Written by Nemesis7575 on 27.01.2013 at 05:12

Perhaps it is your taste in music that is bad.

Definitely this.

Written by Nemesis7575 on 27.01.2013 at 05:12

Perhaps it is your taste in music that is bad. They are the ONLY band i listen that i find every song, every album, every riff amazing! Michael Amott is a musical genius. All the "experimental and technical" stuff on the market is crap.
I like alot of metal but there's no one that's been as consistent at putting out good material as Arch Enemy. No one!

Arch Enemy have been writing the same album for over a decade now, only it gets more and more watered down with sugary saccharine and sickly sweet melodies. They may be consistent but they're anything but good in recent times.

Written by Boxcar Willy on 18.03.2014 at 05:05

Definitely this.

You just made me quote someone from over a year ago thinking it was a new comment. Thanks.

Written by [user id=4365] on 18.03.2014 at 12:45

Written by Boxcar Willy on 18.03.2014 at 05:05

Definitely this.

You just made me quote someone from over a year ago thinking it was a new comment. Thanks.

My bad haha, I hardly ever look at post dates.

Written by deadone on 19.03.2014 at 01:04

I think a lot of bands are in this boat these days - e.g. Kataklysm, Amon Amarth, Devil Driver, Soulfly, Evile etc etc and pretty much anything major label Power Metal.

It's wierd that there is no evolution at all especially with Kataklysm and Soulfly who changed a lot in the past.

Even Cannibal Corpse display more evolution over time than a lot of less extreme bands,

I have a conspiracy theory though:

The labels are actively pushing bands to fit into certain pre-established niches.

In the past bands evolving or changing has resulted in bad commercial results for the labels with fans refusing to buy new stuff from bands that have changed.

Hence the labels want to maximise revenue and direct the band to stay in a holding pattern soundwise in order to create a specific niche.


The labels often have a massive influence on bands - I remember guys from Carcass talking about how at one Earache meeting the execs were discussing how some extreme band improved their marketability by hiring a stylist.

And you do occassionally get other snippets in interviews that highlight label influence when bands talk about "how the label was great in terms of support but not trying to influence the artistic direction."

That bands think it noteworthy to mention lack of label interference seems to imply heavy interference most of the time.

Possibly. It's hard, if not impossible, to know for sure. It's seems there's 4 roads bands go down: Stay the same: accused of repetition / not evolving and receive poor critical reception (Arch Enemy); stay the same: get called consistent, still considered good (Bolt Thrower); evolve toward the mainstream: become disliked (Metallica); evolve into something else and / or something heavier, results vary (Enslaved: good, !T.O.O.H.!: bad).

Written by [user id=4365] on 19.03.2014 at 06:40

Possibly. It's hard, if not impossible, to know for sure. It's seems there's 4 roads bands go down: Stay the same: accused of repetition / not evolving and receive poor critical reception (Arch Enemy); stay the same: get called consistent, still considered good (Bolt Thrower); evolve toward the mainstream: become disliked (Metallica); evolve into something else and / or something heavier, results vary (Enslaved: good, !T.O.O.H.!: bad).

And it's kinda weird that no matter what road they choose, music fans who are dissatisfied are accused of "not understanding" the band.

Written by deadone on 21.03.2014 at 00:21

Mind you I don't see the point of following bands who haven't done an album I liked in ages.
I actually learned this from bands like Metallica and In Flames both of whom changed into something I didn't like.
But why bitch about ReLoad not being Master of Puppets Mk II or Sound of a Playground Fading not being Jester Race Mk II?
Instead I ignore the albums I don't like and stick with the ones I do. Helps keep the stress levels down!

I don't bitch that much, either. Instead, I just feel that even if you respect their "new" identity, you really wouldn't consider their output as "extraordinary" within the framework they were hoping to instill. Not much to say on Arch Enemy's case, though. I feel as if it's enjoyable for a gig or two, to lose yourself to live music.