Earlier than there was Angela Gossow, earlier than there was Alissa White-Gluz, Arch Enemy was fronted by Johan Liiva for his or her first three albums. Liiva left the band in 2000 and went on to sing for bands like Hearse and Nonexist over time. Although for those who had been paying consideration, you noticed that Liiva and Arch Enemy‘s 1999 lineup reunited as Black Earth (additionally the identify of their ultimate album collectively in 1999) for just a few years.
Black Earth featured Liiva, former Arch Enemy guitarist Christopher Amott and present Arch Enemy members guitarist Christopher Amott, bassist Sharlee D’Angelo, and drummer Daniel Erlandsson. Black Earth performed a whopping 18 exhibits in Japan solely between 2016 and 2019, a few of which was captured on their reside album 20 Years of Darkish Madness: Japan Tour 2016.
Although the true gem right here is Black Earth‘s 2019 compilation Path Of The Immortal. The compilation largely featured remastered variations of Arch Enemy songs from their first three albums, in addition to two model new Liiva-fronted tracks – “Burn On The Flame” and “The Immortal”. They usually had been good! They are not accessible on streaming companies and Path Of The Immortal (and the reside album) had been solely launched in Japan, so coming throughout Black Earth is a little bit of a rarity.
Black Earth‘s social media posts since 2019 have been principally gross sales on their retailer and the occasional “keep in mind when?” with no different indicators of life. Which is smart – Arch Enemy is a recording and touring machine that performs some very massive venues, and it could be unusual to have Black Earth working round between all of it. Although a Black Earth present right here and there can be superior, or a minimum of a correct reissue of the reside album and Path Of The Immortal.
Anyway, benefit from the majesty that was Black Earth above and beneath.
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