Arch Enemy - 2001 - Wages of Sin
Full-length, Century Media
April 2nd, 2001
Total playing time 01:14:48
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Angela Gossow - Vocals
Michael Amott - Guitar
Christopher Amott - Guitar
Sharlee D'angelo - Bass
Daniel Erlandsson - Drums
- CD1 has a special multimedia track for "Ravenous"
- CD2 is called "Rare & Unreleased" and has a special multimedia track for "The
Immortal"; songs (covers or rare and unreleased bonus tracks) are performed by
former vocalist Johan Liiva
"Diva Satanica" and "Damnation's Way" and "Hydra" were previously available as
japanese bonus tracks on the "Stigmata" album
"Fields Of Desolation `99" were previously available as japanese bonus tracks
on the "Burning Bridges" album
There were huge problems with the release of the album in the American and
European markets. The release date is for the Japanese version by Toy Factory
and that version only had one CD with the first eleven tracks and no video.
The 2 CD version for Europe and the Americas wasn't released until 18.3.2002.
Disc 1
1. Enemy Within 04:21
[Music: Christopher Amott/Michael Amott]
[Lyrics: Angela Gossow]
Dark thoughts rise up
Deep in your mind
The killing of hope
The end has begun
The locked psycho-door breaks down
The beast breathes freedom and fire
Blows bloody thoughts into your mind
Demons whisper: "COMMIT SUICIDE!"
Weak is your body,
Helpless your soul,
The beast destroyed your will
Left nothing but an empty shell
Self-destruction leads its way
Your weapons turn against yourself
Cutting through, killing you
A downward spiral, the shadowbeast has won
The shadowbeast calls
A vulture of life
Your worst enemy dwells
From within
[1st Lead - Christopher]
[2nd Lead - Michael]
2. Burning Angel 04:17
[Music: Michael Amott/Christopher Amott]
[Lyrics: Michael Amott]
Dark shadows from above
Ravens fly, obliterate the sun
"It's a sign of the devil.
He will come for his servant tonight"
These are dark times
Suspicious minds breed like rats
Guardians of corrupt morality
Spread their filthy lies
Am I to burn
I have not sinned!
Burnt at the stake.
Innocent blood that can never be wished clean
The flames of ignorance
Grow higher and higher
Licking my flesh - burning my soul
The raven laughing in the moon
These are dark times
Suspicious minds breed like rats.
Guardians of corrupt morality
Spread their filthy lies again...
[1st Lead - Michael]
[2nd Lead - Christopher]
3. Heart of Darkness 04:53
[Music: Michael Amott/Christopher Amott]
[Lyrics: Michael Amott]
You can't kill me. I am living inside you.
I am a part of your existence
Twisted thoughts in a twisted mind
Provoking you
Black is my heart - dark is my soul
My hatred I can not control
Evil seed growing stronger
Your freewill... Dying!
Inside you - heart of darkness
A part of you - heart of darkness
To deny me, is to deny yourself.
The illusion is dissolved
You are no longer in control
The facade crumbles - the transition is complete
...The transition is complete
I come to you in the night
I am your dark subconscience
I keep you awake, knowing
I am the heart of darkness
[1st Lead - Michael]
[2nd Lead - Christopher]
4. Ravenous 04:06
[Music: Michael Amott/Christopher Amott]
[Lyrics: Angela Gossow/Michael Amott]
I am hunting for your soul
It dwells within your heart
I lacerate the pounding flesh
Your spirits shall be mine
[Harmony - Michael and Christopher]
So rise my spirit rise!
Revel in this dead mans' body
Grip his soul, sip the blood
Life is death
A holy carnage
[Lead - Christopher]
Ravenous
I will be your god
Carnivorous Jesus
I need your flesh
Ritual slaughter
Fill up the chalice
With the essence of your life
Liquid strengths
Trapped in your veins
I crave your blood
You must die!
[1st Lead - Michael]
[2nd Lead - Christopher]
5. Savage Messiah 05:18
[Music: Michael Amott/Sharlee D'Angelo/Christopher Amott]
[Lyrics: Michael Amott]
Meet your maker
Rising from the ashes
Like a phoenix to the sky
So intense, so glorious...
Uncontrollable desire
For our souls
The great lawgiver
So high and mighty
The immaculate deception
A taker of life
With unbridled aggression
Striking down on the disbelievers
Savage - Messiah
Take us higher
Savage - Messiah
Take us now!
Blessed in blood
We are reborn in hate
Thousands of spirits cry
So intense, so glorious...
Uncontrollable desire
For our souls
The great Messiah
So high and mighty
6. Dead Bury Their Dead 03:55
I leave the anguish behind
Scars are healing - I am set free
The chains of guilt are in the past
They no longer have a hold on me
Dead bury their dead
[Lead - Christopher]
I walk through Elysian Fields
The light is shining on me
Time marches on...
[1st Lead - Michael]
[Harmony Lead - Christopher and Michael]
[2nd Lead - Christopher]
7. Web of Lies 03:56
[Music: Michael Amott/Christopher Amott]
[Lyrics: Michael Amott]
Weaving a web - of lies and deceit
It's a dangerous game - we play
All this time - the pain eating us away
All this time - the memories refuse to fade
A rotting shell of dying trust
We share this hell at any cost
Phases and stages
Circles and cycles
And empty charade
This pointless masquerade
A dangerous game
A dangerous game - we play
Web of lies
I can see it in your eyes
Web of lies
You can see it in my eyes
It will never be the same
We have gone too far this time
Our temple of false dreams
Comes crashing down...
A rotting shell of dying trust
We shared this hell at any cost
[1st Lead - Christopher]
[2nd Lead - Michael]
8. The First Deadly Sin 04:21
[Music: Michael Amott/Christopher Amott]
[Lyrics: Angela Gossow/Michael Amott]
Step inside the circle of fire
Flames of desire enlighten the night
Follow your instinct
Burn and writhe in ecstasy
Love will turn to hate
Heat will turn to ice
There is nothing in between
The first deadly sin
Ancient taboo takes control
The demon eve possesses your soul
Riding high above the flames
You will step into hell
[Lead and slide solo - Christopher]
Dwell in passionate evil
Forbidden fruits of lust
Embrace and kiss the face of death
It's your first deadly sin
9. Behind the Smile 03:28
[Music: Michael Amott/Christopher Amott]
[Lyrics: Michael Amott]
Sands of time
Running through my fingers
My life slipping away
And I feel nothing
Swallow the tears
Eat the pain - It's worth the degradation - Eat the pain
Behind the smile / I feel nothing
I reach out to touch, but I'm not really there
This reflection in the mirror
Can't reality be me
I see no connection
With who I wanted to be
Drink another glass
Swallow these pills
At the end of the rainbow
You take the bitter
The bitter with the sweet
When love dies
The angels cry
Here I am
Alone... Alone in a crowd
[Lead - Christopher]
10. Snow Bound 01:35
11. Shadows and Dust 04:29
[Music: Christopher Amott/Michael Amott]
[Lyrics: Daniel Erlandsson/Michael Amott]
[Lead - Christopher]
At the mercy of our conscience
Confined within our fate
Never really questioned why
We are refugees in a dying world
To become a part of the end
Are we the ones, the ones to blame?
We are mortals of shadows and dust
[Lead melody - Michael]
The sun sets on our sinking ship of fools
On our journey into oblivion
We ask ourselves again and again
Now will we be remembered
[Lead - Michael]
Shadows...
And dust...
12. Lament of a Mortal Soul (bonus track) 04:05
I am forced to creep down the path
Of my sad and senseless life
Darkness surrounds me
At the end of the tunnel there is no light
A blackened void, nothingness
Lament of a mortal soul
Who am I?
Only dust in the blowing wind
Am I dying?
My name dies slowly
Echoes into eternal oblivion
Replaced by others, easily forgotten
I hate my empty existence
[1st Lead - Christopher]
[2nd Lead - Michael]
Lament of a mortal soul
Who am I?
Only dust in the blowing wind
...I am dying!
Disc 2
1. Starbreaker (Judas Priest cover) 03:25
[Tipton/Halford]
Look out, here's Starbreaker
Cruisin' into town
Set his mind to stealin'
Every little heart around
Step out on the sidewalks
If you're feeling game
He comes but once a lifetime
Never seen again
Starbreaker
Glides in from the sky
Starbreaker
Takes you up so high
Paradise is waiting
For the chosen few
Let's hope maybe this time
He picks me and you
Star voyage to a new world
Light-year miles away
Cross your fingers, here he is,
Take us now this day
Starbreaker
Glides in from the sky
Starbreaker
Takes you up so high
Starbreaker, take my hand
Starbreaker, understand
Starbreaker, you're the one
Starbreaker, lead us on, and on
Look out, here's Starbreaker
Cruisin' into town
Set his mind to stealin'
Every little heart around
Step out on the sidewalks
If you're feeling game
He comes but once a lifetime
Never ever seen again
Starbreaker
Glides in from the sky
Starbreaker
Takes you up so high
2. Aces High (Iron Maiden cover) 04:24
[Harris]
There goes the siren that warns of the air raid
Then comes the sound of the guns sending flak
Out for the scramble we've got to get airborne
Got to get up for the coming attack.
Jump in the cockpit and start up the engines
Remove all the wheel blocks
there's no time to waste
Gathering speed as we heed down the runway
Gotta get airborne before it's too late
Running, scrambling, flying
Rolling, turning, diving, going in again
Run, live to fly, fly to live, do or die
Run, live to fly, fly to live, Aces high
Move in to fire at the mainstream of bombers
Let off a sharp burst and then turn away
Roll over, spin round and come in behind them
Move to their blindsides and firing again
Bandits at 8 o'clock move in behind us
Ten ME - 109's out of the sun
Ascending and turning out spitfires to face them
Heading straight for them I press my guns.
Rolling, turning, diving
Rolling, turning, diving, goin' again
Run, live to fly, fly to live, do or die
Run, live to fly, fly to live, Aces high.
3. Scream of Anger (Europe cover) 03:47
I won't live to see tomorrow
There won't be another prayer
None of them will ever sorrow
Those who've sentenced me to death
I've been waiting here for ages
For the hangman to appear (the hangman to appear)
Soon the priest will read some pages
From the Bible for my fear
I see a place
An evil place
Coming my way
What can I do
Where can I run
Gonna die anyway
Things are getting clearer
This is the price I have to pay
oh no
I feel like screaming out my anger
There is so much left here to do
When it happened I was younger
And my destiny was you
I see a place
An evil place
Coming my way
What can I do
Where can I run
Gonna die anyway
Things are getting clearer
This is the price I have to pay
And what can I do about leaving you
We were only halfway through
And what can I say, there was no other way
They wouldn't let me stay
4. Diva Satanica 03:43
Divine queen of evil
Sowing her seeds of hate
Mistress of pain
Diva satanica - Master of temptation
Medusa... abuser... both beast and beauty
Seducer... she'll use you... bring you to your knees
Blinded by her infinite beauty
you are lured into the temple
The smell of incense burning
this carnal pleasure yearning
Bride of satan
Transgress the rules of this world
Too late you realize
this love is ripping you apart
Medusa... abuser... both beast and beauty
Seducer... she'll use you... as fodder for her dreams
Drinking the blood
Eating the flesh
She's getting high on you
Watching you die gives her a thrill
...There is always more blood to spill...
5. Fields of Desolation '99 06:03
[Music: Michael Amott/Christopher Amott]
[Lyrics: Johan Liiva]
On the fields of desolation
We are all alone
Crying in each others arms
In fear of the unknown
Feelings of uncertainty
We are all doomed
To live in solitude
And never ending gloom
On the fields of desolation
Eternal life or termination
Why don't you cover me
I need your sanctuary
This sea I'm drowning in
Might be where the end begins
In times of grief and sadness
We're searching for the light
Seek for a place of safety
Seek for a place to hide
God turned his back on man
In divine resignation
Torn between two believes
Eternal life or termination?
As we drown in darkness
Weak and depraved
On our final journey
Too late to be saved
We've gone through places
Where the cold wind blows
Is this the end of it all
I don't know, I don't know
6. Damnation's Way 03:47
Set me free, let me out of here
From these chains to which I am bound
Time was always on your side
While my final hours slipped away
Chorus: Frustration in their minds
The hatred in their eyes
A new breed will now rise
Damnation's way?
Losing my grip on reality
Outside this cage I am struck by paranoia
A paradox to all life's mysteries
A never ending trail to follow?
I am the sinner upon damnation's way
Always deprived of hope, never to see the break of dawn
My life I lived in the shadow of you
The other side now greets me with open arms
7. Hydra (instrumental) 00:57
