Track Listing

1. Root Of All Evil (intro)
2. Beast Of Man
3. The Immortal
4. Diva Satanica
5. Demonic Science
6. Bury Me An Angel
7. Dead Inside
8. Dark Insanity
9. Pilgrim
10. Demoniality (instrumental)
11. Transmigration Macabre
12. Silverwing
13. Bridge Of Destiny

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #3505 in Music
• Released on: 2009-10-06
• Number of discs: 1
• Dimensions: .22 pounds

Album Description
2009 album from the Swedish Extreme Metal masters. Root Of All Evil is a special release featuring a selection of completely re-recorded songs from their first three albums, Black Earth, Stigmata and Burning Bridges. The album features Arch Enemy's current and definitive line-up including vocalist Angela Gossow performing early classics in the upgraded splendor of a 2009 shape. Mixed by Andy Sneap (Megadeth, Testament).

Customer Reviews

The Roots Of Arch Enemy = The Root Of All Evil
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.

AE is back!
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.

Classic Arch Enemy, Revisited
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 Grossow, a rarity in a male-dominated genre) that they really received mainstream attention. It didn't hurt that Grossow could belt out throat-shredding growls with the best of her male counterparts. Anyway, several albums into their career with Grossow, 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 Grossow 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. Grossow 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 Grossow 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.