November is the time where many Americans give thanks for this, that, or the other thing. And although they were released in January 2010, one thing I am still thankful for is Century Media releasing two of the three albums by Armageddon – EMBRACE THE MYSTERY and THREE, as a double-album set.
For those unaware, Armageddon was spawned by Arch Enemy guitarists Michael and Christopher Amott. Michael appeared on the first album, CROSSING THE RUBICON, while Christopher took the helm for the other two. Unfortunately, until last January, the trio of discs, remained elusive Japanese imports – a purgatory which still clings to the debut.
Because of this web of recording contract red tape, Armageddon rarely received any worldwide press, and was pushed even further underground, thanks to the meteoric rise of Arch Enemy. However, what is past is prologue, and we managed to secure some time with Christopher Amott to celebrate these releases.
Read on, true believers, and “embrace the mystery” of Armageddon!
What took so long in getting these albums released stateside?
Part laziness and part managers…business reasons, really. After we did the second album, EMBRACE THE MYSTERY, I had wanted to release it outside of Japan. But the contract we had with Century Media back then was not very favorable. Our old manager advised us just to wait, because Century Media would have had the rights to release it in Europe and in the states. He told us to wait until we negotiated a new contract.
But time dragged on, and I got busy with other stuff, so it just kinda got shelved. But now, I noticed that I had the masters for that and the third album at my house so I just went ahead and did it.
It’s just one of those things that boggled my mind for many years, because I once had a conversation with Dave Thorne several years ago, and I asked him what the hold-up was, and he simply said that Century Media just wasn’t interested in releasing them at the time.
Yeah, that’s the guy I was talking about. But they’re the ones releasing it now, so it’s fine. Of course, Arch Enemy was his #1 priority, but I kept pestering him about a small re-release deal just for these albums, but it never happened. Needless to say, we don’t work with him anymore.
So how did the original deal for Armageddon come together?
That was largely my brother [Michael], actually, who dealt directly with our original Swedish label [Wrong Again] back in 1997. He told them, “my brother’s a really good guitar player; you should let him release a solo album. We are really hot in Japan at the time with Arch Enemy, so let me do a solo album with him.” So, we co-wrote the first Armageddon album, CROSSING THE RUBICON – we co-wrote the music, and Mike came up with the lyrics and the concept (it was like a sci-fi concept album about the end of planet Earth; hence the name “Armageddon”). It was pretty cool, and we put it out.
A few years later, while we were working hard on Arch Enemy, I started writing with the vocalist for EMBRACE THE MYSTERY [Rickard Bengtsson], which turned into a more progressive, 80s rock sound. We put the album together and I suggested using the name “Armageddon” again, since it was already linked to me. And then the third time around, it was a different lineup and a different style; so it has just evolved into this vehicle for me to play around with different genres and styles – it’s basically a solo thing.
So, why was CROSSING THE RUBICON not a part of the reissue package?
It’s all business bullsh**, you know. I have lawyers working on it, actually. It’s word against word, really, as there was no specific written contract for it. That’s going to be resolved soon, hopefully, because the first Spiritual Beggars album and BLACK EARTH are also tied up in that mess. So, it will be resolved, and hopefully, they will be out sometime in the next few years.
It’s really a shame that these took so long to get wider distribution, because all three albums had some potentially great singles on them.
Yeah, yeah; I don’t know what else to say. We only ever played two shows in Japan (supporting In Flames), but I’m still proud that they are out there.
I was also wondering if part of the issue was that, at the time, Michael was being groomed in the press as a new “guitar god,” and the Armageddon albums might have gotten in the way of that.
No, no, that is pure speculation. Michael and I are a team. There was nothing like that going on.
Was it your goal to transform Armageddon into this amorphous rock/metal entity, or was it just happenstance?
I had no real goals with it. I was just creating music in the moment. I’m actually a bit more focused now; I was rather scattered back then.
Was Armageddon, in a sense, your way of expressing creative ideas that you couldn’t bring forth in Arch Enemy?
Well, the first album was me and my brother working together, like I said. With the second one, I wanted to work in a melodic, classic rock format, with a power metal singer – something we weren’t doing in Arch Enemy. The third time around, I wanted to try singing myself, so I just threw myself in there and did it. I was just taking chances, you know? I really wanted to keep myself interested.
What I really appreciate about the Armageddon albums, not to discount Arch Enemy, is that they are snapshots of an artist being an artist.
Yeah, they can seem a bit scattered though. Looking back, though, I kinda wish I would have used some of those ideas for Arch Enemy instead; especially some of the riffs and melodies, because it seemed almost pointless to spread my ideas around like that…when I could have made some REALLY great music with Arch Enemy.
But again, it wasn’t as focused back then; it was before Angela joined the band, and we weren’t yet such a big touring band. Now, we’re like a machine, with everyone working together. Even Michael had two bands with Spiritual Beggars back then, so it really was like, project here, project there.
I’m frankly surprised that during the time Michael and Daniel spent touring with Carcass for those reunion shows that a fourth Armageddon album never materialized.
Honestly, I never really liked the name “Armageddon.” For the first album, it was good, because it was a concept album. But it invokes something big, ominous and dark, that it really didn’t fit the others. I kinda regret not using the name “Christopher Amott” for the other two.
Which brings me to the fact that I did release a solo album under my own name, called FOLLOW YOUR HEART, which is not metal, but is more atmospheric and spacey. And I’m not letting this one be a Japanese exclusive; I’ve learned my lesson there!
I still want to spread out and do other kinds of music, but I really only ever get metal press; so I have to respond from that point of view (not to be disrespectful). I am now totally focused on keeping the metal with Arch Enemy and doing other styles in other projects. I’ve also started painting during the last few years; I simply enjoy being creative in any way I can. It’s cool to keep myself busy.
However, I am actually disappointed with the lyrics on the THREE album. I approached them from a metal perspective, where you write the song first and put the lyrics over top of them. But with FOLLOW YOUR HEART, I went with a more poetic approach, where the music and the lyrics go hand-in-hand.
Wow, you’re not selling these Armageddon albums very well!
[Laughs] I know, I know, but I’ve got to be honest! But no, I am very proud of them, especially EMBRACE THE MYSTERY and the first one. I’m actually very happy to see them come out, because I put a hell of a lot of work into them, and it has really been messing with me to see them just lying about in drawers. I’m just saying that some of the lyrics on THREE were hastily thrown together.
But I would never release anything that I don’t like! I didn’t do it just to make money. There is a lot of really great guitar work on those albums.
Grab a copy of EMBRACE THE MYSTERY + THREE available now at Amazon and Amazon Digital.
Comments