Disco de Arch Enemy: “Rise of the Tyrant”

Certainly not.

Arch Enemy has a great deal to offer and, while this album is a solid effort, it lacks a certain amount of enthusiasm showcased in their other material. For those looking to get into Arch Enemy, I'd start with something else. Consider Wages of Sin. If you're already a fan, though, this album is certainly worth having.

Arch Enemy has long been one of the banner waving Metal bands on the front lines bringing in new fans to the scene. Gaining popularity through having one of the most brutal lead vocalist's of the female gender and of course the ripping duel guitars we all love and adore. That said this album was possibly one of my biggest let downs of 2007.

Don't get me wrong the album is heavier then ever and their are a couple good tracks here and there but comparing this to Doomsday Machine, its a huge step back for the band.

First is the obvious change in the vocal department. Angela Gossgow has become an icon in the metal industry as easily one of (if not the) most talented female vocalists on the scene. Her style on Dommsday Machine was flawless and mixed well with the brooding, fast paced and brutal tracks. The obvious change is AE decided to not use all the special effects and it truly hurt the depth of her vocals. I want back the echo's and the creepy voice over voice screams and all that good stuff. I truly can see now after listening to Rise of the Tyrant that the sound effects used on Doomsday helped add depth and atmosphere to the tracks and give AE their own sound.

The guitars as per usual with AE have some intense moments but yet again comparing the guitars on ROTT to those on Doomsday, its yet another step back for the band. Their are a few solos here and their that I enjoyed but nothing that truly grabbed my intrest to want to hear it over and over like many of the solo's on Doomsday did. Their are some quality riffs but yet again nothing drasticly original and far from being a step forward from Doomsday.

Without beating around the bush, I don't like this new direction what-so-ever. I felt as though each track sounded to much the same and didn't really bring anything new to the table. Unless Arch Enemy bring back the dark atmosphere they so flawlessly captured on Doomsday Machine I truly feel they will alienate me and many others as fans. It's truly sad to see such a great band release something so bland and unoriginal. Thanks for reading and I insist you comment with your opinions, all comments WILL be answered.

I strongly condone purchasing

rather then Rise of the Tyrant. New fans I advise staying clear of this album until you've heard more of the rest of Arch Enemy's discography. Thanks again for reading and please vote whether this helped you or not.

-A Metal Lover

My favorite arch enemy up until this release was Burning Bridges. I like their stuff before and the stuff after but to me BB was perfect; they nailed everything on that record: the melodies, the solos, the vocals, everything was perfect and spot on and I doubt they would ever surpass it. I never had a problem with Gossow; I don't think her vocals are as great as johan's but they are still pretty solid. The records with her (up until this point) were great release but each one was missing something: wages of sin was too long winded and after about track seven, i fell asleep. Athems of Rebellion was a little too dumb downed in places and like a lot of aggression. doomsday machine was heavy and often scary in places but there was a certain edge that it didn't have and her vocals also sounded over processed and fake. after DM, i was ready for gossow to leave.

Enter rise of the tyrant: the bands best record to date. While she still doesn't have the greatest rang (yes you can have range with growls), she sounds infinitely more confident this time around and she seems to scream, growl, and yell from the gut this time rather than letting the studio hide her true power.

The drumming, while still not too spectacular, is a lot more intricate and interesting this time around. Most importantly, the ammott brothers are back in full game. Solid, heavy, riffs mixed with rapid fire fretting speed are displayed here on full force and the melodies once again mix effortlessly with the dark heaviness. The solos are, of course, out of this world as are the duel melodies.

Arch Enemy has reawakened from a slumber they have been in since they have recruited gossow and they are all the better for it. They are back full forth and nothing will stop them. Congrats, guys (and girl).

Picked this up because I was going to see them open up for Machine Head and Trivium but never really listend to any of their stuff before. Picked up this one and Doomsday Machine and holy sh@t, what a brilliant surprise. This album (and doomsday) rock. I had to to a double take when I first heard the singing and who their singer was. I don't usually care for female singers with my metal, it tends to sound like opera over metal, or over sappy goth. But she can really belt it out. Even if you strip away vocals, you've got some incredible guitar work going on too. Bottom line, if you like Devil Driver, InFlames or 3 inches of blood, I think you'll really going to enjoy this CD.

This album permanantly placed Arch Enemy in my top ten metal bands, with its continuation of rockin' melodic guitars, brutal riffs, evil vocals, and pounding rhythms. Michael Amott has built one of the best of the new wave of extreme metal groups here, and with this album, has almost propelled them into the mainstream, despite the brutal death metal tendencies. Just about anyone who knows anything about modern heavy metal knows Arch Enemy is one of the better bands out there, along with Chimaira, Lamb of God, In Flames, Shadows Fall, and Children of Bodom. This release easily lives up to any of the recent heavy metal CD's, including, if not surpassing offerings from Slipknot, Disturbed, and even the mighty Metallica.

It instantaneously kills with Blood On Your Hands, then somehow picks it up with The Last Enemy. I Will Live Again, and In This Shallow Grave continue the assault, leaving you absolutely pummeled by the middle of the album with this classic Swedish Melodic Death Metal masterpiece.

Rise of The Tyrant continues the brutallity, all the while containing the classic metal influences, and delivering one of the best songs of the album.

Angela Gossow continues to prove women have a place in extreme metal with this album, delivering possibly her most vicious outing to date, albiet during one of the Arch Enemy's most melodic releases. Rise of The Tyrant is definately a must have for fans of modern heavy metal, especially fans of Melodic Death Metal. This may be the best CD Arch Enemy has made, or at least close to it, just behind Wages of Sin.

The thing I like the most about this band, is that while they play a brutally precise death metal, they also rock it, with a terrific dual guitar attack, paying homage to the great ones such as Judas Priest, and Iron Maiden. If you like death metal bands to have that edge, Arch Enemy may be the band for you. Check them out.