Band:	Hypocrisy
Album:	A Taste Of Extreme Divinity
Style:	Melodic death metal
Release date:	October 23, 2009
A review by:	Baz Anderson

01. Valley Of The Damned
02. Hang Him High
03. Solar Empire
04. Weed Out The Weak
05. No Tomorrow
06. Global Domination
07. Taste The Extreme Divinity
08. Alive
09. The Quest
10. Tamed (Filled With Fear)
11. Sky Is Falling Down
12. The Sinner [digipack bonus]

It may come to some surprise just how prolific Hypocrisy have been over the years. For all the experience Peter Tägtgren has playing in bands and producing albums, it may however not come as a surprise that this latest instalment from the Swedish death metallers is another neatly packaged pillar of professionally performed modern metal.

In times where death metal can often be regarded as a battle of the fastest drummers, Hypocrisy do things their own way by pacing themselves with crunching songs of modest pace. A Taste Of Extreme Divinity is an album that doesn't blow all its energy in the first few songs, but rather keep a consistent flow of quality crushers.

There's no mistaking that this is a death metal album, but Hypocrisy throw a bucket-load of melody on top of it all. A Taste Of Extreme Divinity bears all the hallmarks of a modern death metal album from the infectious melodic side to the clean and crisp production allowing the listener to fully appreciate each element of the band, perhaps however at the expense of any atmosphere or feeling the album may have conjured.

What the production does more than anything though, is make the guitars sound so menacing and evil, and at the same time heavy as hell. Title track "A Taste Of Extreme Divinity" shows off the intimidating guitar sound in one of the albums faster tracks, but pounder "Hang Him High" takes the gold medal for heaviness and will no doubt stand up to be one of the band's classics. Horgh from Immortal doesn't go unnoticed sat behind the drum kit either, bringing his distinguishable style and sound to Hypocrisy. Most apparent is during the slower, more melodic "Solar Empire", which under different circumstances could even be passed off as work of the Norwegian black metallers themselves.

Hypocrisy know what they are doing and don't beat around the bush to get it done. A Taste Of Extreme Divinity is a water-tight release of solid modern death metal sure to please all concerned. The melodic elements and slower tempo of some songs may aid and abet the dispersal of some of the hard-worked energy the speedier songs created, but more often than not there will be pounding double bass drums and something with a bit more bite around the next corner.

Nothing mind-blowing, nothing terrible. A Taste Of Extreme Divinity is another offering of value and worth in the Hypocrisy catalogue that is sure to be a popular hit as an album of the times.

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Melodic Death metal
Nuclear Blast
Sweden
Length: 50:05