Arch Enemy are a melodic
death metal band that are part of the growing New World of Swedish Heavy Metal.
The band includes members and former members of Carcass,
Armageddon, and Mercyful Fate.
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1. "The Immortal"
(3:42) |
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Upon first hearing this disc I was actually quite surprised. I must admit that I have grown tired of death metal over the years. I mean how many times over can you hear the same old vocalist growling and grunting over blast beats? So, as I said, it was quite a surprise to hear a band who is labeled 'death metal' that could hold my interest for an entire album. Musically, Arch Enemy are about as far from your average death metal band as I have ever heard. They implore excellent guitar leads, aggressive, yet clean and punchy guitar rhythms, thrash-like guitar riffing, and dynamic songwriting. Arch Enemy are made up of siblings Michael and Christopher Amott (from Carcass & Armageddon), and their soaring dueling leads could please the most skeptic Iron Maiden fan. Just check out the smokin' guitar leads in the intro to "Pilgrim" or the beautiful passages in "Silverwing" or the amazing song craft of "The Immortal". However, despite the stellar guitar work and musicianship, the band employs a vocalist with a monotone, barked, hardcore-ish, shouting style. This really detracts from the music quite a bit. At times Johan Liiva's coarse bark works with the music, but it's a shame he doesn't employ more diversity. Some higher pitched thrash-like vocals (like Steve Souza perhaps) and some clean vocals really would have made this the album to beat. As for the lyrics, this was something I checked out after the fact. I found them to be quite honest. However, it seems that main lyricist Micheal Amott has some serious spiritual searching going on. Songs like "Pilgrim" and "Dead Inside" express his confusion, belief and doubts about God.. Other songs like "Demonic Science" expresses his opinion about DNA tampering, while "Angelclaw" is more of a fictional story about a female creature of the night whose name is Angelclaw.
Arch Enemy - Wages of Sin (Century Media) 2002
| DISC ONE 1. "Enemy Within" (4:22) 2. "Burning Angel" (4:17) 3. "Heart of Darkness" (4:53) 4. "Ravenous" (4:06) 5. "Savage Messiah" (5:18) 6. "Dead Bury Their Dead" (3:55) 7. "Web of Lies" (3:56) 8. "The First Deadly Sin" (4:21) 9. "Behind the Smile" (3:28) 10. "Snow Bound" [instrumental] (1:35) 11. "Shadows and Dust" (4:29) 12. "Lament of Mortal Soul" (4:05) 13. "Ravenous" (video) DISC TWO 14. "Starbreaker" (3:26) 15. "Aces High" (4:25) 16. "Scream of Anger" (3:47) 17. "Diva Satanica" (3:44) 18. "Fields of Desolation" (6:03) 19. "Damnation's Way" (3:47) 20. "Hydra" [instrumental] (:57) 21. "The Immortal" (video) |
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You couldn't have convinced me by playing this cd that the band's new vocalist was a female. I mean, to look at Angela Gossow's photo, you would never think that she could produce the brutal death metal vocals that are on this disc. Once again Arch Angel deliver a cd full of technical, speed metal classics sounding like a beefier version of Nocturnal Rites with a death metal vocalist. To be quite honest, I prefer the death and black metal vocals on this album to the hardcore shouts of 'Burning Bridges.' Of course the vocals aren't nearly as important as the blazing heavy metal on this disc. I will admit that adding in some more melodic vocals along with the death growls would just put this band over the top. That has been my claim since the very first time I heard Arch Enemy. Still this is a stellar disc with excellent musicianship and dynamic great songwriting. Just check out the melancholy instrumental "Snow Bound" or the sick double bassing in "Lament of Mortal Soul." The first ten seconds should send most black metal bands running for the hills. Disc 2, which features the band's old vocalist, has three KILLER covers in Judas Priest's "Starbreaker," Iron Maiden's "Aces High", and Europe's "Scream of Anger". These three songs alone are worth the price of admission, although "Starbreaker" stands out as the best of the three. However, the entire two disc is a worthwhile listen, even if you are not a fan of death metal. The guitar work alone should have any guitar shred fan in stitches.
Arch Enemy - Anthems of Rebellion (Century Media) 2003
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"Tear Down the Walls" (:32) 2. "Silent Wars" (4:14) 3. "We Will Rise" (4:06) 4. "Dead Eyes See No Future" (4:14) 5. "Instinct" (3:36) 6. "Leader of the Rats" (4:20) 7. "Exist to Exit" (5:22) 8. "Marching on a Dead End Road" (1:16) 9. "Despicable Heroes" (2:12) 10. "End of the Line" (3:35) 11. "Dehumanization" (4:15) 12. "Anthem" (:56) 13. "Saints and Sinners" (4:41) |
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"Anthems of Rebellion" simply defines aggression. Reviews seem to unanimously call this "death metal." However, I would say that there has not been a more brutal thrash metal album released in recent years. Not even the mighty Extol's recent thrash metal output matches the intensity here. While "Wages of Sin" set the bar high for the band, "Athems of a Rebellion" manages to push it one step higher. "Anthems Of Rebellion" is the second album from the band to feature the female growler Angela Gossow. Angela's vocal delivery is much more impressive and concise on this disc. While the brutal growls are still in tact the ennunciation, and perhaps the recording, are just better. While the entire CD is solid from beginning to end, 'Exist to Exit' is probably my favorite single track. It combines old school death/thrash drums with precise Arch Enemy guitarmanship. The musicianship is, of course, excellent throughout and the production is crisp without losing an ounce of the grit and grind. Can't praise this one enough, nor can I seem to eject it from my CD player. Early pressings come with a bonus DVD that contain videos and such. Certainly a contender for one of the best albums of 2003.
