Sometimes, for no easily identifiable reason, a band or artist just clicks with a certain country. This means the fans there seem to "get" them more than anyone else and go suitably crazy for everything about them- the music, look, the whole package. And while they remain popular in most parts of the world, in certain countries they maintain almost superstar status. KISS circa their 1980 Australian tour, AC/DC in America for the past 25 years, The Tea Party in Canada and Australia and err.. David Hasselhoff in several European countries are examples of artists that have found a popularity in one place that they have rarely captured elsewhere.
Arch Enemy and Japan possess a similar connection. As guitarist Michael Amott has said in numerous interviews, the band have toured Japan so many times he's lost count, and that's all down to the insatiable demand that Japanese Metal fans have for the band. The switch from Johan Liiva to Angela Gossow as vocalist has only heightened their appeal in the Land of the Rising Sun, and the 45-minute "road movie" included on this DVD (which covers their 2008 Japanese tour) goes a considerable way towards explaining their massive popularity there. The love and dedication of the Japanese fans is no better illustrated than during the live set on this DVD, when they sing along with the guitar melodies- yes, the guitar melodies- especially loudly during the finale of 'Nemesis' and the beautifully brutal and melodic gem that is 'Ravenous'. The fans hang adoringly on Gossow's every word and lap up every lick that the Amott brothers peel off with effortless skill. You don't have to be a guitar aficionado to appreciate the playing ability of the Amott brothers, and non-typically of concert solo-spots, their instrumental interludes are highly entertaining.
While not as packed with multiple features as say, the new Lacuna Coil DVD, 'Tyrants Of The Rising Sun' is definitely a case of quality over quantity. Much to some people's chagrin the band's melody-drenched Metal has gone to new heights of popularity in recent years, but the Arch Enemy live show still remains a killer proposition and this 90-minute set filmed in Tokyo in April this year only reinforces that. Gossow is still one hell of a frontwoman with a beastly stage presence but also a fair dose of charisma to boot, the Amott brothers trade solos with genuine class and the rhythm section are damn near flawless (and Daniel Erlandsson even throws in another drum solo). Thankfully, the Johan Liiva-fronted incarnation of the band is not forgotten, with the likes of 'Dark Insanity'and 'Silverwing' worked seamlessly into the set list. It will be interesting at the very least to hear Gossow's take on some of the earlier material when the much-vaunted re-recordings of the first three studio albums is released sometime next year.
The audio quality is stunning in its sheer clarity and crispness, and when combined with the tightness of the band's live show, this is a DVD that stands up well to repeat viewings. Thankfully, the editing also isn't too jumpy or choppy either and the killer artwork tops off a package that's a must have for fans. As a follow-up to 2006's excellent 'Live Apocalypse' the band have struck gold again, and you can pick this up in either regular edition or the special edition, which also includes an audio-only, double-CD version of the show for a great price. So why not go out and get it now?
- Spiritech
(See reviewer's scoring method)
