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Stigmata (Arch Enemy album)

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Released
  
April 1, 1998

Label
  
Century Media

Artist
  
Arch Enemy

Length
  
46:00

Stigmata (1998)
  
Burning Bridges (1999)

Release date
  
21 April 1998

Stigmata (Arch Enemy album) httpsuploadwikimediaorgwikipediaenthumbc

Recorded
  
October-December 1997 at Studio Fredman

Genres
  
Death metal, Melodic death metal, Thrash metal

Producers
  
Fredrik Nordström, Michael Amott

Nominations
  
Grammis Award for Hard Rock/Metal of the Year

Similar
  
Arch Enemy albums, Melodic death metal albums

Stigmata is the second album by Swedish melodic death metal band Arch Enemy. The album was Arch Enemy's first to see worldwide release, in Europe and North America on Century Media Records, and in Japan again on Toy's Factory records. Stigmata features session drummer Peter Wildoer, who had also appeared in Christopher Amott's solo project Armageddon on the 1997 album Crossing the Rubicon, shortly before the recording of the album. The album was reissued on May 25, 2009, featuring a new layout, packaging, and bonus tracks. Stigmata not only contains a title track, but a track named after their previous album as well. The Sri Lankan metal band Stigmata named themselves after this album.

Contents

Reception

Stigmata received mixed reviews by critics, who compared it with the previous Arch Enemy album, Black Earth. Jason Anderson of Allmusic noted that "as often happens with highly anticipated follow-ups, Stigmata disappointed some fans with what some called a more restrained sound and lesser material" and criticized the singer Johan Liiva and the addition of the session drummer Peter Wildoer. Nevertheless, Anderson praised Michael Amott stating that "these problems are really minor when balanced against Amott's massive playing and songwriting, so while Stigmata is a fraction off from the band's debut form, Arch Enemy still delivers some nice melodic death metal on the sophomore effort." Paul Schwarz of Chronicles of Chaos first noted that "Arch Enemy have made an interesting, and slightly unexpected, progression from their Black Earth debut of two years ago". He commented that the band "have not drawn their 'melody' from pop or even folk" and what characterises the difference between both albums "can be summed up in three words: classic heavy metal." Schwarz finished with a good review writing that "overall Stigmata is a great album and one of the best directions Arch Enemy could have chosen to follow after their critical success with Black Earth."

Critics Paul Schwarz and EvilG mentioned that the sounds resembles to the Carcass album Heartwork. Schwarz mentions and compares again Black Earth: "Opener "Beast of Man" kicks in with searing riffing and thundering double bass, which creates the false impression that the new material will be far more like the Heartwork era Carcass sound which characterised much of Black Earth. Arch Enemy have, in fact, gone the opposite way - in terms of heaviness, not quality -, and produced an album which utilises far more melody, especially in its choruses, than BE did." EvilG of Metal Rules praises writing that "I think the reason why this CD is so great is that it has re-captured the Carcass Heartwork sound and feel while at the same time incorporating more melody and even some power metal sounds."

Personnel

Personnel credits adapted from Stigmata album liner notes.

Arch Enemy

  • Johan Liiva − vocals
  • Michael Amott − lead and rhythm guitars, co-producer
  • Christopher Amott − lead and rhythm guitars
  • Martin Bengtsson − bass
  • Daniel Erlandsson − drums ("Beast of Man" and "Diva Satanica")
  • Additional Musicians

  • Peter Wildoer − drums (all tracks except "Beast of Man" and "Diva Satanica")
  • Fredrik Nordström − keyboards, grand piano
  • Production

  • Fredrik Nordström – producer, engineer
  • Göran Finnberg – mastering
  • Segerfalk X – original artwork, design, masques design and photography
  • Kristian Gunnemo – masques design and photography
  • Carl Ljungberg – band photography
  • Kris Verwimp – frontcover artwork
  • Songs

    1Beast of Man3:36
    2Stigmata2:12
    3Sinister Mephisto5:46

    References

    Stigmata (Arch Enemy album) Wikipedia