### Arch Enemy: Stigmata (deluxe edition)

#### 30/01/13 || Cobal

First and foremost, dear reader, take into account the fact that is the reissue I’m reviewing as a whole, not the original review. I would have written a Class6 article if so. And no, there hasn’t been a new release you’re unware of this year, I’m reviewing it because I want to and that’s that. Having said that, let’s go to the point.

Let’s face it, it’s abso-fucken-lutely impossible to listen to a pre-Angela era album without paying special attention to the vocals and making the freakish comparison. Yes, that comparison. Johan Liiva’s barked vocals here are everything but melodic, and still they give the songs a cleaner feeling to me. Maybe there’s a more traditional approach to metal too, next to later works that is. After all, listening to a death metal work and being able to effortlessly understand the lyrics is some sort of a privilege, uh?

Musically, I’d say the original 9 songs in “Stigmata” are pretty tight. Pretty amazing too. Riffs are as catchy as you can get, songwriting is complex but not too complicated, solos fit well, and bass and drums provide a massive solid ground for melodies and knitting to occur. Even the ocasional keyboards make all the sense in the world. I love the way the sound is crushing, ear-piercing and profound at the same time. If I were to recommend any of the songs here, I’d say “Back Earth”, “Tears of the Dead” and “Stigmata”, the song itself, but truth is the whole original score is worth listening to many, many times.

So as far as the first 9 tracks go, the score could easily be:

But then again, this review is on the reissue, right? So, what’s new?

A slip case presentation, alternative cover art, an extended booklet and a bunch of bonus tracks, that’s new. Three badass songs from the Japanese version of the record, plus some live tracks were added. Is that a K.O. combo? I don’t know.

I mean it’s always interesting to have a lil’extra to check out and dig deeper by doing it. The same that it often happens with so called deluxe editions, this one ain’t exactly luxurious. Not that there’s anything wrong with it, but luxury means much more in my book.

On the other hand, “Hydra”, “Diva satanica” and “Damnation’s way”, the bonus studio tracks, are actually pretty good and they fit the rest of the album well. Unfortunately and although the live recordings are clear and bright performances of some of the songs in this work, they do have a big flaw: vocal work. Where did Liiva’s powerful shouting go? Instead, what you’ll here is not even average plain harsh vocals of the my-throat-tastes-like-blood type. No wonder he needed replacing due to “a failure to perform adequately live”.

All in all, this reissue is actually good, in fact:

- Information
- Released: 1999
- Label: Century Media
- Website: www.archenemy.net
- Band
- Johan Liiva: vocals
- Michael Amott: guitars
- Christopher Amott: guitars
- Martin Bengtsson: bass
- Peter Wildoer: drums

- Tracklist
- 01. Beast of Man
- 02. Stigmata
- 03. Sinister Mephisto
- 04. Dark of the Sun
- 05. Let the Killing Begin
- 06. Black Earth
- 07. Tears of the Dead
- 08. Vox Stellarum
- 09. Bridge of Destiny
- Bonus tracks
- 10. Hydra
- 11. Diva Satanica
- 12. Damnation Ways
- 13. Diva Satanica (Live)
- 14. Beast of Man (Live)
- 15. Bass Intro / Tears of the Dead (Live)
- 16. Bridge of Destiny (Live)