Doomsday Machine (CD - 2005)

As the first band of its kind to feature a female vocalist, Arch Enemy is a bona fide pioneer. The German-born Angela Gossow replaced original bellower-from-hell Johan Liiva in 2001, and not only does Gossow deliver a brutal death-metal vocal sound that rivals Chuck Schuldiner (Death) and Dani Filth (Cradle Of Filth), but the once-unknown metal goddess has lunged Arch Enemy into metal's big leagues.

DOOMSDAY MACHINE carries the torch of memorable, riff-laden metal established on Arch Enemy's previous albums, a sound fueled by the guitar work of brothers Chris and Michael Amott (the latter formerly of Carcass). "Mechanic God Creation" beats with a classic metal heart, intensified by modern and extreme metal touches. "Slaves Of Yesterday" and "Machtkampf" brandish ripping solos and keen note choice, while "I Am Legend/Out For Blood" grooves with old-school thrash abandon. In the competitive realm of melodic death metal, Arch Enemy continues to evolve and remain vital. minimize