Arch Enemy - Wages of Sin

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Free Music Notes for Wages of Sin

Free Music Review: Who says a woman can't do a man's job?
Hit: 5 Stars

But before I get into my thoughts on Angela, let me discuss this fantastic album. I've long been a fan of guitar duos that alternate lead and rhythm duties; that's why the Amott brothers (Christopher and Michael) are quickly becoming one of my favorite pairs. Their thrashy chops and harmonies weave together with ease, creating such ferocious guitar duties that would make any non-player want to pick up an axe (they sure have impacted me in that way!). Songs such as "Burning Angel" and "Shadows and Dust" are perfect examples of this. As well, they often have haunting, atmospheric notes that evoke dark, often emotional feels, such as the chorus to "Heart of Darkness" or the bridge in "Ravenous." And then they do solos...and those simply SHRED with bloody fury. Quite a powerful duo.

Bassist Sharlee d'Angelo really surprised me; instead of his talents being masked by the guitars and drums, his playing stands out prominently as he weaves in and out with his own fairly complex rhythms. Besides, to keep up with all of the crashing, erratic walls of sound, he HAS to be complex. One of my favorite of his performances is in the chorus to "Web of Lies."

Finally, drummer Peter Wildoer is just FANTASTIC. Heavy emphasis on double-bass pedals, yet not being a typically bombastic death metal drummer, he drives out thick, intricate rounds of battery that are rivaled (within this genre) only by the great Henry Ranta of Soilwork. Just about every track on this album features Peter's furious pummeling.

And then there's Angela Gossow; why do people even have any doubts about her talent? Granted, her voice isn't an uber-deep growl like Mikael Åkerfeldt (of Opeth), but what do you expect from a woman? Generally, the female voice is higher-toned than a males anyway. Angela flawlessly creates an insanely inhuman series of snarls, growls, and roars without strain or shortage of breath. To be a death metal vocalist takes a lot of talent, and Angela has that. And the fact that she's a beautiful woman makes things even more interesting! By no means has it been unheard of that a woman has fronted a furious metal band (just look at Crisis, or even Kittie - although the latter band sucks); it's just that upon the few times a woman does so, it is debatable as to her performance. On this album, WAGES OF SIN, Angela Gossow shows she is at the top of her game. And besides, how many other metal bands have been brave enough to have a woman replace a former frontman (other than The Gathering)? Not many. The fact that all four members of the band thought that Angela Gossow, out of all the MEN who probably tried out for the band, was a good replacement for Johan Liiva says a lot. So give the lady more respect; she is simply fantastic, and in part due to her touch, this album is one of the best and most original I have ever heard.

As well, this special edition of the album features a bonus disc and track. The bonus track, "Lament of a Mortal Soul," fits in well with the rest of the barrage of tracks, and the bonus disc, featuring hard-to-find/b-side/unreleased songs (featuring Johan Liiva, nonetheless!) is an excellent collector's item. In fact, it is all but two of Arch Enemy's rare songs! Talk about a good deal!

"I NEED YOUR FLESH!"

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