Arch Enemy - Rise Of The Tyrant review
| Band: | Arch Enemy |
| Album: | Rise Of The Tyrant |
| Style: | Gothenburg metal |
| Release date: | September 23, 2007 |
| A review by: | Dream Taster |
Disc I [CD]
01. Blood On Your Hands
02. The Last Enemy
03. I Will Live Again
04. In This Shallow Grave
05. Revolution Begins
06. Rise Of The Tyrant
07. The Day You Died
08. Intermezzo Liberté
09. Night Falls Fast
10. The Great Darkness
11. Vultures
12. The Oath [Kiss cover] [Japanese bonus]
Disc II [Live In South Ameica DVD]
01. I Am Legend / Out for Blood
02. Diva Satanica
+ Tour Movie
"If it ain't broke, don't fix it". With this motto leading Sweden's Arch Enemy vision, Rise of the Tyrant should sound like any of their previous albums, right? Wrong! They took all of their experience and added some to brought forth an incredible effort. But let's rewind a tad. Arch Enemy is the brainchild of talented guitarist Michael Amott, who after leaving the band Carcass, deviled in different projects before forming the band. However, the band really got in the public eye when a German female vocalist by the name of Angela Gossow joined to record Wages of Sin on 2000. Since then, Arch Enemy has become one of the beloved children of the Gothenburg Death Metal sound.
With the return of Christopher Amott on guitars, Arch Enemy has regained its lustrous guitar work due the mind-blowing harmony with his brother Michael. The band has upped the guitar work another notch to create amazing melodies with sharp edges. Just listen to the opening tack, 'Blood on your Hands', and see for yourself! And with the confirmation of Angela Gossow on vocals and a stable line-up, Arch Enemy is as healthy as you've ever been.
Another difference from their recent works is clearly the musicianship of Christopher and his vision to crack guitar solos all over the place. One can tell that the brothers are having a really good time on this record. As for the vocals, Angela's death voice sound more natural than on their previous work Doomsday Machine (less effects/production I guess). It all seems more natural, more fluid than on their previous album. The aggression is definitely still there, but somehow, the melodies of their Gothenburg sound are taking the better part of the sound. Arch Enemy is not afraid to slow down the pace at times, such as on 'Revolution Begins', only to create hypnotic atmospheres. The only hitch I can pick up is that a couple of tracks are not to the full potential of the album, but again, there is plenty to rejoice about. 'The Last Enemy' for example, is one of their most enthused tunes since the Wages of Sin era.
My verdict? Arch Enemy is risen. The Amott brothers are having the time of their life and the song-writing is more inspired than usual. Overall, what promised to be more of the same, ends up being a highlight in the career of the Swedish band. Arch Enemy proves again that inspired Melodic Death is alive and well by releasing one of this year's best albums.
Highlights: 'Blood on your Hands', The Last Enemy', 'Revolution Begins' and 'The Day You Died'
Rating breakdown
| Performance: | 10 |
| Songwriting: | 9 |
| Originality: | 8 |
| Production: | 9 |
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Written on 13.10.2007 by
Bringing you reviews of quality music and interesting questions such as: "A picture is worth a thousand words. How many words is a song worth?" I have only got so much patience and skills, you do the math. |
Comments page 2 / 2
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Comments: 54
Visited by: 336 users
| Paradox0 Unasuming Madnes Posts: 592 |
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| In_tallica Posts: 151  |
MAN, why is everyone so dissapointed with this album? it beats the SHIT out of anthems and doomsday, there are so many tracks where i get that speciall feeling inside of me. maybe cuz i'm the biggest gothenburg freak in the world  anyway, i think this album is great, the day you died kicks ass! intermezzo Liberté is incredibly great, the first 5 songs are also great I think it deserves AT LEAST a 7, probably more since i've only had this album about a few weeks
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| Eddie Retired Mod. Elite Posts: 2617  |
I got to say, this album sounds really amazing to me  I'm quite a fan of AE last works, so my opinion may be biased, but hell, if you somewhat like this style you got to pick it up and give it some spins. The guitar playing is really served on a silver, make that diamond, plate and I love it 
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| wrathchild Staff Posts: 14090  |
I've only listened to it once in a rush, and yeah, apart from the opener track it wasn't that as good as the band's previous efforts. A bit more "corish"at times, yet the guitar work is somehow more technical, it seems. What I would like to ask to whoever have the booklet if Fredrik Åkesson is mentioned in the credits, and if so, for which songs? I remember Michael Ammott told me Fredrik had come up with killer riffs for the new album at MetalWay (when Christopher wasn't back in the band).
---- La belleza no reside en lo que puedas crear, sino en lo que eres capaz de transmitir Beauty resides not in what you're able to create, but in what you're able to communicate Txus, Mägo De Oz
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| BloodTears ANA-thema Elite Posts: 11835  |
Written by wrathchild on 24.10.2007 at 00:03 No, he's not mentioned. All songs are written (or at least they take the credit for it) by michael amott or chris and sometimes by daniel.
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| Miss Norway Account deleted |
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| Amrott Posts: 415  |
well add me to those who find this album amazing!! this album is good, but it is a grower. i remeber when i first heard it i didn't find anything special on it, but really after a few spins you get to appreciate the guitar work of this album, the harmonies, the solos. okay it is not better than Burning Bridges, but then again i don't think they will ever top that, but this is definitely better than the last two CDs!!
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| Jotun_01 Account deleted |
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| BloodTears ANA-thema Elite Posts: 11835 |
Its definately grows. The more I listen to it the more I like it.
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| xKata Alreshimx Account deleted |
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| Syk myspace/bonerama Posts: 1504  |
Written by [user id=28145] on 08.01.2008 at 06:13 People might jump on me for this, but I would recommend their Anthems of Rebellion next. Welcome to the site
---- death ? thrash ? death/doom/prog ? Hail Zoldon! he's not the kind you have to [url=../bands/album.php?album_id=28982]wind up[/url] on Sundays
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| trapedINaCORNER Account deleted |
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| bodomroy Posts: 56  |
like this album, one of yhe best of the year. guiter work is excellent and the drums of erlandsen are amazing. i prefer this angela's vocal style than in the previous records. to me is an 8. great work.:metal:
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| erctus-seth Account deleted |
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| GodlessOne Posts: 23 |
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| tcline Posts: 5 |
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| Doc G. Full Grown Hoser Staff Posts: 9723  |
Written by Dream Taster on 14.10.2007 at 15:23 I friggin loved it as well. Before I could never get into Arch Enemy, I saw them live once, they played an amazing show so I went out and bought Doomsday Machine but I could never get into it. Then I saw them live a second time and they put on an amazing show again, which re-sparked my interest in them so I decided to buy this album considering it was pretty cheap, and I was amazed. The first 7 tracks are non-stop awesome. My rating would've probably been the same as yours. Maybe I should give Doomsday Machine another chance... BTW- Am I the only one who thinks of Anime films while listening to this album?
---- "I got a lot of really good ideas, problem is, most of them suck." - George Carlin
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| Deadmeat Necrobutcher Posts: 2437  |
This album has some nice songs but IMO there is no identity on it. it is just mediocre. it is boring. i would expect more from AE.
---- Υou've sold your human essence to the cold world of dead and empty things... You're SOLD!
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| lord artan Posts: 297  |
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| Deadmeat Necrobutcher Posts: 2437 |
---- Υou've sold your human essence to the cold world of dead and empty things... You're SOLD!
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| lord artan Posts: 297 |
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| Uirapuru Liver Failure Posts: 2955  |
Well.. some very extreme opinions from both sides here... ''mediocre and boring'' to ''best album ever''. I found it surprisingly good. Althou I hate Angela's vocals, they are not so bad here, the rythm, timing and catchyness of the songs makes everything else sound better. This is the best AC album with Angela, surpassing Anthems Of Rebellion. But still far from my beloved Burning Bridges
----  ---- member of the true crusade against old school heavy metal, early 80s thrash, NWOBHM, traditional doom, first and second wave black metal, old school death metal, US power metal, 70s prog rock and atmospheric doomsludgestoner. o/
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| treptolemus aphotic_zoning Posts: 207  |
Well i think it's a combative let's say, release. I put the disc for a song, when i'm in the mood -then most of the time, i listen more than one. There's enough "hookstuff" in there. In this Shallow Grave recent favorite
---- \m/etalstor\m/
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| Dr. Strawberry Posts: 698  |
9.1 ? You must be kidding me. Armott bros' are totally in their own world, thinking how to out-perform other band members, their guitar work does not blend well with the vocalist's singing melodies at all ! What an awlful album.
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