Search - Arch Enemy :: Dead Eyes See No Future

Not your average EP

Barry Dejasu | Rehoboth, Massachusetts | 01/24/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"For almost as long as I've listened to Arch Enemy's latest studio album, _Anthems of Rebellion_, the song "Dead Eyes See No Future" has been my favorite piece by the band. The fierce rhythms and drumming (one of Daniel Erlandsson's best performances, I think), the grim vocals (I still can't get over how effective Angela Gossow's voice is, knowing that it belongs to a woman!), and one of the most amazing guitar riffs I've ever heard in my entire life (in the bridge, when Michael Amott is soloing), are all only a few things that I like about that song. So when I heard it was going to be the lead track on an EP release, I of course was psyched. Granted, the EP seemed like it'd be something only hardcore Arch Enemy fans (myself included) would want to go out of their way to get, but when I received this for Christmas 2005, I had no idea that it would be this good.



After the title track, there are three live performances of "Burning Angel" (my immediate second-favorite song by Arch Enemy - and I usually don't pick favorites), "We Will Rise," and "Heart of Darkness," recorded during a Paris leg of their _Anthems_ tour. Live performances definitely seem to be the better setting for Angela. Her voice is deeper, harsher, more menacing, and not to mention she uses (or at least on these songs, had used) a lot more range in her voice. This only bodes well for the naysayers who whine about Angela not having the right voice for death metal - just wait until they release another album, and she'll no doubt be a real MONSTER!



Then there are the song covers. Starting them off is Megadeth's "Symphony of Destruction." I've been a fan of Megadeth for a few years now, and when I heard that this song was going to be covered by Arch Enemy, I nearly fainted. Like any good cover should be like, it retains much of the original song's message and overall vibe, but adds to it; Arch Enemy's guitars add a crushing brutality to the now-famous riffs created by the great Dave Mustaine. The drumming is overpowering, and of course, Angela's voice is simply scary. She follows the original song's vocal patterns well, too - this is obvious when she pronounces "Acting like a robot" as "Mrracting like a robot," just like how Mustaine did. I'm not familiar with the band Manowar, and so I can't really judge the cover of their track "Kill With Power," but nonetheless stands well as an Arch Enemy song. "Incarnated Solvent Abuse" is a cover of a song by grindcore heroes and melodeath forefathers Carcass. Because Michael Amott used to play guitar in that band, it makes the cover an interesting nostalgic tribute.



Finally, there's a video track to "We Will Rise" included in the multimedia section of the CD. Considering the cheap price, this album is far more than the average EP. I'd recommend it to anyone looking to get into Gossow-era Arch Enemy, as well as to any fan of the band. It's quite a treat."

A must have for Arch Enemy fans

Luis Carrillo | Obregon, Mexico | 04/01/2005

(4 out of 5 stars)

"This Arch Enemy CD really gives you a lot for an EP, the studio track Dead Eyes See No Future is the only previously released track (from Anthems of Rebellion), the rest are live tracks and cover songs.

The live tracks, Burning Angel, We Will Rise and Heart of Darkness are excellent. The sound is crisp and the brutal riffing can be heard distinctly, unlike some other death bands whose live sound is just garbled noise. Angela Gassow's death growls have more range and dynamics than most death metal vocalists giving the songs much more depth and power.

The EP continues with Symphony of Destruction, a Megadeth cover. I am quite familiar with Megadeth's original version which is one of the bands best songs and I was expecting Arch Enemy to really take it to a new level of heavyness, but somehow it falls flat. The main problem is Angela's vocals which seem to have some sort of strange effect on them and she doesn't sound quite like herself. Also the famous riff, though played with more distortion than the Megadeth version, doesn't drive home like the original.

The remaining two cover tracks are the true gems here. I am not familiar with Manowar's version of Kill With Power so I can't compare AE's version to the original, but holy smoke, talk about some fast and furious riffing! This song just pummels along like a juggernaut! Angela's vocals really deliver on this one and the Amott bros. lay down the guitar tracks with equal amounts ferocity and precision. The last track is Incarnated Solvent Abuse, a Carcass cover. Now almost everybody knows that Carcass was guitarist's Michael Amott's former band so he is sort of covering himself on this one. Just a great track, technical, fast and very heavy with the melodic sense that would become a characteristic of Arch Enemy.

The disc also includes the video for We Will Rise, another excellent track from Anthems of Rebellion."

For fans only

cosmokane31 | San Francisco, CA United States | 05/10/2005

(4 out of 5 stars)

"For fans only, this is the stereotypical stopgap EP between albums. Three live tracks and three covers follow the title track. The sound on the live tracks is pristine, and the live performances are strong. Singer Angela Gossow's between-song banter is an added treat. The covers of Megadeth, Manowar, and Carcass yield mixed results. Megadeth's "Symphony of Destruction" becomes heavier but monochromatic, while Carcass' "Incarnated Solvent Abuse" is updated with tighter playing and better production values. The included video for "We Will Rise" is unintentionally humorous, featuring the band lip-synching in improbable natural settings"