Countless bands play death metal but there are few who own the genre the way that Arch Enemy does. Not only does vocalist Angela Gossow frighten and astound with her trademark growl, but the guitar duo of Michael and Christopher Amott has rarely sounded as gnarling and snarling, dashing and daring, as it does on "Blood on Your Hands," "The Last Enemy," and "Night Falls Fast." The quintet's always been brave and brazen, but rarely has it exhibited the unmitigated chutzpah exhibited on this 11-track future classic--which surpasses past jaw-droppers, such as Anthems of Rebellion and Doomsday Machine. The Amotts, Gossow, and partners Sharlee D'Angelo (bass) and Daniel Erlandsson (drums) show their boundless collective imagination and capacity for brutality best on "Vultures," "Revolution Begins," and the unabashed bashing of "In This Shallow Grave," just three of the tunes that make Rise of the Tyrant Arch Enemy's best record to date, and easily one of the best metal albums of the year. --Jedd Beaudoin