Back from the bowels of metal limbo comes the mighty Hypocrisy with their self-titled masterpiece. The Final Chapter was supposed to bid the metal community adieu, but it seems that the tremendous impact of that album has brought Peter Tagtgren and company out for another go. Crafting and delivering a slew of brand new, megalithic guitar and bass riffs, Hypocrisy has created a release that is "100 percent pure organic metal" (to quote the scholarly Mr. Schuldiner). From the opener, "Fractured Millennium," to the galloping Iron Maidenish "Fusion Programmed Minds," one sees them as a changed band. Focusing primarily on writing infectious, catchy songs based around heavy, distorted, distinct melody patterns and simplified drum/bass beats, Hypocrisy's sound has completely gelled. The solos in "Reversed Reflections" sound like an updated version of Maiden's "Wasted Years," except it's bigger and, dare say, better. Truly though, the cornerstone of this mammoth release is certainly "Elastic Inverted Visions," with its gliding, bombastic guitar crunch and harmonized chorus. If only the paranormal X-files lyrics were available for the listening public, then the album would truly be bliss in Swedish metal terms. Only one song feels out of place, "Time Warp," with its crusty metal-core overtones, while the rest of the album rests on divine equilibrium. Seek this out at all costs. ~ Jason Hundey

Rovi