Sweden's Hypocrisy, a staple in the burgeoning death metal scene since 1992 with the release of their first studio album Penetralia. Thirteen years later the band releases their ninth studio album Virus on September 20th here in the States. Drummer Horgh (Reidar Horghagen ), took some time out to answer some questions for FourteenG. Read on...

Q: Congrats, on your upcoming American tour [the “Annihilation of the Wicked” tour]. Do you have any projections for it?

A: Thanks. We are going to deliver a kick ass show and do our very best to make sure that our fans will be satisfied.

Q: How do you think this tour will differ from others especially being able to tour with on a heavier bill than your last tour with Soilwork?

A: The line up is for sure more extreme on this tour compared with the one we did with Soilwork. It’s going to be a blast to play for a pure Death Metal audience again like we did back in 2004 when we toured the States with Cannibal Corpse. I can’t wait to meet and to play for our American fans and friends again. Hope to see you all there.

Q: What does it mean to be a Hypocrite (to be in Hypocrisy)?

A: I guess we all know (more or less) what it means to be a hypocrite, don’t we?

Q: I am sure hooking up with Hypocrisy made it easier since you toured with the band when you with in Immortal.

A: Yes it did. I got to know the guys when they were opening for Immortal on the “Sons Of Northern Darkness” tour in 2002. The fact that I knew them before I joined the band made the change-over to Hypocrisy easier. 

Q: How different is Grimfist from Hypocrisy; is it harder to gear up for one than the other is? Do you prefer one to the other?

A: I’m not a member of Grimfist anymore so I don’t have to worry about that. I keep all my focus on Hypocrisy.

Q: Does it cause many problems since you live in Norway? How do you handle practice with Hypocrisy?

A: So far there haven’t been any problems at all. I travel to Sweden and practice with Hypocrisy every time it’s needed. It works out just fine.

Q: Define the current direction of the band in a statement.

A: We have chosen a faster and heavier direction than on the last couple of Hypocrisy albums.

Q: How was the making/writing process of Virus for you since this was your first album with the band, how much input did you have?

A: I had a cool time during the writing process of the “Virus” album. I contributed on the writing of “Craving For Another Killing”, “Blooddrenched”, “Incised Before I’ve Ceased,” and “Compulsive Psychosis.”

Q: Tell the viewers something they previously would not about the production of Virus that they would not have known previously.

A: It went just fine. First, we made a pre-production which took us around fourteen days to complete and then we had a break from the studio for a month or so. The recordings of Virus took around one month to finish and the production went smoothly and without any bigger problems.

Q: Who created the cover art, what feeling do you want the buyer to walk away with after viewing it?

A: Anthony Clarkson has made the cover art on the “Virus” album. The buyer can feel what ever he/she wants after viewing the cover art. I just hope they enjoy it as much as we do.

Q: Since it does not involve aliens, what kind of creatures are they? Are they some kind of dragon of sorts?

A: Those creatures can be whatever you want them to be.

Q: With Virus, are you trying to reach a different target audience now that Peter has dropped the alien subject matter from the lyrical content.

A: No it’s not like that. It’s just that Peter wants to be free to write about whatever he wants when he wants to. Maybe he will write more about alien stuff on the next album. Let’s wait and see.

Q: Speaking of lyrics, the lyrical content seems more hateful, angrier, and much more graphic than that of previous releases particularly “Bloodrenched”. Were there specific events that lead up to make these lyrics?

A: I guess Peter must have been more pissed off than ever when he wrote these lyrics. No seriously, any specific questions regarding the lyrics are for the writer himself to answer.

Q: What is the virus?

A: Since many viruses can be found in many forms and places, it’s up to the listener to interpret this virus the way they want. 

Q: The lyrical content also seems to be a lot more political based with conspiracies. Would you care to add to this?

A: I haven’t read the lyrics very carefully yet, so I haven’t really anything to add here.

Q: Do you think there are conspiracies existing against the "everyday person"?

A: I got the impression that many people of today are worried about conspiracies and for these people it surely exists. Personally, I don’t spend much time worrying about these things.

Q: Which song is your favorite off Virus and why. 

A: “Craving For Another Killing”, because I like the aggressive expression on that song.

Q: What is your favorite Immortal/Grimfist song?

A: “Withstand The Fall Of Time” and “Ghouls Of Grandeur” at the moment.
 

Q: Many, including Tägtgren, feel you have your own unique style of drumming which is your signature (stemming you’re your days with Immortal). What are your thoughts on this?

A: I appreciate hearing that. It’s cool to have created a special style of drumming that is easily recognizable for the listeners.

Q: What mark would Hypocrisy like to leave on their fans?

A: That we have a lot of respect for them.

I can live without the following: People who complain about everything all the time.

If you could commission a band to do a cover of your favorite song, who would do it and which song would it be? I would have been interesting to hear Motörhead doing a cover of “Welcome To The Jungle” with Guns ’n’ Roses

Now a song of yours.  Metallica doing a cover of “Tyrants” with Immortal.

What do you cook the best? I don’t cook very much. My girlfriend takes care of that in my house.

Being a drummer, who in your opinion is the epitome of a drummer? A person that is beating on random stuff around him/her all the time.

Who has been your biggest musical influence? Judas Priest

What are a couple of albums that have had a major impact on your life and why? British Steel and Master Of Puppets are solid albums that I never seem to get tired of listening to.

If I raided your music collection, what is the one CD you are ashamed of owning. Would you refuse to let me see it? I’m not ashamed of any CDs in my collection.

What kind of books do you like to read? Crime fiction.

What is your favorite place in the world to be? Least? Norway is my favorite place. / No idea.

Last concert you attended as a fan and not a performer. Black Sabbath.

Dream bill, if you had it your way which bands would you like to tour with? Kiss, Judas Priest, Slayer and Hypocrisy on the same bill would have been great

If Hypocrisy were a cocktail, what kind of drink would you be? Something that would knock you right out.

Something you’d like to accomplish with Hypocrisy that you haven’t been able to do with other bands. Nothing special.

If you could interview a band or an artist, whom would you ask these Speed Round Questions of, someone you would want to know more about? I don’t know who it should be.

More role reversals, do you have any questions to ask of me? No.

Final comments?

Cheers!

Takk Horgh!!!

I'd like to thank Horgh for taking the time out to answer these questions and to Loana dP Valencia at Nuclear Blast Records for setting it up.

q      Here for a brand new interview with Peter

q   Here for first interview with the band

q    Review of band from Soilwork tour