Osculum Obscenum

This sophomore effort followed Hypocrisy's strong debut, Penetralia, and featured even more brutal death metal from one of Sweden's finest practitioners of the genre. Obsculum Obscenum reveals a focused band building momentum while attempting to define a genre (or movement, really) that would dominate European metal for a decade. Hypocrisy simply shreds on this 1993 Nuclear Blast recording, especially during highlights like "Exclamation of a Necrofag" and "Attachment to the Ancestor." Obsculum Obscenum treads dangerously close to black metal territory here with some over the top vocals and anti-religious lyrical sentiments, but overall, guitarist/bandleader Peter Tagtgren's attachment to the Florida death metal sound rings through, creating a fine Nordic metal amalgam. Much more raw and some would say heavier than Hypocrisy's later releases featuring Tagtgren's subdued (by comparison) vocal work, this is an early career gem. As is true for most of this band's recordings, serious metal fans should enjoy Obsculum Obscenum's unapologetic commitment the Swedish death metal genre. ~ Vincent Jeffries