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Dec 12, 20223 min read

Arch Enemy - Black Earth (1996)

𝐅𝐑𝐎𝐌 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐂𝐑𝐘𝐏𝐓𝐒 - 𝐂𝐄𝐋𝐄𝐁𝐑𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐏𝐀𝐒𝐓 𝐀𝐋𝐁𝐔𝐌 𝐑𝐄𝐋𝐄𝐀𝐒𝐄𝐒 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐇𝐈𝐒𝐓𝐎𝐑𝐘 𝐨𝐟 𝐇𝐀𝐑𝐃 𝐑𝐎𝐂𝐊 & 𝐇𝐄𝐀𝐕𝐘 𝐌𝐄𝐓𝐀𝐋…



On December 12, 1996, Arch Enemy released their debut full-length studio album, Black Earth worldwide via Wrong Again Records (via Toy’s Factory in Japan on October 2, 1996).



Background:

Arch Enemy, the brainchild of Michael Amott (Carcass, Carnage, and Spiritual Beggars), was originally assembled when Amott left Carcass. He and his younger brother Christopher (Armageddon, Dark Tranquillity) joined with vocalist Johan Liiva (ex-Carnage, Furbowl, Devourment, NonExist, Hearse) and session drummer Daniel Erlandsson (Eucharist, Liers in Wait, Diabolique, Armageddon, Revengia and The End).



The band's debut, entitled Black Earth, was recorded in Studio Fredman and released by the now defunct Wrong Again Records in 1996. It obtained a fair amount of success in Japan, achieving MTV rotation with their first single Bury Me an Angel, as well as moderate success in Sweden.



At this point, Arch Enemy was more of a "solo effort" than a full band; Michael Amott wrote all the songs himself, and even played bass guitar on the album, contrary to the album's liner notes, which listed vocalist Johan Liiva as handling bass duties. Amott later revealed that he had the credits listed that way to make the album seem more of a "band" effort. Many consider it to be the band's most aggressive album, a trait that was softened to some degree on its following releases, but never abandoned.



Critical Reception:

Black Earth was critically well received. Anders Sandvall of Metal Rules stated that "the album is brilliant and there are no bad songs on it."



AllMusic's critic Alex Henderson wrote in his review that "Black Earth was a promising debut for Arch Enemy and is among the Swedish combo's more consistent and memorable efforts."



Ron Salden of Archaic Magazine said that Black Earth is a classic and praised the songs writing they "showcase a fresh mixture of Death/Thrash Metal whilst the Amott brothers rip their guitars exquisitely to delightful bits of melody, harmony lines, guitar licks and solos." He praised Bury Me an Angel and comments that the songs Eureka, Transmigration Macabre and Fields of Desolation still sounds fresh in these days.



Chad Bowar of About.com said that the album sound "was raw, but the songs still were very catchy with solid guitar work from Michael and Christopher Amott".



About the songs, Metal Review's journalist Jason Jordan states:

"Dark Insanity is arguably the best of the lot due to its fantastic riffs and leads, which Erlandsson backs up with a pummeling, and at times appropriately restrained, performance."

He also comments that some songs like Idolatress, Cosmic Retribution, Transmigration Macabre and Fields of Desolation have praiseworthy characteristics too, though none quite match the verve of the openers.


Jordan praised mainly the band members writing that "Black Earth is a solid outing of melodic death metal with each member in fine form", and that "the brothers Amott turn in excellent performances as the band's guitarists, Daniel Erlandsson provides backbone support from atop the throne, and Johan Liiva contributes his unique vocals to one of the better Arch Enemy efforts."



The album was reissued in 2002, 2006, and on April 25, 2007 via Regain Records, featuring "Losing Faith", two Iron Maiden covers and the video for Bury Me an Angel.


(2002 Regain Records LP cover)


In 2010, it was reissued via Back On Black Records on clear vinyl.


In 2011, I was reissued via Trooper Entertainment as an expanded edition, featuring different artwork. The expanded edition was later released in 2013 on yellow vinyl in Germany, and on 180 Gram vinyl in Europe via Savage Messiah Music (Century Media/Savage Messiah in Europe)


(Expanded Edition Reissue cover)


An unofficial version was released via Wrong Again Records in Russia.


(Unofficial Russian Wrong Again Records cover)


Regain Records later reissued the album in Sweden featuring the original album art.



Note: The reviews shared here are for historical reference. The views and opinions expressed within are not always supported (in full or in part) by Into the Wells. — E.N. Wells



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