Tägtgren's experience as a producer may also have led to the band's change in musical direction, as he is more closely involved with many other bands while producing their albums.
After twice cancelling a U.S. tour in 2009, Hypocrisy confirmed a North American tour for 2010. Joining them on the "Long Time, No Death" tour were Scar Symmetry, Hate, Blackguard and Swashbuckle. From January to March 2010, they toured Germany, Eastern Europe and Scandinavia, finishing in Moscow. Their North American tour took place in May 2010.
On 14 October 2011, Hypocrisy released a DVD called Hell Over Sofia - 20 Years of Chaos and Confusion. It contains a full concert from the "Long Time, No Death" tour. The DVD also contains a one and a half-hour documentary about the band. On 10 November 2011, Mikael Hedlund announced writing material for a new studio album during an interview with Metal Shock Finland's chief editor, Mohsen Fayyazi. Mikael tells Metal Shock Finland:
It's too early to say what it's going to sounds like, but all I can say is that it's not gonna be any change of style. It will be a classic HYPOCRISY album without [any] compromises. We already got some material and we're really looking forward to enter the studio again. We don't know yet when it will [be], but hopefully after the summer 2012. Nothing is confirmed yet. We're doing the Metalfest tour [of Europe] in May/June plus some other festivals. That's the plans at the moment.
In early 2012 the band began to write new material for a follow up to A Taste of Extreme Divinity. On 21 December 2012 Hypocrisy announced that the title of the upcoming album is End of Disclosure. It was released on 22 March 2013.
Hypocrisy's thirteenth studio album, and first in eight years, Worship was released on 26 November 2021. The album was preceded by a music video for the first single "Chemical Whore". It was later elected by Loudwire as the 32nd best metal song of 2021. On 5 April 2022, via the band's official Facebook page, the band announced the departure of Horgh from the band. He was replaced a week later by Henrik Axelsson of The Crown.
Musical style and lyrical themes
Musically, the band started off with a traditional death metal sound on their early albums, but soon turned into a melodic death metal band. Their early lyrics – written by original vocalist Masse Broberg – dealt with anti-Christian themes and Satanism. The band later focused on themes such as the paranormal and extraterrestrials. Their tenth album, Virus, contains themes more typical of death metal such as violence, the horrors of reality, insanity, torture, war, drug addiction, and emotional strife. Their twelfth album, End of Disclosure, uses conspiracy and anti-Illuminati themes.
Studio albums
Penetralia (1992)
Osculum Obscenum (1993)
The Fourth Dimension (1994)
Abducted (1996)
The Final Chapter (1997)
Hypocrisy (1999)
Into the Abyss (2000)
Catch 22 (2002)
The Arrival (2004)
Virus (2005)
A Taste of Extreme Divinity (2009)
End of Disclosure (2013)
Worship (2021)
Paled Empty Sphere
Hypocrisy Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The price of success at the price I had to pay.
Is it the life I had to live? Yeah.
I pretend there's nothing to complain about.
Am I locked in a circle that can't be broken?
Or is it just a paled, empty dream?
It feels like I'm underwater and I can't swim.
Is it the life I had to live? Yeah.
I pretend there's nothing to complain about.
Am I locked in a circle that can't be broken?
Or is this just a paled, empty dream?
Is it the life I had to live? Yeah.
I pretend there's nothing to complain about.
Am I lost in a circle that can't be broken?
Or is this just a paled, empty dream?
The lyrics of ‘Paled Empty Sphere’ by Hypocrisy touch upon the feelings of sorrow, the weight of success, and the burden of life. The first stanza reflects on the sudden realization of the price that fame and success might extract from someone. The singer is not sure if the life he chose or had to bear is worth the agony that consumes him. He seems to question himself if he is trapped into an unbreakable circle that always demands an endless amount of sacrifice. Through the phrase ‘paled, empty dream,' he hints that the achievement serves no purpose if it leaves him feeling hollow inside.
The second stanza unravels a more serious internal battle that the singer is facing. The phrase "vault closing in" and "can't breathe" depict the overwhelming pressure that he feels. He compares his mental state with being underwater and unable to swim, which emphasizes the feeling of suffocation and hopelessness. The singer's inner doubts continue to plague him as he questions whether he is lost within the same pattern of endless chasing without a valid motive.
Overall, the song is an epitome of the emotional struggles that many celebrities or people who have achieved great success face. The lyrics address the cost of such achievements and the hollow spaces that it leaves behind. The song acknowledges that success and prominence require immense sacrifices, and it is not always an easy path to walk upon.
Line by Line Meaning
I can feel the sorrow build inside my mind.
My mind is overwhelmed with sadness.
The price of success at the price I had to pay.
I had to sacrifice a lot to achieve success.
Is it the life I had to live? Yeah.
I question whether this is the life I am meant to have.
I pretend there's nothing to complain about.
I hide my true feelings and put on a facade of contentment.
Am I locked in a circle that can't be broken?
I wonder if I am trapped in a cycle of negative thoughts and emotions.
Or is it just a paled, empty dream?
Perhaps my aspirations are unattainable and insignificant.
The vault was closing in and I can't breathe.
I feel suffocated and trapped.
It feels like I'm underwater and I can't swim.
I am overwhelmed and struggling to keep my head above water.
Am I lost in a circle that can't be broken?
I fear that I am unable to escape from my negative thoughts and emotions.
Or is this just a paled, empty dream?
Perhaps my aspirations are meaningless and unfulfilling.
Lyrics © OBO APRA/AMCOS
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