Customer Reviews

The Root of All Evil

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

There seems to be some controversy with bands re-recording their old music. To the fans, it's either some cash-in attempt, or the group is supposedly ruining the legacy of their old music (because of the musicians that performed in the band back when the music was first written). Some have had it out for bands that do it, whether it's Exodus redoing Bonded By Blood with Let There Be Blood (because they feel that they're tarnishing the legecy of the late Paul Baloff), or Anthrax redoing some of their classics with The Greater Of Two Evils (because some felt that the newer lineup couldn't do the songs justice). Whatever the case, it's a pretty risky move re-recording classics. Especially when your band is Arch Enemy. There's three kinds of Arch Enemy fans: the ones that prefer the older AE with Johan Liiva on vocals and can't get past the fact that he was replaced by a female (Angela Gossow), the fans that prefer Angela as the band's vocalist and can't stand Johan's vocal style, and the ones that will listen to both (like myself). Here we have The Root Of All Evil, a compilation of songs from the band's first three albums: Black Earth, Stigmata, and Burning Bridges. There's already a lot of hate going around about this release, especially from the fans of the first three albums. Listen, the band didn't do this to cash-in or try to replace the classics, and I'm pretty sure that they've not run out of ideas (as they preparing to record new music in 2010). Why did they do this? Simply put: because the fans wanted it....and that's straight from Michael Amott himself, you can read about it in an interview online somewhere.

Anyway, don't pass judgment on this so soon. If you're too close-minded to bother with this, then don't. AE aren't trying to replace the classics with this, this is a tribute to them, and it's also for the newer fans that haven't seen the current lineup perform these songs live and want an idea of how awesome they would sound, and this cd shows it. The albums had great production quality as they were produced by Fredrik Nordström (Dark Tranquillity, In Flames). They kept it simple this time: producing it themselves with longtime friend, collaborator, and legendary producer Andy Sneap (Machine Head, Megadeth, Exodus) mixing & mastering. Everything about this record sounds perfect. Whether you're a fan of either vocalist's style, or both, you should give this cd a shot.

My CD player will never be the same. As we speak, I'm sure it has been reduced to a mass of smoldering wires and molten plastic.

Arch Enemy has put together a killer of a release with The Root of all Evil. I don't believe any of the songs on this were re-recorded for the love of money, if you'll forgive the biblical expression. This album is a compilation of songs from early AE albums Black Earth, Stigmata, and Burning Bridges, but to call this album a compilation is doing it a great injustice.

No one blends thrash and death metal musical styles as well as Arch Enemy. Simply put, I have not been able to find a flaw in this album, and believe me, I have tried. The production is impeccable. Angela Gossow's vocals are even more venomous, and noticeably so. The Amott brothers shred the backing with a full-on assault of musical power. Daniel Erlandsson's drumming is of fine quality, and Sharlee's bass bellows beneath the surface.

I think I have a new favorite AE album, if only my CD player can recover.

Buy this. You'll love it. Classic AE! The Root of all Evil gets 4.75/5 stars.

I'm seeing a lot of negative reviews for this album, but I believe something different is at work here. Please read on.

I've been a fan of Arch Enemy since the Burning Bridges days. I caught their very first U.S. performance, which was in Waunakee, Wisconsin of all places (I figured they would start on the east coast and work their way west), opening for Nevermore on their Dreaming Neon Black tour. I think my girlfriend at the time and I were the only ones standing at the gate screaming with horns up . . . many of those present were locals who didn't understand the greatness they were witnessing. Followed the tour to Milwaukee for seconds the next night. I was on the email list and received word of Angela Gossow's induction into the band. I remember that Mike & Company teased us with sound samples and commented: "soon we'll reveal the one behind the vocals." Along with the rest of the world, my jaw dropped as I learned that it was noneother than . . . the very beautiful Angela Gossow! What a treat! And I remember sending Angela an email to express my congratulations to her and my anticipation of hearing everything to come with her in the band. The down to earth and friendly person she is, she sent me a very nice reply. AE are not only incredibly musicians, they're a great bunch.

There, those are my AE credentials. LOL.

Let's not forget that all the material on this album is over 10 years old, and my experience is that it has been a rarity to hear this material played live anymore. I very much missed stomping along to such favorites as Dead Inside or Pilgrim. While I would have loved to see a re-make of my personal favorites: Eureka and Idolatress, I suppose the band had to draw a line at some point - they can't remake everything, LOL.

I give 4 stars and not 5 because I too would prefer to hear new material. That said, I would never give this album a BAD rating because - as I said above - I think there is somethign at work here.

When Angela came into the band, she had big shoes to fill. AE was still in its "younger" stages and still carving out its niche. 10 years later, AE has grown. I believe this album is a re-interpretation of its older material, as viewed through the eyes of its more experienced band members, and mixing in Angela's vocal style to the overall product. In a sense, this album strikes me as almost therapeutic to the band - a way of connecting Angela to its very roots.

I agree with a few of the comments that have pointed out that some of the songs have lost a little bit of "edge." Well, again, lets not forget that the band undoubtedly sees the world and appreciates music differently than it did 10 years ago. Music, like people, has to evolve and grow. Music should not be a constant, it SHOULD be organic, and I believe that many of the previous reviewers should give this album another try, with "fresh" ears. Try to appreciate it for what it stands for, not for what the originals stood for.

I sincerely hope that AE is using this album to re-visit its roots and warm up its chops in preparation to BLOW US AWAY with a new album in the coming months!

I suppose most people know the history behind this release. Arch Enemy was always one of the better Swedish melodic death metal bands, but it wasn't until they hired a female vocalist (one Angela Gossow, a rarity in a male-dominated genre) that they really received mainstream attention. It didn't hurt that Gossow could belt out throat-shredding growls with the best of her male counterparts. Anyway, several albums into their career with Gossow, the band has decided to revisit some of the songs from the early Arch Enemy albums - Black Earth, Stigmata and Burning Bridges - that featured Johann Liiva on vocals, this time with Gossow singing.

I'm sure this will seem like sacrilege to the old school Arch Enemy fans that can't get into the band's second incarnation, but I think the band struck the right tone with The Root of All Evil (though Anthrax beat them to the punch with their similarly titled and identically themed The Greater of Two Evils). They're not trying to airbrush history. If that were the case I doubt they would have agreed to such elaborate reissues of Stigmata and Burning Bridges earlier this year. They're simply giving fans a chance to hear studio versions of some of the old songs with the current lineup - not to mention more modern technology and production values. Having Fredrik Nordstrom (Dark Tranquillity, In Flames) producing and Andy Sneap (Nevermore, Testament) mixing and mastering the album doesn't hurt either.

As I expected, the songs all sound great. I'm a fan of both versions of Arch Enemy, so I was really looking forward to this album. Gossow sounds amazing as always, and the band does their part to breathe new life into these old songs. I still prefer the original versions, but it's still cool to hear these remakes. I was a little disappointed that they didn't include new versions of "Sinister Mephisto" and "Burning Bridges", as those are probably my favorites from the Liiva era.

For those who think the Liiva albums are the only Arch Enemy albums worth owning, The Root of All Evil is not going to change your mind. Those who only enjoy the Gossow albums will hopefully look at these older songs in a new light, and will maybe even go back and check out the original albums. Arch Enemy fans that enjoy both eras of the band's history are the ones who will get the most out of this release.

I'm new to Arch Enemy so I'm getting caught up on their material. I didn't realize that this was a re-recording of early material when I bought it. Now, I have no problem with bands re-recording old material, especially of the original production was lacking. The fact that this is early material may explain, however, why the songs don't seem as good. It's not bad, don't get me wrong, but my point of reference was my first AE purchase, "Rise of the Tyrant," which blew me away. Still, even weak material from AE is better than what most of these "extreme metal" bands can do.

I would have given this 3.5 or 4 stars but, since, it isn't new material, it has to take a small hit in my book.

Still:

Recommended.

One of the greatest slabs of metal ever produced. I have all of their previous releses, and was floored when I heard they were re-recording an amazing list of older material. Everyone in the band is firing on all pistons, and the production is OUT OF THIS WORLD! If you even have a passing interest in melodic death metal, you would be doing yourself a great disservice by not buying this album right now, and working your way back through their back catalogue.

This album is really a fantasitc listening experience, sonically brutal- and the excellent production is only equaled by the players performances.
I really can't put into words just how good this is- just buy it, you'll LOVE it.

More bands should rerecord there older music. Sound quality is so much better now than it was 10 years ago. I have arch enemy's first three albums and this is worth every penny. Imagine all those amazing solos in high quality sound.

Arch Enemy need to hire some 90s grunge band to swipe the stage after they are done-they give it all live and someone needs to clean up all the sweat! Their technique is avant-garde and the guitarists just shred like there is no tomorrow. TROAE will make your metal senses tingle-go for it!!!

With "The Root Of All Evil", it's out - I'm not the world's greatest Arch Enemy fan. Nor am I the most casual one either, I'm somewhere in between. That means I've never heard the first three albums, Black Earth, Stigmata and Burning Bridges. I hadn't heard of (and just wasn't interested in) the band when Angela Gossow wasn't part of the equation. So this review is coming from someone who has no frame of reference to compare to (except for "Diva Satanica" on Wages of Sin, or the live performances of said songs).

"The Root Of All Evil" has all the elements you could want out of an Arch Enemy album - after all, it's the sound that defined them and launched their career. Daniel's thumping drums, Mike and Chris' prideful and crescending solos - and when you add Angela's vicious vocals on top of that, you know what to expect. It has the drive and the power, and sounds absolutely 100% Arch Enemy - technically, it's all there. But when you put together a collection of songs from three previous albums (that came out before the turn of the millenium), it doesn't provide a cohesive and mindblowing listening experience like Rise of the Tyrant. The connecting thread isn't the melodies or themes, but rather "songs you might've heard before (if only once or twice)". That's not saying that this is a bad album, on the contrary - only that it will rock you without surprises, that there's no exploration of new territory. But I'll be damned if it isn't a nice gift to us "new" fans that won't last long without Angela's voice doing the shrieking.

(This version comes in a neat little mediabook with a white cover and a "pure f-ing metal"-patch, as well as three bonus tracks from the Live Apocalypse DVD, which I think is a shame - this would've been the perfect place to throw in their rare cover of Kiss' "The Oath", or even repeat "Walk In The Shadows" for those who never got the "Revolution Begins"-single).