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15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Death metal with a woman's touch!, September 8, 2002
Arch Enemy have been in the forefront of the extreme metal genre for a few years now, and "Wages of Sin" should do a lot to solidify their standing. The band's mix of thrash, death, and melodic metal has perhaps never sounded so good. For "Wages of Sin," as is now well-known, Arch Enemy replaced their somewhat traditional-sounding death vocalist, Johan Liiva, with a woman (and a pretty cute one at that)named Angela Gossow. Fortunately, any doubts about Angela's ability to handle the job are dispelled within about one minute of the opening track. Johan was a solid vocalist, but Angela's vicious growling made me forget about him pretty quickly. Angela's voice does have that somewhat high female touch to it, but it matches the music perfectly, and I'd defy anyone who didn't know better to say that it was a woman handling the vocals. Ms. Gossow's presence notwithstanding, the focus here is, as on the band's previous triumphs "Stigmata" and "Burning Bridges," squarely on the guitars. And there's a very good reason for this emphasis: brothers Michael and Chris Ammott can bring the noise. The riffs are devastatingly precise, the harmonies are perfectly executed, and the solos blaze by faster than a Randy Johnson fastball. Another plus about this album that deserves mentioning is the bass. The bass wasn't quite as much of a presence on the previous two albums as I would've liked, but on "Wages of Sin" bassist Sharlee D'Angelo (who is also new to the band if I'm not mistaken) contributes fast, rumbling basslines that perfectly complement the intensity of the guitars. Daniel Erlandson's drumming, once again, is surgically precise; it isn't always prominent in the mix but it's always there. The only real reason I only gave this album a mere four stars is because the songs do tend to blend together for the most part. Still, when the songs are this good, that's a minor complaint. 4.5 stars.
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6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Lives Up To The Hype - Especially In Concert, September 24, 2002
I bought this album the day after I saw Arch Enemy come through Milwaukee, Wisconsin for the fifteenth (or was it sixteenth?) annual Metalfest. The crowd went absolutely crazy during their performance, and it was the first time I had ever seen the band live (or heard an entire set of their music, for that matter). It was honestly some phenomenal material. I was unaware that they had changed their vocalist to a woman, so I didn't even immediately recognize them after they came on stage. For a few years now I had heard good things about this band, but had never actually gotten around to purchasing any of their material. I can honestly say that I've been missing out on a lot of great music by these guys. Their reputation is well earned, and any metalhead should respect this album. Some people complain about the difference (which is relatively slight) between the old vocalist Johan and the new vocalist Angela, but both vocalists fit the music very well. (And hey, at least it's not as severe as when Sepultura picked up David Green after Max left the band!)I think in my case, and in the case of just about any new fan of Arch Enemy, this album is wonderful, especially if you get your hands on the double-disc copy. That way you can compare some of the great stuff they have now to other tunes the band played when they had their old vocalist. The music videos included are also well produced. I had heard a lot of hype about this album at Metalfest, and after I heard the band in concert I knew that the studio produced material must be incredible - and I was right. From start to finish this album is thunderous and keeps a handle on its own originality and feel. Not a single song disappointed me, and I've been a metal fan for over a decade and was also a DJ in Nashville, Tennessee for the underground metal scene during my four year stay there. So I think it's fair for me to think that my opinion means something to you readers. "Wages of Sin" is a great, upbeat, killer album that still maintains the band's reputation for progressive guitar work and musicianship while knowing how to bring the house down at the same time. Check this disc out if you like the heavy stuff. You won't be disappointed.
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10 of 12 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Arch Enemy Is Great!, October 22, 2002
First of all, I would like to say that anyone who thinks this album isn't very good is wrong. I own many death, black, thrash, and power metal albums and I don't just mean like 25 or so, I mean a lot more, and I know when I hear a good band. This album is excellent. I'll admit, some songs can seem the same, but there are some bands that absolutely sound all the same. Not only that, but the vocals are quite good. I really respect the fact that the vocalist is a female. It is extremely hard for any woman to get into a metal band because some stupid men have to feel like their manhood is threatened by her. Personally, I think it just shows how weak those men can be. She may not be the best, but she is pretty good. Not only that, but the guitarists have been around for a while and you can definately hear it. It takes real talent to play as good as them. Another great feature on this album is the extra cd and the bonus video-track. For anyone who is willing to appreciate real metal, I say you should at least give this one a chance. Believe me, I was skeptical at first too, but I'm glad I gave it a try.
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by Arch Enemy 
