Catch 22

I don’t understand why people give this CD so much crap. It’s a fairly good record. Sure, its not the usual melodic death style that Hypocrisy has pioneered for the last decade or so, but it’s still interesting. The music is a definite downgrade from all other releases, but that’s because Peter Tägtren wanted to make a record for the soul purpose of letting off over piled anger in almost senseless ‘Slipknot meets new In Flames’ style ferocity. It is NOT a nu-metal album, it is NOT a mallcore/ ‘compromise to mainstream’ album, and it is NOT a crappy record. Being someone of a wide variety of music across the metal and rock spectrum, I can easily say this over other people.

Musically, the guitars and bass have a more distorted hard rock/ thrash feel to them, which sounds rather good when compared to bands like Slipknot who did the same thing. The vocals are well executed, although Peter Tägtren tried some more clean singing with some processor effects that sound kinda electronic. The song writing is a step down from the semi-progressive style of the band’s normal musical pieces, and the lyrics are downright crappy, pissed-off, senseless lyrics that again could remind one of Slipknot.

As a whole, one of this album’s biggest down falls is it’s poor flow and lack of strong atmospheres. On a higher note, a lot of the songs are insanely catchy and perfect to headbang too in a mosh pit somewhere. Probably the biggest standout tracks are ‘Turn the Page’, a thrashy death-fest of catchy guitar riffs, violent vocals, and intense energy, and ‘Edge Of Madness’, a mid-paced keyboard based track with a catchy chorus line, melodic atmosphere, and overall good song writing.

Sure, it’s not what anyone would call a ‘great’ album, some may not even call it a ‘good’ album, I just like to call it a ‘Slipknot album only better cause it’s made by an awesome death metal band’ album. Best recommended you buy either the band’s self-titled, The Final Chapter, or Virus before you even begin to consider picking this album up.