Arch Enemy - The Root of All Evil

Title: The Root of All Evil
Artist: Arch Enemy
Genre: Melodic Death Metal
Release Date: 25th September 2009
Label: Century Media Records



Album Review

ARCH ENEMY has come a long way. Formed in 1996, these Swedish metal goers have taken their homeland, of Halmstad, Sweden and turned it upside down. Vocalist Angela Gossow has taken the meaning of their music (Melodic Death Metal) to a whole new level with their lyrical themes (anti-religion, rebellion, society) not being so far behind. Michael Amott (guitars), Christopher Amott (gGuitars), Sharlee D'Angelo (Charles Peter Andreason - bass) together with Daniel Erlandsson on the drums dish out their latest achievement ‘The Root of All Evil’. It may be the band's eighth LP but it isn't considered "new" material as it may assume. This featured accomplishment is indeed a re-recorded version of songs taken from their first three albums (‘Black Earth’, ‘Stigmata’ and ‘Burning Bridges’). The album itself was produced by the band mates themselves and mixed / mastered by Andy Sneap.

But when it narrows down to the music itself we get thrown with 13-tracks and here is the basic break-down... Opening up with the brief intro of the title track, it takes us directly into the past creations with ‘Beast of Man’ given that old time’s vibration back to life. Angela with no doubt has the vocal abilities impacted not alone; the instruments back her up but listening to a re-recorded tune just doesn’t cut it. If we’ve heard it once, the point of re-doing it to begin with is unnecessary. Aside from track 2, tracks 4 and 13 are re-recorded versions taken from ‘Stigmata’ whereas the rest of the album pretty much displays the same routine taking tracks 3,5,7,9 and 12 from the ‘Burning Bridges’ and tracks 6,8,10 and 11 from ‘Black Earth’. Again you have to re-listen to something already heard and that doesn’t really stand its grounds when it comes to this recording.

The quality remains to the same perhaps a little heavier here and there, instrumentally speaking. Vocal-wise, it is always a plus feature which those without a doubt stick out and bring on those intense vibrations that push the music over the edge. But when it’s all said and done, what does ‘The Roof of All Evil’ summer down to? Pretty much a blast from the past that did not to be repeated once in the past let it remain in the past not needing to be resurrected in any way possible.


Tracklist

01. The Root of All Evil (Intro)
02. Beast of Man
03. The Immortal
04. Diva Satanica
05. Demonic Science
06. Bury Me an Angel
07. Dead Inside
08. Dark Insanity
09. Pilgrim
10. Demoniality (Instrumental)
11. Transmigration Macabre
12. Silverwing
13. Bridge Of Destiny


Line-up

Angela Gossow
Michael Amott
Christopher Amott
Sharlee D'Angelo
Daniel Erlandsson


Website

http://www.archenemy.net/ / http://www.myspace.com/archenemy


Cover Picture