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Rating: The fourth dimension... what is the fourth dimension? Time... or hell?? Any sane person, after the achievements of 20th-century physics, will answer you: time. But here the sane leave time where they find it! And so again: time... or hell?? Peter Tagtgren (where the hell is the umlaut?), leader and founder of Hypocrisy, has very clear ideas on the matter... very clear.
It's the early months of 1994 when recording on the band's third album begins; the first two albums of the Swedish group were characterized by an overly monotonous sound: raw and essential Death Metal played at breakneck speed, with that typically Scandinavian "crushing" imprint that distinguishes groups like Entombed and Dismember. However, Tagtgren is not at all satisfied with what has been produced so far; also because he wants and absolutely needs to compete with the sacred monsters of the genre who have published, in the United States in the early nineties, genuine milestones. It's all too easy to mention the Death of "Human", Morbid Angel of "Covenant", and Obituary of "The End Complete"... and now let's all take a good minute of silence, shuddering at the power of such superlative records.
And if one has to change, this time is the right time: because Masse Broberg has left, and Peter, besides wielding the guitar, also takes on the task of replacing him on "vocals". It's an opportunity to make a change, while not forgetting the past.
The new work is once again released by the label Nuclear Blast; at that time, the German label was synonymous with enormous musical quality, with particular reference to the productions of the most fierce and bloody Death Metal. A musical category, however, that our band begins to find restrictive. Indeed, starting from this album, Hypocrisy introduces melodic elements into a sound proposal that remains, nonetheless, a hammer blow to the pork scratching. And we are in '94: the year before saw the light of "Heartwork" by the great Carcass, the following year we would be benefiting from the absolute masterpieces "Slaughter of the Soul" and "The Gallery"... not a terrible moment to enroll, albeit only marginally, in the galaxy of the Swedish Death (par excellence). The transition that defines this album has also touched the lyrics, which still present the satanic nonsense of the early days, but to which are added - rather sick - reflections on death and evil; already from the following "Abducted," moreover, Tagtgren and his peers will gradually veer towards sci-fi shores. But let's focus on the work, shall we?
Look at the cover: something ambiguous, perverse, that seems to want to bind itself to the very title of the work: the fourth dimension, unknown, which therefore is frightening. A subtly sick fear: a man sitting on a swivel chair, like those used by barbers (and here any reference to blades and blood is not accidental). The setting is an empty room where a pale and cold orange light gives a claustrophobic sense to everything; the sentient human, but it could also be a corpse, is completely wrapped in a sort of shroud of plastic material. It couldn't have started the album better; because there are albums, like this one, that have their opening right from the cover. And when you find out that that poor creature is bassist Mikael Hedlund.....
The album opens with the threatening "Apocalypse," sustained by keyboards that create a chilling, cold, and oppressive sound wall, as if catacombal Black Sabbath met on their way to the gates of Hell the solemn and wicked Type O Negative of the first records. A mid-tempo with Doom movements of unheard-of heaviness.
In general, the whole album is a continuous alternation of typical Death explosions, primarily "Reborn" and "Orgy in Blood", played with derailing impetus, sustained by Peter's abyssal growl, influenced by the Brutal death of, again, an American style, and more controlled, thoughtful tracks, but no less... devastating for this. And yet, from time to time, between a sprinkle of melody and a Doom touch, you also end up in the gray lake of melancholy: listen to "Reincarnation" to believe it. In this way, short of breath and hope, one arrives at "The Fourth Dimension", placed at the end of the album: a slow, swampy, pachyderm track that crushes and shatters you. GLACIALLY. A track that Hypocrisy will remember in 2001, when they will return to record it, stuffing it with the arisen symphonic influences: influences already present in the anguishing and despondent final "The Arrival of the Demons".
A MASTERPIECE marking a decisive transition, a work capable of sometimes reminding me of Suffocation, other times even the early Tristania... personally, their peak.
Tracklist Lyrics and Videos
01 Apocalypse (05:56)
...since I was a child, I saw my own way.
and god was not a part of it.
I am so sick of hearing your preach about heaven
all this bullshit about paradise.
[chanting]
You (The) christians must be stopped from spreading all the lies,
(The only way to gather them, with a )
(with the sound) (a bang.)
Have mercy
It's the ending...of your life.
As my mind slips away,
I see no end of this misery
The only truth is myself,
I can't go on this way
NOOOO!!
[Chantings]
I use for killing, to the end of the rainbow.
All alone I'll be there.
NOOO!!!
When their time has arrived.
Have mercy.
It's the end, of your life.
When their time has arrived.
Have mercy.
It's the ending, of your life.
02 Mind Corruption (03:51)
First they come to your rescue,
to drag you of the streets.
They'll give you food and shelter,
to leave you to bleed.
They'll take all your money.
Destroy all your clothes.
They'll kill you for religion,
then go looking for more.
[chorus]
Wretched scum of the Earth,
they are waiting for rebirth.
A release from the demon,
whom they need to slave them to the one.
Blow away that asshole,
they will use until you die.
That great one that convents you,
they will let up in Paradise!
[end of chorus]
That thing is old.
They seal off your mind, too.
Don't know!!!
You can see you're none of the true.
Another way burns of the youth,
to burn all the life.
They fill you up with a
No one will you
[repeat chorus 1 time]
[repeat chorus 1 time]
LIAR!!!
03 Reincarnation (03:49)
You feel the warning from behind
The truth is buried in a wall of time
Threw the sorrows of your life
You ain't getting ahead from this Christ
I fill evil approaching me
The voices calling me on
Silence...
The only sound is the knife (through the air)
Hell...
Is were I'll be when I'm threw with you.
I'll give more bodies to get ahead.
Dark crimson they're closing in. (close again?)
(Dark) wide open (to) cutting wounds
You feel the power of dark
I fill evil approaching me
The voices calling me on
Paradise..
The only sound is the life through the air
Hell...
is where I'll be when I'm through with you
Silence...
The only sound is the knife threw the end (air?)
Hell...
Is were I'll be when I'm threw with you.
04 Reborn (03:07)
I reaching for the seed of death what (I searched for) now for the power [Chorus] what's getting my name is the of death (I'll/All time) not be forgetting? I'll be reborn To take within The God will await me, To take command Why? Christianity I will conquer the (fault), to rule the world god, on the seven glorious [Chorus] To take within The God will await me, To take command Why? Christianity [Chanting]
07 Path to Babylon (03:43)
Rise from the depths of hell
Destroying all that's good
Crush Christianity and let Satan loose
Fake your ways
And give us a sound
And let us know the time in here
In dark religion,
Those who never sacrifice are killed
The true believer
When no one is alive
The real freedom
To let one die
The path will lead me there
The way from the darkness
And there I will stay
To fulfill my own dark life
(Who completes the long lost journey
will rule through history
The one prophet
depends on the walk
With souls of death
is near)
The earth will be like a dungeon
Hell will rise through the sand
My life with always protection
As long as they hate you
[repeat "the true believer.."]
The path will lead me there
(The path) to babylon.
And there I will stay,
To fulfill my own dark life.
08 Slaughtered (05:39)
I am alive to make you die
I am alive to take your life
For 30 years I have waited
Finally the time is here
Hunting you down and to destroy you
For betraying me
lying about your religion
Here by I sentence to death
Don't you ever be about the things you don't understand
Reach for the eternal fire
Reach [from] the death
Eternal liar, I capture your soul
I'll cut your arms and legs so can't get away
Your blood that will push though your veins, will soon make me cum
Your screams will give me pleasure
To see you suffer
You might not move in pleasure
The betrayer paid his price.
09 Orgy in Blood (03:20)
You (for me)
I (need you)
(Go for blood)
for me
make me (cum)
(reach for me)
go for
go for
go for
my are waiting
it would be my final hour
go for
now I will kill forever
[Scream]
go for
go for
[Scream]
10 The North Wind (03:45)
Beware of the North Wind
It will take you away
(Murdered the same)
Tear apart what's left of your body
You will be left to rot on your knees
You will stop breathing
As you pass away
Suffocate
Your skin turns blue
The eyeballs roll in the back of your head
The North Wind will (pick) you up and take you
A journey to hell
The winds of evil swept over the Earth.
Killing all those worthless souls.
War across, the globe gather around for the storms.
Lords of death, watching us through the words of evil.
The Earth will be, dark as dirt.
No existence of life, just cold and emptiness.
You will stop breathing, as you pass away.
Suffocate.
Your skin turns blue.
11 T.E.M.P.T. (03:19)
(Raw time will come)
to make you (proof)
You'll
of you will make you
For god
Wondering, why fool you may
took the , took to lie?
as your gloom on me
[Whispering] You...
You...
Where will you got to?
You done what you suffer
Right stay the
Make you suffer?
Now (we) will
What do you do with your life?!
12 The Fourth Dimension (05:51)
As my soul leaves the body
A dream taken to hell
To explore the unknown
For a vision of you of my life
The pressure reaches my soul,
As I see my destiny
All panic goes through my mind,
As I see myself slowly die
[Chorus:]
Wake me up from this nightmare
I cry out, "Make it stop!"
Get me back in my body
I'll never never leave it again
Never trust in youre own instincts on a journey to hell
I can see my body lying, empty.
And so I reach out, and grab it and awake myself up.
OH GOD!!!
I feel a pity for all that died
'Cause I'm stuck here, in hell
[Repeat Chorus]
[Repeat Chorus]
A dream taken to hell
13 The Arrival of the Demons (01:50)
As the full moon rise in the sky, it awakes
Master, bring out the dark forces upon me
I live for dying and to kill
Watcher, open the gates of death
Reach for the silence
Reach for an end
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