Hypocrisy – Worship
Release Date: 26th November 2021
Label: Nuclear Blast Records
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Genre: Swedish Melodic Death Metal
FFO: Kataklysm, Dark Tranquillity, Unleashed, At the Gates.
Review By: Rick Farley
Peter Tägtgren is Death Metal royalty. Not only did he sing on one of Death Metals classic albums: Bloodbaths, Nightmares Made Flesh, but he also has production credits with some of Metals biggest albums over the course of the last 25 plus years. Hailing from Sweden, he’s the founder, main songwriter, vocalist, and guitarist of Hypocrisy. Who’s about to drop their new album Worship on our eagerly awaiting heads. To say fans are excited about this release would be a huge understatement.
The album starts out with a banger, the title track Worship, minus the acoustic intro and slow distorted melodic opening chords, rips through fast-paced thrashy guitars and drums like a juggernaut. Its pummelling nature is the perfect choice for the album opener. First single Chemical Whore is a mid-tempo Hypocrisy song with chugging Death Metal riffs and layered guitar harmonies overtop brooding chord progressions. Both songs are great examples of different styles of classic Hypocrisy. If you’re unfamiliar with the band, check out the excellent They Will Arrive. It’s a good representative of all aspects of their discography wrapped into one killer song.
While Hypocrisy have never been known to be lyrical geniuses, the silly lyrics and title of track three is just too much to take. I’m looking at you Greedy Bastards. Musically, even, it’s a bit of a disappointment. It just sounds lazy and flat. Dead World kind of reminds me of something from Catch 22, which wasn’t well-received by the fans at all. The music was written entirely by Peters son, which could partially explain the odd feeling it has from the rest of the album. It’s got a Nu vibe to it, that I’m not really a fan of. It comes across as an overdone groove metal song. They both have some cool moments, but overall end up being disappointing songs.
Luckily, We’re the Walking Dead brings it back to the classic sound. Slower with big harmonies, heavy and crushing. This song would feel right at home on 1997s The Final Chapter. The melodic contours of the slower to mid paced songs are part of what gives Hypocrisy their signature sound.
Children of the Gray is a personal favourite, thick chunky metallic riffs, nasty shrieking verses, guttural growls, layered Gothenburg style melodies, and it’s catchy as hell. Right up there with “Eraser, Roswell 47, and Let the Knife do the Talking.” This song is pure Hypocrisy.
The haunting Bug in the Net is a dark, atmospheric song with doom tendencies and slow 90s style Swedish Death Metal riffs. There’s a hypnotizing quality to the song, with an eerie melody throughout the song that’s bound to stick with you. It’s followed by Gods of the Underground, that has a juxtaposition between Death Metal and a Black Metal sound that’s both brutal and atmospheric. Verse to Chorus, it flows between styles with ease. Much like the opening two tracks, these last two tracks represent the unique but recognizable sound Hypocrisy has always maintained while being completely different from one another. Gods of the Underground is a superb album closer.
Peter Tägtgrens vocals are absolutely on point throughout the album, sick intelligible growls, and Black Metal shrieks. He’s always been extremely versatile with his vocals. He’s one of Death Metals finest, and he sounds phenomenal on Worship.
The overall production here also sounds really balanced, warm and metallic. It sounds clean and simple. In the past, the production on some of Hypocrisy’s albums have been criticized as being too thin, but here it will be lauded. It’s very thick and rich sounding without excessive overdubs. The production here is excellent.
Hypocrisy have evolved musically and conceptually several times over the course of their 30-year twelve album history. I’m not sure exactly where Worship, album thirteen, stands in the discography just yet. Going downwards from worst to best, it’s probably somewhere below the middle, with hope that repeated listens will change my views on some of the album’s weaker songs. Filled with precise, ferocious musicianship, catchy chorus’s, big hooks, textured melodies and sick riffs, Worship is still a damn fine Death Metal album that will please new and old school Hypocrisy fans alike. 
(3.5 / 5)
