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Back after an extensive break from the studio (not counting their Root Of All Evil re-recordings), Swedish darlings Arch Enemy once again master their style with Khaos Legions, a stupidly titled but enjoyable romp through all the things we love and hate about this Death Metal institution. Produced to the very brink of modernity, this is pretty much what you'd expect from a band that released Rise Of The Tyrant a few years back. The critics all agreed the Amott brothers and co were back on the right path after a couple of lukewarm releases, and they were right; Khaos Legions follows in the same vein, only it's more aggressive in places, more melodic in others, with less of an anthemic feel, making it more forgettable overall.

Angela Gossow sounds as vicious as ever, with tracks like "Yesterday Is Dead And Gone", "Bloodstained Cross" and "Vengeance Is Mine" all proving she is still a stunning growler (aided of course with a whole host of computer effects – though they are used less than they have been in the past). The Amott brothers don't trade as many riffs as they used to, but their melodies and harmonies are more noticeable this time round, very rooted in the traditional template, sounding big and epic without overdoing it. It's no Wages Of Sin for sure, but Khaos Legions is another Arch Enemy album, and if this is what young wannabes are buying these days, I've got no qualms about it.