News |

Guitar World Column |

Interviews |

Pictures |

Album Reviews |

Gig Reviews |

Release Dates |

History |

Articles |

Setlists |

Upcoming |

Contact

May 13th 2010, House of Blues, Hollywood CA: The lineup for this North American Hypocrisy headlining tour is a mishmash of several different genres of metal. The bill really emphasizes the wide scope of the metal genre, but on this particular Thursday in Hollywood, the order of the bands made me feel like I was having some crazy mood swings. First Swashbuckle and Blackguard opened the show with a little thrash and folk metal to get the stressed after-work crowd into more lighthearted spirits. But the mood quickly became dismal again with the darker sounds from Polish black metallers, Hate. Then, the clean vocal harmonies from Scar Symmetry brought back a few more positive vibes into the House of Blues, only to be crushed again by one of Sweden's most underrated death metal bands, Hypocrisy.

I ended up missing most of the opening two bands because of a ticket mishap, but thankfully I was able to catch the last of Blackguard's set, and the full sets for Hate, Scar Symmetry and Hypocrisy. Blackguard is an entertaining band to watch, with every single member (including the keyboardist) getting very into their playing. Lead singer Paul Zinay was all over the stage; even though the House of Blues was embarrassingly empty since it was still so early in the evening, he didn't compromise his energy level.

I was a little bit hesitant about Hate, since black metal can easily be done in an over-the-top way that just doesn't appeal to me. They played a decent set, but they don't have that extra special something that makes them stand out among other bands. There wasn't anything to complain about, as they did have some solid riffs and vocals. They just need to work on adding some more unique elements into their songs. Overall though, Hate was a pleasant surprise, since I wasn't expecting much from them.

Scar Symmetry took the stage next, and by this time there were more people in the venue. This band has taken quite a bit of heat in the past few months for their new lineup, which consists of two different singers doing the job that was previously done by one. I went into the set with an open mind and was curious to see what the stage dynamic would be like with two frontmen. It was definitely a little bit awkward, but the music itself was a refreshing addition to the evening's lineup. They opened with "The Iconoclast" and played through a good mix of songs spanning their six year career, including the older "Chaosweaver," and my personal favorite off of their newest album Dark Matter Dimensions, "Noumenon and Phenomenon." The only issue with their set was that the vocals were a little bit off at times, but that's to be expected when the guys are moving around on stage as much as they were.

Here's their complete set list:
1. The Iconoclast
2. Morphogenesis
3. Noumenon And Phenomenon
4. Pitch Black Progress
5. Ascension Chamber
6. The Path of Least Resistance
7. Mind Machine
8. Chaosweaver
9. Retaliator
10. The Illusionist

After Scar Symmetry's set, the crowd was ready for something a little heavier. Hypocrisy took the stage and opened with "Valley of the Damned," followed by my favorite of the night (and probably the most fun live song for headbanging that I've heard in awhile): "Hang Him High." Peter Tagtgren, Hypocrisy's frontman, wasn't someone that I had really been a fan of before this night - not because I didn't like him, but because I wasn't really familiar with him as much as I should be. But I ended up walking away from the show with a strong desire to go buy Hypocrisy's entire catalog, and to call Tagtgren one of the more impressive guys I've seen live. He has a huge stage presence without saying too much or being overly animated on stage. Hypocrisy's sound was absolutely crushing. Normally when I'm standing close to the front, the sound is a little bit dull. Not with Hypocrisy. This band knows how to put on a show with their music, without the unnecessary chitchat. The crowd got craziest for the last song before the encore, "Fire in the Sky," since everyone knew the words. The guys came back on stage for a few more songs before calling it a night at the House of Blues. All in all, it was a killer night with a great mix of bands. I'm so glad I ended up seeing Hypocrisy, because they're one of those acts that will win you over with their live show. I'll be looking forward to their return to the States.

Here's Hypocrisy's set list from Tucson (most probably the same set played tonight)
1. Valley of the Damned
2. Hang Him High
3. Fractured Millenium
4. Killing Art
5. Erasur
6. Pleasure, Osculum, Penetralia (medley)
7. A Coming Race
8. Let the Knife Do the Talking
9. Weed out the Weak
10. Fire in the Sky
11. Final Chapter
12. Warpath
13. Roswell 47