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September 7, 2008 |
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01. Enter The Machine
02. Taking Back My Soul
03. Nemesis
04. My Apocalypse
05. Carry The Cross
06. I Am Legend/Out For Blood
07. Skeleton Dance
08. Hybrids Of Steel
09. Mechanic God Creation
10. Machtkampf
11. Slaves Of Yesterday
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Whew! ARCH ENEMY (Angela Gossow/vox, Michael Amott/guitars, Christopher Amott/guitars, Sharlee D'Angelo/bass, and Daniel Erlandsson/drums) are back and they didn't drop the ball! I know...I know...how could I think that such an esteemed Metal entity as the AE beast could come up short? Well, generally I wouldn't. To be honest though, previous effort 'Anthems Of Rebellion' just didn't 'do it' for this scribe. Against my better judgment I just couldn't help but feel that 'Anthems Of Rebellion' represented a conscious effort by the band to tow the Nu/Metalcore line. Why? Probably due to something subtle, yet very tangible in regards to how the arrangements were put together; i.e. the - IMO - greater reliance upon 'Core-ish', 'chugga-chugga' riff structures/breakdowns, and a general vibe of very typical, 'Modern' Metal suburban-style angst and wallet-chain-railing-against-the-heavens that again, to my ears at least seemed to pervade the recording with a very obviously insinuated
'If this doesn't sell bucket loads and get us on MTV alongside SLIPKNOT and MUDVAYNE nothing will!' intent. Hell, even the expected flurry of Amott Bros.' leads seemed to have been placed on the backburner in favour of a more synthetic and generic approach to the guitar tracks. Oh well. That was my take at any rate. What the hell do I know about anything? Either way, I believe it DID still sell bucketloads relative to their back catalogue, and DID play a large part in getting the band on regular video circulation without causing much in the way of accusations of 'Sellout!' either. Go figure. They certainly still kicked ass live on the ensuing tour...I'll say that much.
But whatever. This isn't supposed to be a platform for me to bitch and nitpick about last year's albums. This is about 'Doomsday Machine', and rest assured loyal readers...it's definitely omega zero hour with this one! The day of doom is nigh! This is ARCH ENEMY firing on all cylinders, roaring full-tilt into your psyche, no quarter asked and none given! Right off the bat one senses that all is right with the world as this 'Machine' clicks and whirrs to ominous life with the opening salvo of intro track 'Enter the Machine', a glorious, slowly-building piece constructed around a shimmering tower of classic, melodic Amott leadwork easily among the best that they've written to date. From here the band fires into 'Metal juggernaut' mode with the fury of 'Taking Back My Soul', and 'Nemesis'. From here other highlights would have to include riff-monster 'I Am Legend/Out For Blood', 'Skeleton Dance', ornate instrumental 'Hybrids Of Steel', and...and...aahhh who am I kidding!?!
This whole bloody thing is just great! And the shredding brothers Amott aren't the only players on fire here either. Despite much bickering Metalhead debating since her controversial appearance at the mike-stand back on 'Wages Of Sin', Ms. Gossow has proven herself an admirable vocalist of undeniable prowess. Hell, she's certainly in it for the long haul, now three albums deep and counting. Having witnessed this current incarnation of AE live twice now, it's painfully obvious that she was the perfect choice to fill Johan Liiva's black workboots. Her work on 'Doomsday Machine' is no exception (including noticeably growing writing credits to boot). To put it bluntly, this chick can growl 'n roar with the best of 'em! God help any future progeny of hers if they don't get their asses in for dinner after the first call from the kitchen window!
If I had to offer comparatives of any sort as to what AE sound like these days I honestly don't think I could be any more accurate than to say that they have on 'Doomsday Machine' managed to successfully combine both the glinting-frost melodic aggression of the Swedish Gothenburg scene with the six-string technical prowess of latter-years MEGADETH (more specifically 'Symphony Of Destruction'/'Youthanasia'-era 'DETH). I mean, AE have obviously always been about the guitarwork, but that obvious, Mustaine-influenced flair that Mike and Chris are in possession of just really shines through so well on this album that IMO it can't help but drive the songs a notch or two higher than on the previous release wherein I felt the guitar intricacies had taken something of a backseat to a sort of general sonic 'aggression' that frankly IMO permeates far too much modern Metal these days. Not the case with AE. Here we're back to what made this band great in the first place.
This is an important move on AE's part as well, in that it marks a crucial career point for a band who could have easily taken the road most traveled and opted for a more commercially viable Nu/Core sound instead. Not AE. Nope. Here it's all about the majesty of the riff, an astounding array of dazzling leads and solos, and the unforgiving assault of Heavy Metal battery. If anything, AE have harked back to their roots on this album, reworking and revitalizing the musical philosophy of albums such as 'Stigmata' and 'Burning Bridges' into a new-millennial context that will doubtless bludgeon both old and new listeners alike into drop-jawed submission. Not just another Swedish AT THE GATES ripoff, nor a debateable sellout(???) as many have accused IN FLAMES of becoming (not my personal opinion) AE are a band with their own sound and their own image who rather than follow trends, choose to create them instead. That's conviction right there, folks.
These guys are poised for greatness on their own terms. I can feel it. Think I'm b**lls****ing you? Listen to 'Doomsday Machine' and prepare to be annihilated. Once again: The day of doom is upon us!
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