After the live audio album (recorded in Japan) that they released, the pioneers of guitar-centred melodic death metal throw another CD in the market.  These Swedish do not need introductions. The band of brothers Ammot has almost created a genre within the already established Swedish death metal.  I mean of course the kind of melodic death which is based on the meticulous guitar work, by two guitarists, and especially Mike Ammot who is the main composer, who know how to combine aggressive riffs with superb, almost “angelic”, melodies, which is the result of an in-depth knowledge of harmony and purely classic influences. These melodies are, as far as I am concerned, the trademark of Arch Enemy.

This CD does not contain new tracks (unfortunately). It is the re-recording of songs from their 3 first CDs where the voice was John Liiva and not Angela Gossow whose coming to the band increased their popularity, probably because of the contradiction that lies within a woman singer who growls like a man and the impression created by this. The first question therefore that this review can answer to is whether there was a need for the band to release this CD, and secondly if some good work has been done behind this CD to justify its existence. Obviously the need was to re-record the tracks with a much better production than the one that the old budget allowed and to put Angela to perform them in her own way and tone. Something like a bridge between the new and the old fans and the regeneration of some tracks. As for the sound, the mission was accomplished. Andy Sneap, who was the producer, was after all a guarantee for this. Also, there’s a great deal of new bass lines, new drum parts, renewed parts of solos and some new guitar melodic lines. The fact that they selected almost all of the top tracks from the first albums gives to the collection the potential to stand as an informal introduction to the music of the Swedish, something like an “early days”.  Regarding the voice of Angela, if someone prefers her voice or the one of her predecessor it is a matter of taste. Please listen especially to the “Bridge Of Destiny ” that epitomizes all the virtues of the music of this band.

If you are not ‘on fire’ for a CD with new recordings of old songs or if you prefer to wait for new material, no one will accuse you of skipping to listen to this CD. And for the end, I have a question for you: How many of you know that before starting to sing for Arch Enemy Angela Gossow was a journalist?!?