Who is to say that Peter Tägtgren is not a legend among the metal world? To mention metal to me, one of the first images that pop into mind is this man and the band Hypocrisy. From brutal records such Osculum Obscenum in which it could be set as a soundtrack to destroying a church, to The Arrival which dealt primarily with extraterrestrials, Hypocrisy has always released one exciting album after another. Catch 22 is one of those great albums I remember from first discovering Swedish death metal.

Immediately out of the gate on the album the song Don’t Judge Me unleashes a fury sound. It’s always a fresh feeling to see a band un-afraid to clash with trashy guitars and unrelenting drums from the start. The first two tracks are very intense compared to my personal favorite Edge of Madness. This song is the most memorable on the album. It starts with a very catchy keyboard piece that really opens up the song. It clashes in perfectly with the melodic guitars, bass, and drums. Peter’s vocal performance is not to be missed here. Combining death metal growls with clean singing, it is one that is filled with much emotion when one listens to it.

The album itself maintains with the heavy deep toned guitars throughout. The song Hatred had me head banging for months wherever I went. Whether driving in my car, to head banging while I was doing half assed workout. This song plays a major significance for me on the album. Again the vocals are blended perfectly with growls and clean singing. Not many bands in my opinion can combine the two as effectively as Hypocrisy does on this album. Seeds of the Chosen One is another stand out song on the album. The guitar work is much simpler and calm to the ear. However, this is far from being a bad thing. The song delivers a catchy guitar/bass line. About at the 3 minute mark it delivers a dark keyboard choir sound to the mix. A sound that is most welcomed in any album that I listen to.

Overall Catch 22 is a fantastic record. In my opinion it stands as one of Hypocrisy’s finest releases. Compared to previous work it shows how much the band has changed but also evolved. Some may argue that Hypocrisy’s old roots were best, but I find myself very satisfied with old and new Hypocrisy all the same. It is one of those very few bands I become more excited as years pass to see them drop a new metal monster onto the metal scene.