Record Exchange Boise

Reviews:

All right, let’s get it out of the way. Angela Gossow is officially deathmetal’s first pin up girl. But before the German metal chanteuse was draftedto replace departed Arch Enemy vocalist Johan Liiva, speculation abounded thatformer Carcass growler Jeff Walker would join the Arch Enemy ranks, reunitingwith one-time Carcass guitarist Mike Amott. That dream death metal reunion maynot have been realized, but considering Gossow’s debut performance on ArchEnemy’s fourth LP in the past six years, Wages of Sin, the Swedescouldn’t really have done any better. A surprising cross between the aforementionedWalker and late Death frontman Chuck Schuldiner, Gossow tears off ears withouta note of traditional clean signing.

But it’s ultimately the guitar tandem of brothers Chris and Mike Amottwho remain the focus here. Still perhaps a bit too metal for their own good,(their Yngwie-induced arpeggio spiraling out of hand on a number of occasions)but when they simplify things as on the straightforward and undeniably catchy“Ravenous” Arch Enemy sound like the best thing to happen to Swedishdeath metal since At the Gates. While elsewhere, “Heart of Darkness”and “Savage Messiah” both crawl around through the same dirt Carcasscovered themselves in with 1994’s misunderstood Heartwork record.

It’s not perfect, however. The band’s sickeningly sweet melodic approachto death metal frustrates, as they hesitate from truly raging at times. Andoccasionally, Gossow tries a little too hard to prove her mettle—and hermetal—with her forceful but overwrought growls. That’s something she’lllikely overcome next time around, now that we all know she’s not just anotherpretty face.