Arch Enemy
Burning Japan Live 1999

June 2001
Released: 2000, Toy`s Factory
Rating: 3.5/5
Reviewer: El Cid

Ok… how do I put this? Do you like Arch Enemy? Of course you do, everybody likes Arch Enemy, have you got $30+ to spend on a CD by them which features a live gig in Tokyo? That’s a little trickier isn’t it?



Arch Enemy blast with full force for 48.47 minutes featuring a gig in Tokyo, which has most every song you’d want to hear live by them. The problem? I see 2 of them. First this CD was released only in Japan by the already infamous Toy’s Factory label that releases everything Arch Enemy in Japan and this makes the CD super hard to get (not really now that we have internet) and VERY expensive (30+ dollars at the least plus S&H;). I was talking with new vocalist Angela Gossow a few days ago, asking her why they hadn’t released this, Armageddon’s work, and the new CD Wages of Sin through the American or European labels first, and she said that the truth is that the Japanese market is just warmer for them right now, the label pays for virtually everything and they are actually making some money, can’t blame the band!



Back to the other problem, the Japanese crowd doesn’t help much in this matter, no offense to anyone but it does seem like everyone is just sitting down listening and doing nothing else during a gig unless they are instructed to by Johan Liiva…So in a nutshell, this is very much like listening to a compilation of Arch Enemy songs rather than a live album, the crowd interaction might not be important to everyone, but it is to me and this CD just doesn’t have it.



Finally, if you’re a fan, you don’t mind the crowd interaction being a little scarce and have 30+ dollars to spend on this I suggest you do it, I don’t regret getting it at all because Arch Enemy is THAT good!