The Press Release:
Sweden’s iconic rock/metal titans OPETH will return to North America this fall for a tour with fellow masters of prog-metal MASTODON. Announced today, the bands will embark with special opening guests ZEAL & ARDOR on a two-week tour kicking off in Asheville, NC on November 16th and wrapping in Denver, CO on December 5th.
Artist: Arch Enemy Title: “Tyrants of the Rising Sun: Live in Japan” Label: Century Media Records Release Date: 11/24/2008 Genre: Melodic Death Metal Rating: 4/5
While I am not sure of the rationale behind the release of another live Arch Enemy live DVD only two short years after their “Live Apocalypse” edition, I am hesitant to complain because when it comes down to it, Arch Enemy is one of those bands who continually seem to deliver the goods for the Metal legions. This time around we find the band performing in front of a “Ravenous” Japanese fan base and you must pardon the obvious pun using the bands own song. As most Metal heads know – the Japanese really take their music seriously when they believe in a band and we saw this very long ago with the likes of both KISS and Cheap Trick along with countless others. From this film we see that their love of the mighty Arch Enemy is caught very early for the observing eye and the crowd seems to absorb every tune with delight as the band delivers not only classic material from their back catalog but also offers up some of their new greatness from “Rise Of The Tyrant”. While I had questioned the relevance of another live DVD in the opening of this piece, when one considers that this is the first tour that found the returning Amott brother back in action then it is a no brainer to capture more attention for this great event. Arch Enemy fans or those who just follow the Metal might remember that the guitarist had left the group to pursue other interests and once he had finished with them decided to return. He was replaced for a time by Fredrik Akesson who did an incredible job and now with his return was no longer needed by the group. I wouldn’t worry too much about him because he is working in Opeth now and doing a stand up job over in that camp because he is very clearly an incredible player for the more Melodic styled Death Metal. Thank you for your contributions to Arch Enemy sir, you were a great addition to the lineup. Continue reading “Tyrants of the Rising Sun: Live in Japan” by Arch Enemy→
Artist: Opeth Title: “Watershed” Label: Roadrunner Records Release Date: 6/3/2008 Genre: Progressive Death Metal Rating: 5/5
When Opeth first signed to Roadrunner Records there was scuttlebutt about the label interfering with the bands creative vision and ruining it for everyone as a result but despite this kind of talk the band gave us “Ghost Reveries” which was a stunning release. It was an album that presented new worlds of heaviness meets progginess to their fans and found them reaching for higher ground in terms of musical quality. The response that the release earned them made many wonder how the band could possibly hope to follow up the album and have the output be as good or impact the genre as much as this one had done and when you place “Watershed” in your CD player you will be happy to discover that the group has surpassed all expectations with flying colors. Such seems to be the common practice with a band like Opeth for they can never be referred to as a band of predictability or following the acceptable standard and instead make great strides in their material with each and every release. They are a band that has become as important to the Death Metal genre as Rush had become to the Progressive Rock genre so many decades ago. That being said, the scene and its ever changing geography are in excellent hands. Continue reading “Watershed” by Opeth→
