Wages Of Sin (Century Media~2002)
When it comes to Arch Enemy’s latest release, a lot of attention has understandably gone to new vocalist Angela Gossow. It’s not every day that a beautiful woman takes the vocal reigns of an established death metal giant. But even though Gossow is easy on the eyes and delivers a powerful performance in her Arch Enemy debut, I still see - and hear - the music as the star of this show. I love the overall production, which includes a nice, firm drum sound. The songs are well constructed and beautifully executed without a stinker in the bunch. The album maintains a consistent feel throughout without robbing each song of its own unique character. I always love a good guitar solo, and this album has plenty of them. This band, which is at home playing passages that are fast and melodious or slow and moody, incorporates a guitar style that has a definite 80s feel without sounding stale or dated. Added to this excellent mix are vocals that are quite effective as well. Gossow displays a good bit of effort and emotion, which is refreshing because some death metal vocalists sound a bit too monotonous, as if they’re simply going through the motions. Each song on this masterpiece is excellent, but among my absolute favorites are "Ravenous", "Savage Messiah", "The First Deadly Sin" and "Shadows And Dust".