Liste des groupes Death Brutal Hypnos (CZ) Halfway to Hell

When both Bruno and Pegas left Czech Death Metal legends Krabathor back in 1999 to form on Hypnos, life seemed quite sweet. Entitled with a record deal within a year, they released in 2000 their debut "In Blood We Trust" which garnered some ecstatic reviews within the underground extreme metal community with some people even labeling the record as an all-time Old School Death Metal classic. And then for some unknown reason, each subsequent release by the Czech duo went downhill suffering what I like to call the “Unleashed syndrome”: one excellent debut and then a series of good but yet too average records that make it seem like the first effort will never be topped again.

Still with this new MCD named “Halfway to Hell”, this is Hypnos comeback to the international scene some five years after their latest full-length "Rubble Manifesto". And so the question hangs? Did these five years of absence serve them well or are we in for yet another disappointment?

Somehow I think the answer is a bit of both. This is by far not exceptional but also attractive in some ways. I’ll deal with the Pungent Stench comparison quickly. The new pics offer an image of the duo that will bring forth memories of the Austrian madmen from their “Master of Morals, Servants of Sin” era, religious perverted looks and cassocks. The comparison can even be drawn a bit further since the production on this MCD is also a bit reminiscent of “Ampeauty”, Pungent Stench last (latest?) full-length.

Musically Hypnos have added some Black Metal to their songbook and the result is a bit both unexpected and unsettling. Read the previous sentence again. It's not that they've "blackened" their Death Metal, it's just they incorporate some Black Metal: in the opener "Mesmerized" while the first half of the song is Death Metal, the second half becomes a full-fledged Black Metal track” and the following track, “Where Rooks Fly To Cry” is 100% Black Metal.

This is unsettling most especially since the remainder of the record comes back to mid-tempo Death Metal and it makes you wonder if you haven't been listening to some split release. Czech Republic always delivered singular bands so I assume that Hypnos are no exception to the rule. It's just quite puzzling to go from a-la Darkthrone/Maniac Butcher Black Metal on a couple of tracks to switch to Death Metal reminiscent of late Pungent Stench in the end. I am no judge but somehow it gives this recording a very weird feeling as though something was out of place, the stuff you’d be more prepared to from an “earlier recordings” compilation than from a band’s latest offering in their discography.

Problem is, beside “Burning Again” which got these nice riffs and chorus, most of the stuff here is finely executed but feels a bit hollow and thus makes for an uneventful listen. The dichotomy previously observed brings some "variety" but neither the Black Metal part nor the Death Metal one seem to be more memorable than one another.

Hypnos fans waited five years to listen to these guys again and I’m not sure most will appreciate the turn of events. It’s solid, sure, but pales in comparison with their flamboyant debut (again). I can’t say what the future holds for Hypnos but they better put more madness, spirit or whatever in their music to make it more “distinct” if they don’t want to their shred their fanbase away even further.