I always wondered when a band would come along that would remind me of Hatesphere, a thrash/death hybrid with modern trappings and energy out the wazoo. Dystrophy bring all the above in spades, without being overtly thrashy or deathy at any given moment. A nice healthy mix is what we have here on Chains of Hypocrisy.

There’s a jumpiness to this album; a “get up and mosh” type of feel, something many of you will remember from ages gone by. I’m not saying modern metal in its many variations doesn’t move us as metal fans, but the energy level seems very subdued as bands continue to experiment and push the genre boundaries. Dystrophy is just the opposite. They have taken the rumbling, booming bombastic early 90’s death sound and mixed it with the speedy, high-octane rampage of 80’s thrash. That is, quintessentially, their sound. The band does add in more modern habits here and there, but those are just icing on the very heavy, very speedy cake.

Everything you expect from a hybrid of death and thrash is here. Crazy Cannibal Corpse-like solos; wild and snappy drumming; a throaty growling lead vocal; Exodus-esque toothy, sawing guitar tone; and energy, lots of it. What you may not expect are the following: metalcore-ish trilling, Eddie Van Halen-inspired hammer-on solos, irregular beat patterns. There’s nothing here you haven’t heard before, and it’s so well mixed in here, you likely won’t notice it.

The only downside to all of this is a lackluster drum production. Thrash and death metal bands thrive off of a good drum sound. Unfortunately for Dystrophy, their drums sound as if they were recorded with only two mics in an eight-by-twelve storage shed. The sloppiness of the drum sound distracts from the spectacular guitar tone and voraciously vicious vocals. Thankfully, this flaw is masked most of the time.

Listening to Chains of Hypocrisy is similar to traveling back in time. The predominate styles of inspiration are immediately recognizable. You’ll feel right at home. On top of that comfy foundation, the band layers a Between the Buried and Me –esque technicality and the trilled harmonies of lighter, more core-oriented bands. It’s an enthralling mix that keeps the listener interested without ever straying too far from the old school influences. Chains of Hypocrisy is a solid, energetic, and enthralling record.

4.0/5