As the lofty orbit of At The Gates begins to decay, Hypocrisy haveconstructed their magnum opus, the result of which is clearly head and earsabove the newest Swedish spacecrafts. Recalling the integral savvy of hisbold Abyss side project, mastermind Peter Tägtgren handles both production and mixing while still juggling vocals, guitars, and keyboards. Consequently, every track shines with its own eclectic light. Setting the mood for the entire album, "The Gathering" intro garbles police reports of a famous UFO sighting (and subsequent cover-up), seguing into the slow, chugging companion cut, "Roswell 47." Their trademark fury spews forth in "Killing Art," a multi-tempo death attack which showcases Tägtgren's high, middle, and depth-charge low vocal range. "The Arrival of the Demons (Part 2)" displays a Moog-y Amorphis streak, while the riffage of "Point of No Return" is reminiscent of Metallica/Megadeth axes. "When the Candle Fades" starts off like a metalized pop song then lapses into a doomy shuffle. The keyboard passage "Reflections" resembles King Arthur-era Wakeman and ushers in "Slippin' Away," an ELO-ish ballad with a bite. In a splendid final stroke, they round out the album with the David Gilmour-drenched, acoustic "Drained." In addition to the fiery album cut "Carved Up," the 7" contains the previously unreleased demo track, "Beginning of the End," which bewails classic Slayer, much like the full-length's title song. Sources say that this was the reason that Tägtgren omitted it from the album, though that is what makes this vinyl addendum a must-have in the first place! In any case, Abducted is unadulterated Swedish death laced with some of Tiamat's Wildhoney, making this one of the most diversely delectable picks of the year.

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Chris Ayers (Indie File, Music Monitor, The Herald's Ticket)
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