When I originally came up with a list for the Death ’til Death feature, I wanted to include at least one Melodic Death Metal band. Since then, I’ve written down a few that I’ve considered for this place and crossed them out again. Amon Amarth were considered, because of how big they are nowadays and by getting more fans, they might lead them to more Death Metal. But I decided not to go with them. In Flames were also considered, because they were one of the first Melodic Death Metal bands around and released some of the most groundbreaking work of the genre. I didn’t go with them because of their recent output. At The Gates were next to not be featured, because even though they released some of the most archetypal Melo Death, they mostly inspired upcoming Metalcore bands. And this is not a feature about Metalcore. So who else could be featured on Day 6? Fucking Hypocrisy. Why? Well, because they own and released some of the best Melodic Death Metal ever.
In the late 80’s, Peter Tägtgren lived in Florida for three years — where he was active in the rising Death Metal scene, and played with people like Malevolent Creation’s Phil Fasciana. He returned to Sweden in 1990 and formed Hypocrisy. They released their debut album Penetralia in 1992, with Masse Broberg (later Dark Funeral vocalist) on vocals. They released one more album with Broberg, until Tägtgren took over vocal duties.
With the change in vocal position, Hypocrisy also started to change musically and lyrically. While their earlier output was executed well, it wasn’t very innovative. That changed with their next album Fourth Dimension, and even more so with their classic Abducted. The band shifted from Death Metal, to atmospheric Melodic Death Metal. Lyrically Tägtgren didn’t sing much about usual Death Metal themes, but his lyrics mostly dealt with extraterrestrial and paranormal topics.
Mainman Peter Tägtgren is not only the guitarist, vocalist and producer of Hypocrisy, but also of his side-project Pain. He also produced the likes of Dark Funeral, Marduk, Dimmu Borgir, Amon Amarth, Immortal, Children Of Bodom, Shining and Sabaton. As if that wasn’t enough, Tägtgren not only owns a recording studio in Pärlby, but also the entire village it’s placed in. That’s right, Peter Tägtgren owns a village.
After the critical flop of Catch 22 in 2002, when Hypocrisy flirted with Nu-Metal, they made an impressive return with Virus and the massively underrated A Taste Of Extreme Divinity. The band is now, maybe more than ever before, one of the most respected Extreme Metal bands. Deservingly so.
Hypocrisy – Buried
Death ’til Death introduction – Day 1: Death – Day 2: Possessed – Day 3: Morbid Angel
Day 4: Cannibal Corpse – Day 5: Nile – Day 6: Hypocrisy – Day 7: Obituary
