For the second review in a row we get a Swedish metal album released in 2007. Much as I love Sabaton, this next album is better.
Disc 1876 is… Rise of the Tyrant
Artist: Arch Enemy
Year of Release: 2007
What’s up with the Cover? Maybe the titular tyrant’s coat of arms? We’ve got an eye set in a triangle, some serpent tales, white fire and a whole lot of nasty looking talons.
Or maybe this is a seal on some crypt revealed when an old building gets taken down. Break this seal, and risk the rise of the tyrant, fools!
How I Came To Know It: I discovered Arch Enemy this year, after checking out their 2025 release “Blood Dynasty”. This led me on a delightful journey into their back catalogue, which is how I came upon “Rise of the Tyrant”.
How It Stacks Up: Arch Enemy has released 13 studio albums, but I ‘only’ have seven of them. I bought all of these in a glut since March and I can’t claim to know them well enough yet to know my favourite for sure. However, “Rise of the Tyrant” is pretty goddamned good, so I’m going to put it #1 and dare something else to knock it off. It won’t be easy.
Ratings: 5 stars
Arch Enemy’s “Rise of the Tyrant” is a perfect evolution of heavy metal as an art form. In biology it would be the xenomorph from the Alien film franchise, except instead of being a perfect killing machine, it is all the styles of metal, evolved to the farther edges of heavy.
The interweb describes Arch Enemy as “melodic death metal” which is fair enough, but doesn’t do justice to the range of traditions you will hear on this record.
Yes, there are classic death metal elements, notably the double bass drum action, and the menacing growl of Angela Gossow’s vocals. Gossow in particular is incredible here. Early Arch Enemy’s main drawback are the vocals of original frontman Johan Liiva. You won’t find any of those records on the CD Odyssey because with Liiva singing, Arch Enemy just doesn’t float my boat.
“Rise of the Tyrant” is smack dab in the middle of Gossow’s 14 year run as Arch Enemy’s vocalist, and this record is a standard bearer on how much she lifts that part of the band. Every word is understandable but still infused within an unrepentant raspy growl that screams “I am the danger” at you in a way that makes you like danger.
But unlike straight up death metal, Arch Enemy borrows from many other branches of metal tradition. “I Will Live Again” adds both thrash and symphonic metal into the mix, as it throws chugging riffs at you, over which soars the rich tone of guitar solos. The guitars on this record are courtesy of brothers Michael and Christopher Arnott.
I don’t know enough about this band to know who is most responsible for the solo work (Michael is a founding and continuing member of the band; Christopher is only on studio albums for a short run). Whoever it is, this is some of the finest metal axe work I have heard. It isn’t super complicated, but dear God man – hear the tone. Buck Dharma himself would be proud.
In a fit of what can only be described as showing off, they even throw in a short classically inspired piece of guitar-forward brilliance called “Intermezzo Liberte”. Yes the song title suggest a large dose of self-importance, but that’s OK when you can live up to the hype, and the brothers Arnott do just that.
If that weren’t enough there are moments on this record that Arch Enemy throw in decisions that are positively proggy. Imagine a latter-day Rush record, except with the violence dialed up to 10. Like Rush, Arch Enemy is not afraid to take a song in a totally new direction midway. Like that riff? Well, here’s a different one. You’ll like it too.
Ere the end, Arch Enemy even throws in some Doom adjacent sounds on “The Great Darkness” which features creepy chanting for good measure, along with yet another tasty guitar solo.
There isn’t much on “Rise of the Tyrant” to fault. This record knows where it is going and even though there are multiple destinations, they manage to hit every single one.
Whether you are a connoisseur of all things metal, or just a one-lane “I like what I like” headbanger, there will be something on “Rise of the Tyrant” that will get your blood pumping. Turn it on, turn it loud, and you’re welcome.
Best tracks: all tracks
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