Some weeks ago Gang Style Records aka GSR re-released the 2008 Arkangel “Is Your Enemy” album. This time on green colored vinyl with a gatefold cover. With receiving this one in the mail, I finally laid a listening ear on this album. With it being a CD only release up until now, I neglected it. Although I listened to their music since the end of the 90’s. I quit listening to Arkangel after “I Hope You Die By Overdose”, not many good tracks on that record in my opinion. Despite that, I still wanted to hear “Is Your Enemy”. They made such great albums that I didn’t totally quit on them. I’m glad I bought it, such a solid record. One of their better releases. Not biting like their 90’s zeitgeist releases. But matured, intense and perfected riffs are to be heard. Still completely Arkangel, no loss on their typifying character. Besides those powerful riffs, I feel there is also a tragic sound to it.
Although I disliked the ultra-violent dancing people did when Arkangel played the H8000 area. Shows back then were violent and are still nowadays. I think bands as Kickback and Arkangel changed the face of the local scene’s dancing styles. When dancers actually punched kids who were standing around the dancing floor for nothing, Baldur and Stephen said nothing about it, they let it happen. H8000 vocalists on the contrary interfered that useless violence by telling people not to windmill or hit other people on purpose. It seems that that reckless and asocial violent dancing style conquered entire Europe and defeated friendly moshing in a time-span of a few years. Disagree with me or not….
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