This new album by Swedish finest death metal band Hypocrisy take us back to the late 1990s. Catchy songs with a doom attitude and great mid-tempo riffs are prominent. ‘The Arrival’ does not quite resemble its predecessor, ‘Catch 22’. That album sounds far more experimental; even some progressive and punk influences can be heard. But with ‘The Arrival’, Hypocrisy go back in time, leading to great mid tempo songs with strong melodies and catchy choruses, like ‘Eraser’ or ‘Slave To The Parasites’. The melody and choruses sometimes even result in real Swedish death metal songs, the same cask from which ‘In Flames’ draws its energy.

Especially during the track ‘Dead Sky Dawning’ this is obvious. As usual there are also a few faster songs on the album, as the opening track ‘Born Dead Buries Alive’. A good album and a worthy successor of albums like ‘Hypocrisy’ or ‘Into The Abyss’. Once again full of great melodies and mid-tempo smashers. So let Peter and co. warn you for the pain and dark, for this is The Arrival.