Hypocrisy

MELODIC DEATH & BLACK’N’ROLL

It’s been a long time since Sweden’s melodic-death kings Hypocrisy last shook the foundations of the Z7. Now, the band led by mastermind Peter Tägtgren returns as headliner of the Mass Hallucination Tour 2026 – and they’re bringing some massive surprises along. This merciless metal package is completed by Norwegian black-metal icon Abbath, veteran Swedish death-riff machine Vomitory, and the Norwegian black’n’roll command Vreid.

Google says: “A hallucination is the perception of stimuli that are not real, yet are experienced as reality by those affected. It can involve all senses.” When Sweden’s death-metal icon Peter Tägtgren unleashes his institution Hypocrisy on the Mass Hallucination Tour 2026, it’s above all the ear canals that will be put to the test. The singer, multi-instrumentalist and producer can look back on three and a half decades of band history with Hypocrisy: more than a dozen albums released, hundreds of shows played, and the hearts and minds of tens of thousands of fans conquered worldwide. Emerging from the underground in the early ’90s, the influential Swedish death-metal band rose to become one of the genre’s most respected and successful acts. Hypocrisy’s trademark sound is a unique blend of aggressive death metal and an uncanny sense for rich textures, memorable melodies, massive grooves and versatile vocals. Whether it’s the extremely morbid Osculum Obscenum (1993), the legendary track “Roswell 47” (1996), the album The Arrival (2004) or the widely praised 2021 release Worship, Hypocrisy offer an exciting and dynamic metal journey, resulting in a discography that stands unrivalled in terms of quality and artistic range. Even after all these years, Tägtgren and his band prove they remain one of the most innovative and important melodic-death formations on the scene.

Abbath:
Following the acclaimed Abbath Plays Immortal tour in 2024, the Norwegian black-metal icon returns to us again in 2026. As frontman of Immortal and Old Funeral, with the project I, and as a solo artist, Abbath has made a name for himself over the past 37 years with his unmistakable growls and signature guitar riffs. For the last decade, Abbath has successfully toured with his own band, though rumours of a return to Immortal kept resurfacing. Immortal guitarist Demonaz made it clear that he categorically rejects a reunion with his former bandmate. From 1990 to 2014, Abbath was the face and voice of the Norwegian black-metal cult band. Since then, the riff maestro has further cemented his place in the heavy-metal pantheon with three solo albums. Metal Hammer wrote about Abbath’s latest album Dread Reaver: “The very way Abbath celebrates riffs remains unique and is already reason enough to recommend this album to fans of classic old-school sounds as well as black metal devotees.”

Vomitory:
In any serious discussion about death metal, the name Vomitory must come up. Founded in 1989, the band released eight of the genre’s finest albums between 1996 and 2011. In 2013, the quartet called it a day – but retirement didn’t last long. In 2019, they returned to the stage to celebrate their 30th anniversary, and in 2023 they unleashed All Heads Are Gonna Roll, their first new album in twelve years. Delivering classic Vomitory sound with a few fresh twists, it’s everything longtime fans had hoped for. The band took its time rather than rushing the album. Drummer Tobias Gustafsson explains: “At first, we just wrote a few songs for fun to see if we still had it, before deciding to continue and record a new album.” A wise decision, judging by the grooves and riff attacks on the record. And more new Vomitory material is already on the way: on October 1st, the band announced on social media, “The recording for our 10th album has begun!” We’re eagerly awaiting what’s next.

Vreid:
Since their formation in 2004, Norwegian extreme metallers Vreid have been carving their path with a refined mix of ’70s rock, classic ’80s metal and Norwegian black metal. They play their very own brand of black’n’roll – energetic, experimental, creative, intense and reflective. Across their albums, Vreid repeatedly explore the relationship between life and death and its impact on human perception and behaviour. The anger that can arise from confronting these themes – echoed in the band’s name – is always palpable. This is hardly surprising given the tragic circumstances surrounding the band’s formation: in 2004, Valfar, singer of the predecessor band Windir, died in a snowstorm. But Vreid wouldn’t be Vreid if their music were all gloom. Melodic and grooving elements are always present, and despite the introspection, the band never loses its sense of irony.

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