that with so much other metal out there right now and so much great new stuff on the horizon, this album will get sparse airplay at best on my stereo in the coming months. Definitely a mediocre album from I band from which I expect greatness.
"There really is nothing wrong with Catch 22, however it simply does not exceed or even meet my expectations."
Hel's Review:
I love Hypocrisy. They have been on my short list of favorite bands for a couple of years at least, and as everyone knows, I always listen to my favorite bands with rosy-colored headphones. In the past, a new Hypocrisy album was always an event I looked forward to with joyous anticipation. This record would not have been any different, had I known it was even coming. It arrived as a surprise, but I was pleased, and looked forward to hearing it. But, with so much else on my plate, I was forced to set it aside until just this week, when I heard it for the very first time. My reaction? Mixed.
Some of the songs are great. They are truly songs from the Hypocrisy I know and love (Peter's spewing about how this is the first "real" Hypocrisy album aside), and I think they are entirely enjoyable. However, other songs are not as easily traced back styles used in their past. This would not necessarily be a bad thing, if I liked everything I heard. Unfortunately, I can barely listen to "All Turns Black" at all - it is so new-era Ozzy-esque that bitter bile rises in my throat after a few bars. Worse yet, a couple of tracks, such as "Don't Judge Me," carry a bouncy rhythm and simplistic structure through the verses that is unpleasantly (to me, at least) nu-metal-esque. Believe me, I never thought I would ever say such a thing about my beloved Hypocrisy, but I simply cannot delve those depths of denial.
"My reaction? Mixed."
So where does that leave me? All in a tizzy, that's where. Ironically, both Hypocrisy and I find ourselves in a Catch 22 situation (pun only kind of intended). While I enjoy the tracks with a more "traditional Hypocrisy," if you will, flair, I truly dislike a couple of the attempts toward a more "modern" style, so to speak. And the band, I'm sure, was trying to experiment with new styles while still having some songs reminiscent of the style they've traditionally used, and undoubtedly, this was the very thought process that lead them to select the album title. Well, congratulations, Hypocrisy, you have indeed created the ultimate catch 22 situation for yourselves. And, apparently, for me as well.
"With trepidation and lowered expectations, you may indeed find you enjoy this record." So should you, the loyal Hypocrisy fan, go out and snag this album? Yes, with trepidation and lowered expectations, you may indeed find you enjoy this record. Should you, the nu-metal enthusiast who likes to dabble in death metal, go out and buy this? Yes, by all means, spend your hard-earned allowance on this record. Should you, the jaded death metal head, spend your meager paycheck on this album? See if you can convince your young nu-metal friend to buy it and let you borrow it - you'll probably enjoy it more if you don't actually buy it before you've heard it. And me? Well, I think I'll go find where I put my copy of Abducted…
[- Metal Judgment Home -] [- Email Metal Judgment -]
©1999 Metal Judgment. All rights reserved.