Abducted

If it worked out once, why not go any further. These are the conclusions apparently reached by the Swedes from Hypocrisy who set about recording the successor to "The Fourth Dimension". "Abducted" is a classic development of the previous formula, ie. a continuation of the melo-death style and an even bolder step to gain more listeners. And here is the first plus...because this approach for Hypocrisy is surprisingly nothing embarrassing - for this time. Well, the three Swedes, by "Abducted", managed to maintain the previous very high level and keep the appropriate proportions - despite the fact that in stronger regions (at least for me) their music made an even greater impression.

First of all, on "Abducted", there is a great, Scandinavian climate (similarly "cold" as on "The Spectral Sorrows" Edge Of Sanity) and that the band did not give up faster or even more brutal playing in favor of this light one. Okay, at the end of the album, there are many more friendly moments (which is average for the rather sleepy "Slippin 'Away" and the exhausted choruses of "When The Candle Fades" - although "Drained" is already doing well in this respect), nevertheless the general scheme of breaking a melodic song with a faster/more brutal one works perfectly here. On one side, "Paradox", "Roswell 47", "Buried", "The Arrival Of The Demons (Part 2)" - incredibly catchy, but not redrawn, on the opposite - "Killing Art", "Point Of No Return", the title track - stronger and referring to the older style.

Unfortunately, not everything makes a good impression on "Abducted". Moderately convincing sound (especially plastic drums), the aforementioned sleepy atmosphere at the end, but most importantly!, reducing growls in favor of high-pitched screeching (with occasional, but fairly good, clean singing). And while the production and ballad songs can still be overcome, the last of the mentioned ones does take away the power of the whole. Because of the very good growlings from "The Fourth..." in the case of "Abducted" there is no comparison...Which does not change the fact that this is still a very successful cd and generally one of the most interesting albums in the discography of Tägtren's band! Despite its defects, "Abducted" is not so much inferior to its predecessors.

Originally on: https://subiektywnymetal.blogspot.com/2020/07/hypocrisy-abducted-1996.html

The paranormal atmosphere, psychotic personality, and melodic approach all work wonders as Hypocrisy transition themselves into melodic death metal. They luckily didn’t clump themselves up with the typical Gothenburg bands, but the hostility can definitely be seen as toned down. Regardless, take a look at the cover art – can you feel the twisted disposition? An unfortunate dumbass that got caught by aliens cause he was in the wrong place at the wrong time. Now look at him, having his brains juiced and his mind read, with the galaxy too far to hear his cries. Well, let that be an indicator to the sweet disarray found within.

The biggest change off the bat comes from just the overall sound. Any fan of the first few albums could have easily been thrown off because there wasn’t a huge onslaught of instruments to get hit with. This is much quieter compared to Penetralia, since the playing focuses more on a driving melody backed by more strict drumming and a very grumpy bass. Jumping right in, the first few tracks sound artificial (but not in a bad way), like they’re surging through electrical currents. Immediately I noticed Hedlund’s massive bass lines, much like on The Fourth Dimension where he lurks in the back trying to increase the menacing tone.

A fortunate bonus is that the album is pretty varied; Penetralia in itself was a kickass debut, but nearly every song was a slab of chaotic, fast-paced death metal. “The Gathering” sets the incredibly eerie mood, “Arrival Of The Demons (Part II)” feels like your being sucked up by a tractor beam, “Buried” just sounds like a catchy concert song, and there are plenty others to fill the gaps. The replayability factor jumps through the roof, considering how many different songs are on here.

Tagtgren has many effects at this disposal and employs paranormal shrieks, raspy growls, and even woeful clean vocals skillfully. He balanced everything perfectly between the instruments, but the vocals really are the key player in the more mystical tracks like “Drained” and “Slippin’ Away.” However, he also doesn’t reduce the riffs, either, with “Carved Up,” “Point Of No Return,” and “Killing Art” being prime examples. Keyboards are used on almost every track, but most of the time they just add to the epic tenor in the back. Otherwise, the last three tracks are the only ones that exploit them. Lars does a fine job with the slower tracks, but he really shines on the more powerful ones as he assaults with beefy double bass and encircling cymbals.

I must admit that Tagtgren always had a way with solos, but their shining moments aren’t really here. No, you’d be better off with the later albums, since this one focuses mainly on the extraterrestrial themes and ominous tone. Abducted is still a great mix of melodic death metal and unorthodox ideas that doesn’t boil down to sappy melodies or a dull style.

Here we have Hypocrisy, a band led by guitarist and metal producer extraordinaire Peter Tägtgren. Churning out three rather brutal full-lengths to kick off their discography, their affinity for gore and mutilation accompanied by brutal riffs and wicked bass lines was a testament that underground death lie proudly in the catacombs of real metal. And then in 1996 with the album Abducted…well if I may quote the opening lyrics of the title track, ”In 1994 something else took control. They came and grabbed me as I was sleeping in my bed.” But what probably really happened was in 1994, Peter Tägtgren took control and was grabbed by a book called The Communion by Whitley Strieber that was so enthralling it could not put him asleep in his bed. As a matter of fact it was so interesting that he would decide to use its themes in later albums too.

Musically, the album is a big change as well in that it is significantly more melodic and the guitars are now much more mid-paced. The drumming is very precise and the snares embody this new direction for songs. Mikael Hedlund returns on bass and his four-strings compliment the time signatures rather well especially on the catchy Roswell 47. It’s a song whose energy resonates a ripple effect on the rest of the songs that follow. This is the record’s biggest strength because Killing Art is the next song which most fans of their previous albums will enjoy the most off of Abducted. It’s upper tempo and speed riffing takes no precedence from the melodic drift of the album either. Here PT’s screeching growls are very much in tune to the brutality of Hypocrisy’s brand of death metal. The song is rather short but serves to impress upon the listener that these otherworldly visitors are close and of the killing kind.

The next song to follow juxtaposes the speed/death vibe of Killing Art with a more epic approach on guitars with clean choral interludes. It is called The Arrival of the Demons (Part 2) which implies a prequel to more of these alien hostility themes to be explored in other albums like The Arrival of course.

The production is first rate and Tägtgren really shows his proficiency behind the board as he strives for a tightly woven album that stops just short of being too progressive for its own good. Hypocrisy fans for the most part were served well in this transition. There is a little something for everyone who appreciates either side of the band’s output as this album seems to be a good middle ground since it is highly regarded by their fans.

One well placed track is When the Candle Fades. As the ninth song, it is another slow and hypnotic tune while being almost rockish at the same time. From here on out, the album makes a nice transition to the more melodic. For example, the last two songs are cleanly sung epic post scripts. Back to back songs like that to conclude the album may seem awkward at first but Tägtgren wisely avoids placing them between the more aggressive songs that would otherwise disrupt the pacing of the album. Besides that, Slippin’ Away and Drained do seem to be a logical conclusion to the euphoria that is projected upon the proceedings. The songs themselves are very meticulous and well done. Peter definitely showcases a gravelly and haunting clean vocal style that is reminiscent of Mark Knopfler.

There are of course keyboards on this album and that is probably the most apparent aspect of the production in regards to the change of pace from their previous releases. But since they are purely in the background, it doesn’t detract from the experience one bit. They are used greatly for effect on the more epic parts of some songs like the instrumental Reflections which is a song that gives the feel of a soundtrack to some sort of esoteric journey.

If there is one criticism of the album, it’s that the middle songs do tend to run together a bit. I got the feeling that the whole alien abduction theme gets a little redundant also. And while the solos are quite well done, they don’t stand out in any way when it comes to heaviness which is what a lot of the fans of Obsculum Obscenum will be disappointed by.

If anything, songs like Roswell 47 and Killing Art can be recommended as kick ass to play the arcade game Area 51 to. In other words, Abducted is a very fun death metal album with a bent but no gimmick. The warped sensibilities of paranoia and pain are awesomely conveyed. Less Pain and more Hypocrisy is preferred. This album will give you a good dose of the latter with a hint of the former. I recommend that you get Abducted. Only not by aliens! How's that for hypocrisy?

I'm not a big fan of the Gothenburg strain of melodic death metal (heh I said strain, like it's a disease) they just seem to lack the DEATH aspect of their name and they're not very melodic. You see, in death metal brutality comes before melody. A death metal band that forgoes that essential component is doomed to failure. Possessed are very brutal yet at the same time very melodic. Peter Tagtgren realizes this and, despite being Swedish, makes a non-Gothenburg melodic death metal album. Of course being ass-raped E.T. probably helped a little bit (well how do YOU explain the remarkably different lyrical theme?).

Peter is also a very in-demand producer in Scandinavia. Just put this on and you'll know why. With brutality in mind, Peter sought out to suffocate the listener by making him feel bombarded by the wall-of-sound. The drums are feckin' LOUD, yet you can hear the guitars and the vox. Speaking of vox, Peter's death vox are one of the finest in the business (not that I don't like Masse). Mikael (or is it Michael) Hedlund's bass is barely there, a trend in pretty much every death metal or thrash metal album. The guitar is really vicious, I want that fucking tone. That tone is pretty much awesometastic(tm) recorded. Though there is a lack of solos in the album, being a guitarist, that's a negative.

The songs themselves are excellent, except of course that intro (why is it necessary for death or thrash bands to start with some useless intro?). "Roswell 47" is a classic, so is "Carved Up" and "THE KILLING ART". "Killing Art" is the song that got me into Hypocrisy, thus it will always have a very special place in my black heart. The other songs are all great but not many stand out. Some are downright bewildering (I'm looking at you "Slippin' Away" and "Drained"). Overall though, the songs are solid and fit well in the context of each other. Besides, the album can be divided to "Roswell 47"-style, which is mid-paced and brutal, and "Killing Art"-style, which is "too fast my ass" and brutal.

Conclusion: A great album for people who want melodic death metal, but dislike melodeath. Buy the re-release, you'll get live cuts of old songs (none of them from this album so it's a little weird).

If fans of The X-Files are still searching for the truth, then it would be wise for them to listen to this CD.

Abducted is the album where Hypocrisy came into their own and began to be acknowledged as a unique creative force in metal. The harsh melodic bloodletting of their death metal beginnings collides with the psychedelic swirls of their more melancholy tendencies to create something engaging and unapologetic in its brutality. The music makes an impact with each track and creates a cold, sterile, gothic atmosphere similar to that of the film Alien, of which I'd wager that mainman Peter Tagtren is a devoted fan.

"Roswell 47" may as well be Hypocrisy's theme song. The extraterrestrial-themed lyrics, crushing chords, and bizarre melodies come together to create a song that is as bleak as it is catchy. This is a perfect example of what this band do best. "Killing Art" begins with a chaotic thrash tempo then slams your head to the ground with a brutal deathriff when the verse starts before blasting off once again. There are several great riffs in this track and they're arranged in such a seamless way, with smooth transitions thanks to the underappreciated talents of drummer Lars Szoke, that you can just lose yourself and headbang until the pain becomes you. "Buried" is a rocking song that recalls the melodic brilliance that nearly every Swedish death metal band of the mid-90s possessed before they began dabbling in pop music and opting for a sound more accessible to the mainstream.

The production on Abducted is clear, sharp and bristling with metallic fury. The diverse vocal styles utilized by Peter Tagtren come across well in every song. Each instrument is audible and mixed in a way that accentuates the mind-contorting mania that is Hypocrisy. Given the extraterrestial paranoia of the lyrics, these songs can be interpreted in a number of ways. Are the aliens the real demons? Are they the ones driving the main character to murder and rape? Or is it a form of psychosis that dissociates him from his actions; aliens made me do it?

Abducted could shift your entire reality.

I’m not a big Hypocrisy fan but I have to admit that their early works are very good and I consider this album the best in their career. This one is in my opinion the Hypocrisy’s zenith, the turning point. In this album come all the influences of the early works, typically death metal and the sound of progression begun with the good “The Fourth Dimension”. With that album they were a bit more technical, intelligent and mature but always very influenced by the early death metal.

The first song is a good example of what I said. “Roswell 47” is a typical new Hypocrisy era song, quite slow and heavy as fuck. The guitar melodies are always very dark but with second song, “Killing Art” the band begins to go faster, showing the most brutal death roots. Great song with some blast beats that sound martial and truly brutal. The lyrics are usually based on the aliens stories and their coming.

“The Arrival Of The Demons” song is again slow with some clean voices chorus in the refrain and the melodic guitar lines are very good. Basically in this album there is always a more brutal song alternated to another one slower and more melodic that shows their progression. “Buried” is incredibly heavy and obscure with Peter’s screams so well done and scary. The music is perfect to describe the arrival of aliens or to describe stories and strange places where you can find them.

“Abducted” song is truly death metal, with the up tempo mixed with some more mid paced ones. The new way of playing music for Hypocrisy can be found in “When The Candle Fades” or in “Slippin’ Away” songs. This one is a ballad! New and really strange for a group that evolved so fast in few years. Generally all the songs here are very good and the group sounds very competent and strong.
In this masterpiece you can find really everything, from melodies to brutality, speed and progression. Simply great.

The following Hypocrisy's albums are very good too but with this one they achieved the goal of recording their very first and, in my opinion, only masterpiece. This is a great album, less known I think than the new ones but very very good. Buy it.