Doomsday Machine (album)
Encyclopedia
- The end of the lyrics to "Skeleton Dance" recite the death poemDeath poemA death poem is a poem written near the time of one's own death. It is a tradition for literate people to write one in a number of different cultures, especially in Joseon Korea and Japan.-History:...
of Ōta DōkanOta Dokan, also known as Ōta Sukenaga or Ōta Dōkan Sukenaga, was a Japanese samurai warrior-poet, military tactician and Buddhist monk. Ōta Sukenaga took the tonsure as a Buddhist priest in 1478, and he also adopted the Buddhist name, Dōkan, by which is known today...
. The beginning of "Skeleton Dance" contains backmaskedBackmaskingBackmasking is a recording technique in which a sound or message is recorded backward on to a track that is meant to be played forward...
messages containing the phrases "The world on his shoulders" and "Bleeding forever" among others. - The song "Nemesis" is featured as a half-length song made playable in Drummania V4 & GuitarFreaks V4. The full song is playable in Guitar Hero: Warriors of RockGuitar Hero: Warriors of RockGuitar Hero: Warriors of Rock is a music video game and the sixth main entry in the Guitar Hero series for the PlayStation 3, Wii, and Xbox 360 consoles. The game was released September 24, 2010 in Europe, September 28, 2010 in North America and September 29, 2010 in Australia...
and as Rock Band Network DLC for Rock Band 3Rock Band 3Rock Band 3 is a music video game, developed by Harmonix Music Systems. The game was initially published and distributed by MTV Games and Electronic Arts, respectively, with Mad Catz taking over both roles a year later. It is the third main game in the Rock Band series...
. - The song "Machtkampf" literally means "struggle for power" in German.
Critical response
Doomsday Machine received mixed reviews by critics. Adrien Begrand of PopMattersPopMatters
PopMatters is an international webzine of cultural criticism that covers many aspects of popular culture. PopMatters publishes reviews, interviews, and detailed essays on most cultural products and expressions in areas such as music, television, films, books, video games, comics, sports, theater,...
praised the songs highlighting "Enter the Machine", "Nemesis" and "My Apocalypse". He said that Michael
Michael Amott
Michael Amott is a Swedish guitarist, songwriter, founding member of the bands Arch Enemy, Spiritual Beggars, and Carnage, as well as a member of the death metal band Carcass. He is the older brother of Christopher Amott...
and Christopher Amott
Christopher Amott
Christopher Amott is a Swedish guitarist and vocalist, younger brother of Michael Amott and founding member of the Swedish metal bands Arch Enemy and Armageddon.-Biography:...
"truly shine on the album" and that Arch Enemy "marry the brutal with the melodic" with "impressive skill". Tom Day of musicOMH
MusicOMH
musicOMH is a United Kingdom-based website which publishes independent reviews, featues and interviews from across all musical genres including classical, metal, rock and R&B.-History:...
, that also praised "Enter the Machine" calling it of "a prime example of metal at its very, very best... This instrumental is simply breathtaking", said that Arch Enemy "set themselves apart from so many mediocre death metal
Death metal
Death metal is an extreme subgenre of heavy metal. It typically employs heavily distorted guitars, tremolo picking, deep growling vocals, blast beat drumming, minor keys or atonality, and complex song structures with multiple tempo changes....
acts by never letting their songs stagnate." Pal Meentzen of Maelstrom said that Doomsday Machine "gives a worthy example of the best in current day (Swedish) melo-death
Melodic death metal
Melodic death metal is a heavy metal music style that combines elements from the New Wave of British Heavy Metal with elements of death metal. The style was developed during the early and mid-1990s, primarily in England and Scandinavia...
. It's a slightly better album than Wages of Sin
Wages of Sin
Wages of Sin is the fourth studio album by the Swedish melodic death metal band Arch Enemy. It is the first Arch Enemy album to feature the vocals of Angela Gossow...
and much better than Anthems of Rebellion
Anthems of Rebellion
-Release:At its time of release, Anthems of Rebellion gave Century Media its then highest first-week Soundscan sales in the United States, and later became one of the top ten best-selling albums under the record label. -Bonus disc:...
" and called "My Apocalypse" of "perfect example of a band that has found the right consistency in its line-up." However, he criticized the fade out
Fade (audio engineering)
In audio engineering, a fade is a gradual increase or decrease in the level of an audio signal. The term can also be used for film cinematography or theater lighting, in much the same way ....
of "Slaves of Yesterday". Evil Rocker of Metal Rules
Metal Rules
Metal Rules, also known as Metal-Rules is a heavy metal webzine created by EvilG and online since 1995. The website contains news, reviews and interviews. Metal Rules, along Metal Sludge, was cited in a New York Times article, after the dead of Dimebag Darrell, in 2004. Its tribute to Ronnie James...
noted that "perhaps the most impressive aspect of this album is the heavy use of dual guitars and solo's, not something usually in the forefront of this genre." Jackie Smit of Chronicles of Chaos felt that the album presents significant improvements over the previous album Anthems of Rebellion and commented that it "as a whole is likely to disappoint only the most selective listener." Eduardo Rivadavia of Allmusic said that Doomsday Machine is "fundamentally, yet another immaculately produced Arch Enemy album, forged first and foremost by the vision of Michael Amott's guitar." Ciaran Meeks of Metal Eater commented that the band "have harked back to their roots on this album, reworking and revitalizing the musical philosophy of albums such as Stigmata and Burning Bridges into a new-millennial context that will doubtless bludgeon both old and new listeners alike into drop-jawed submission."
Tajs Kolman of RevelationZ Magazine noted that the songs are mixed a lot and that the album "started out great with some killer songs and an amazing sound but they obviously put the hits in the beginning. If the rest of the songs could have kept up the standard of the first ones, they would probably have had a serious hit in their hands." Nevertheless, he commented that apart from these few problems, it "stands out with it's most impressive production, the amazing guitar solos and generally solid musicianship." Raymond Westland of Archaic Magazine praised the band and the production and called Doomsday Machine of "a winning record." Tony Belcher of Tartarean Desire liked of the band, but unlike Westland, Belcher criticized the Gossow vocals and the lyrics. He praised Andy Sneap
Andy Sneap
Andy "Undie" Sneap is an English record producer, recording engineer, mixer, guitarist, and songwriter. He is best known for producing and mixing many acclaimed heavy metal albums.-Musician:...
stating that his "touch is masterful" and mentiones that the album is better than Anthems of Rebellion and similar to Wages of Sin. Michael Dalakos of Metal Temple felt that the album "catches the band at its best." He praised the guitar solos stating that "simply must be the best Amott has ever delivered with this band in their entire career." However, Dalakos mentiones that in the record it's really hard to figure out the Gossow actual voice since it is covered with layers of effects and that "she's just another growler using technology". On the other hand, Lords of Metals Ralph, stated that the "vocal achievement of Angela Gossow
Angela Gossow
Angela Nathalie Gossow is the lead vocalist for the Swedish melodic death metal band Arch Enemy. Her previous bands include Asmodina and Mistress. She is considered to be one of the few successful female metal singers to use growling as her primary singing style...
make this album the ultimate combination of aggression and melody."
Jason Jordan of Metal Review wrote a negative review where he states that the band "haven't crafted anything purchase-worthy since Johan Liiva
Johan Liiva
Johan Patrik Mattias Liiva is a Swedish extreme metal vocalist, most widely recognized as the founding vocalist of popular melodic death metal band Arch Enemy, as well as a former member of Carnage, Furbowl, and NonExist...
was fronting the crew." Jordan also comments that "while Doomsday Machine isn't utterly devoid of arresting ingredients, you probably won't glean as much satisfaction from this as you will from Black Earth or Burning Bridges." MetalGeorge of Metal Rules
Metal Rules
Metal Rules, also known as Metal-Rules is a heavy metal webzine created by EvilG and online since 1995. The website contains news, reviews and interviews. Metal Rules, along Metal Sludge, was cited in a New York Times article, after the dead of Dimebag Darrell, in 2004. Its tribute to Ronnie James...
also criticized the album saying that it "severs all ties between the band and it's old fan base by catering even more to the plague that is the New Wave of American Heavy Metal
New Wave of American Heavy Metal
The New Wave of American Heavy Metal is a movement in that originated in the United States during the early to mid 1990s and has expanded most in the recent 2000s. Some of the bands considered part of the movement had formed as early as the late 1980s, but did not become influential or reach...
" and that "where as albums such as Burning Bridges and Wages of Sin lead the heavy metal charge, Doomsday Machine seems content to merely follow in the trodden footsteps of today's trends and common sounds." Greg Pratt of Exclaim!
Exclaim!
Exclaim! is a monthly Canadian music magazine that features in-depth coverage of new music across all genres with special focus on Canadian and cutting-edge artists...
wrote that the album is "basically more of the same but they've managed to revitalise their sound a bit, adding in some toe-tapping maturity, along with the usual balls-out shredding." Cosmo Lee of Stylus Magazine
Stylus Magazine
Stylus Magazine was an online music and film magazine launched in 2002. It featured long-form music journalism, four daily music reviews, movie reviews, a number of different podcasts, an MP3 blog, and a text blog....
concluded that "minus that instrumental, and with more focused songwriting, this album could have been killer. Instead, it's a collection of riffs strung together, with some hot guitar playing." Keith Bergman of Blabbermouth.net
Blabbermouth.net
Blabbermouth.net is a website dedicated to heavy metal and hard rock news, as well as album and music DVD reviews. Blabbermouth.net was founded and is run by Borivoj Krgin. The first version of the website was officially launched in March 2001...
said that "overall, the album leaves a pretty good impression, though it seems to be lacking a certain spark that made earlier efforts essential listening." Not unlike him, Justin Donnelly of Blistering
Blistering
Blistering, founded in 1998, is an international online magazine dedicated to heavy metal and hard rock music. Its editor-in-chief is David E. Gehlke, an American music journalist who has written for About.com, Metal Maniacs, and Throat Culture...
felt that the album "lies somewhere in between both damnation and acclaim, without being one of the other." He commented that the record is not terrible, but "an inconsistent and unfocussed effort" and that Doomsday Machine "overall is stronger than Anthems of Rebellion, but it's hardly a huge leap forward in terms of consistency."
Accolades
Doomsday Machine received one nomination at the 2005 Metal Storm Awards in the categorie of The Best Melodeath/Gothenburg Album. It was ranked in the second position behind CharacterCharacter (album)
- Digipak edition :There is a second CD included with the digipak. It includes the following tracks:* Track 1 is the music video version of the song...
by Dark Tranquillity
Dark Tranquillity
Dark Tranquillity is a Swedish melodic death metal band from Gothenburg. They are one of the longest-standing bands from the original Gothenburg metal scene, and are one of the most integral pioneers of the melodic death metal genre of music....
.
Arch Enemy
- Angela GossowAngela GossowAngela Nathalie Gossow is the lead vocalist for the Swedish melodic death metal band Arch Enemy. Her previous bands include Asmodina and Mistress. She is considered to be one of the few successful female metal singers to use growling as her primary singing style...
− vocals - Michael AmottMichael AmottMichael Amott is a Swedish guitarist, songwriter, founding member of the bands Arch Enemy, Spiritual Beggars, and Carnage, as well as a member of the death metal band Carcass. He is the older brother of Christopher Amott...
− leadLead guitarLead guitar is a guitar part which plays melody lines, instrumental fill passages, guitar solos, and occasionally, some riffs within a song structure...
and rhythm guitarRhythm guitarRhythm guitar is a technique and rôle that performs a combination of two functions: to provide all or part of the rhythmic pulse in conjunction with singers or other instruments; and to provide all or part of the harmony, ie. the chords, where a chord is a group of notes played together...
, artwork concept - Christopher AmottChristopher AmottChristopher Amott is a Swedish guitarist and vocalist, younger brother of Michael Amott and founding member of the Swedish metal bands Arch Enemy and Armageddon.-Biography:...
− lead and rhythm guitar - Sharlee D'AngeloSharlee D'AngeloSharlee D'Angelo is the bassist for Swedish melodic death metal band Arch Enemy, as well as the Swedish hard rock band Spiritual Beggars.Sharlee has also been in various bands in the past, either as a studio session player or full member. Some of these include IllWill and Mercyful Fate as well as...
− bassBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick.... - Daniel ErlandssonDaniel ErlandssonDaniel John Erlandsson is the drummer in the melodic death metal band Arch Enemy.His early work includes drumming on the In Flames album Subterranean...
− drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
Production
- Rickard Bengtsson − producerRecord producerA record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...
, additional arrangements - Andy SneapAndy SneapAndy "Undie" Sneap is an English record producer, recording engineer, mixer, guitarist, and songwriter. He is best known for producing and mixing many acclaimed heavy metal albums.-Musician:...
− mixingAudio mixing (recorded music)In audio recording, audio mixing is the process by which multiple recorded sounds are combined into one or more channels, most commonly two-channel stereo. In the process, the source signals' level, frequency content, dynamics, and panoramic position are manipulated and effects such as reverb may...
, masteringAudio masteringMastering, a form of audio post-production, is the process of preparing and transferring recorded audio from a source containing the final mix to a data storage device ; the source from which all copies will be produced... - Ola Strömberg – assistant engineer, keyboardsKeyboard instrumentA keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments...
- Gus G.Gus G.Kostas Karamitroudis aka Gus G., born September 12, 1980 in Thessaloniki, Greece is a heavy metal guitarist. He currently plays with his band Firewind and Ozzy Osbourne...
− guest lead on "Taking Back My Soul" - Apollo PapathanasioApollo PapathanasioApostolos "Apollo" Papathanasio is a Swede of Greek descent heavy metal vocalist, who is currently with the bands Firewind, Spiritual Beggars and Evil Masquerade. He has also sung for Meduza, Gardenian, and Richard Andersson's projects Majestic and Time Requiem.In 2007, Papathanasio had to opt...
− backing vocals - Joachim Luetke − artwork, artwork concept, layout
- Paul Harries − band picture
Release history
| Region | Date | Label | Format |
|---|---|---|---|
| United States | July 26, 2005 | Century Media Records Century Media Records Century Media Records is an Independent record label with offices in the United States, Germany, Australia, France, Italy, Sweden, Finland, and the United Kingdom.- Background :... |
CD |
| United Kingdom | August 22, 2005 | Century Media | CD |
Album
| Chart (2005) | Peak Position |
|---|---|
| Billboard 200 Billboard 200 The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists... |
87 |
| Billboard Top Independent Albums | 12 |
| Swedish Album Chart Sverigetopplistan Sverigetopplistan, earlier known as Topplistan and Hitlistan and other names, is since October 2007 the Swedish national record chart, based on sales data from Swedish Recording Industry Association .... |
23 |
| Austrian Album Chart | 74 |
External links
- Doomsday Machine at Encyclopaedia MetallumEncyclopaedia MetallumEncyclopaedia Metallum: The Metal Archives is a website which lists bands from various forms of heavy metal music...