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Easily their best album

I saw some interviews with Alissa White-Gluz and I really didn't like her. I can be objective though and just listen to the album. I have never been a fan of Arch Enemy anyway so I don't expect that to change regardless of the singer.

[quote="Nickelback666"]Easily their best album[/quote]

Surely you jest?

I must wholeheartedly concur with the first post. None of their earlier albums even comes close. Each and every song on this album is a hit...catchy, incredible riffs, solos to die for, melodic, excellent vocals...I have been listening non-stop for two weeks now. I was worried I'm gonna grow sick of it, but every day I return to this album...so far album of the year!

Just got the album recently and after a couple of spins i have to say this is as generic as melodeath can get. Not saying it's bad just nothing really stands out. Amott has been doing these kinds of slick riffs for years now but along his way he kind of lost his creativity. the past few albums have been carbon copies of slick well produced slabs of melodeath, but it's totally lacking in heart and creativity. The last album of theirs that really grabbed me was Wages of Sins. Unless your new to this genre, this album will bring you nothing interesting and new to the table. To me this deserves nothing higher than a 70% rating...

I've enjoyed everything Arch Enemy has released, I'm particularly fond of the run from Doomsday Machine through Khaos Legions. When I heard that Angela was departing I really thought Arch Enemy would lose their way somehow but Alissa has done a remarkable job taking over for Angela. The band sounds sharp. Michael is writing some of his best stuff which makes all of us AE fans very happy. I'm not much for bands reinventing themselves or the genre in which they play. I have an expectation for how Arch Enemy are supposed to sound so I'm thrilled with War Eternal. Is it their best so far? I think It may be as close as Arch Enemy is going to get to perfection. There isn't a bad track on the album IMO.

[quote="grandbazaar"]Just got the album recently and after a couple of spins i have to say this is as generic as melodeath can get. Not saying it's bad just nothing really stands out. Amott has been doing these kinds of slick riffs for years now but along his way he kind of lost his creativity. the past few albums have been carbon copies of slick well produced slabs of melodeath, but it's totally lacking in heart and creativity. The last album of theirs that really grabbed me was Wages of Sins. Unless your new to this genre, this album will bring you nothing interesting and new to the table. To me this deserves nothing higher than a 70% rating...[/quote]

I think the problem is your mentality. I'm frankly tired of people losing their energy and enthusiasm for music and every album they listen to is mediocre. Bands can't win with fans like this. The band puts out something they believe to be really great and that they put everything into it, but the fans haven't kept up and now it's the band's fault that they their audience isn't connecting to them. Nevermore's latest album fell victim to this. Terrific material with asshole fans that can't be made happy.

[quote="Adveser"]
I think the problem is your mentality. I'm frankly tired of people losing their energy and enthusiasm for music and every album they listen to is mediocre. Bands can't win with fans like this. The band puts out something they believe to be really great and that they put everything into it, but the fans haven't kept up and now it's the band's fault that they their audience isn't connecting to them. Nevermore's latest album fell victim to this. Terrific material with asshole fans that can't be made happy.
[/quote]

Great... now you're offended because I'm giving my opinion. Give me a break and get off your high horse. There is no reason to get nasty. I listen to all sorts of music and I've seen bands evolve nicely and others sticking to their style by slightly tweaking it successfully through the years. Arch Enemy has done absolutely nothing new since Doomsday Machine and I'm simply calling them out on it. They are totally in a rut and I find it disappointing. It's time to introduce some new ideas to the same old formula, mix it up a bit. I'm not asking for a total re haul or change, just some signs of growth.
When I give my opinion in a respectful manner, I expect differing opinions to be as respectful. Time to grow up. Oh, and assuming that I find every album I listen to mediocre, couldn't be further from the truth. There are plenty of bands that are creative and soulful enough to grab my attention. Insomnium, Epica and Novembers Doom are just a few which will certainly make my top 10 for 2014. Melodeath by the numbers just doesn't cut it anymore.

Adveser, get out of here, Nevermore's last album was insipid, when I heard it I expected an imminent band breakup. In no way was it the same band creatively as they were for This Godless Endeavor.

Oh and Grandbazaar is right about Arch Enemy too, you make more sense when you spew insanity.

I also agree with Bazaar. I haven't listened to Arch Enemy in many ages. But as memory serves, they haven't done anything interesting since Wages of Sin. Extremely formulatic music that does not hold any place for the generation of new ideas. I wouldn't waste a minute of my time on AE's music as there is vastly more interesting melodic death metal out there. Although I don't listen to the genre anymore, AE's music does not invite someone like me, which has lost interest in the genre, peaking my interest again.

I'm not offended my man and I didn't mean any offense and didn't mean for it to be taken as a projection on your tastes. I barely know you and one comment on one album hardly justifies a sweeping generalization on my part. I'm saying your post is a microcosm of the attitude a lot of people have. They have great times at one point and then years down the road, they don't find that the same music is as satisfying and tend to blame the genres or bands. I experience things the opposite. Things are always getting better for me, so I don't hear this such and such band is shitty now doing the same thing over and over again. I tend to grow as I age, and I'm not saying you aren't, but that's generally the attitude I tend to run into with bands that people complain about. Bodom are good as ever, for example, but just not doing neoclassical melodic minor stuff anymore, while Yngwie has lost his fucking mind if he thinks his songwriting is getting better with age.

Picked this up the other day. I have to say I really enjoyed just about every track on this album. Solid review by the way Joel. I have everything in their discography and this one probably would be in my top three for the band. Most of the comments I've seen on other sites have been pretty humorous critiquing the singer and referring to it as, "once again a rewritten version of Wages of Sin." I just don't understand the amount of hate. Solid album from a solid band. Enough said. As always, I look forward to what they will have in store with this new chapter.