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Michael Amott is a giant in metal, having been a founding member of Arch Enemy as well being as an integral part of the development of melodic death metal after his stint in Carcass at the time of the release of Heartwork, largely considered to be the starting point of the subgenre. However, Amott has shown his range in other genres over the years, most notably with his retro/ traditional metal outfit Spiritual Beggars.

Releasing eight full-length albums over the last 20 years, Spiritual Beggars have been a cornerstone of metal’s current fascination with retro/traditional metal. Early in their career, Spiritual Beggars were signed to the European label Music For Nations, releasing four albums on the label from 1996 to 2002.

Music For Nations now reissues each of those albums: Another Way To Shine, Mantra III, Ad Astra, and On Fire, with exclusive liner notes penned by Amott. Each album is remastered and is being released on colored vinyl with a CD version included in each package.

Originally released in 1996, Another Way To Shine is the second album from Spiritual Beggars. A trio at the time, it was already a mature work from a group that knows their way around the genre. Loaded with riffs and solos from Amott, the album also features extensive keyboards, a focal point within Spiritual Beggars’ musical direction, from vocalist Christian Sjöstrand (also known as Spice).

Melody and nods to the genre’s origins in the 1970s appear with a few psychedelic moments, but much of the album is loaded with up tempo, riff heavy, rockers somewhere in between Rainbow and Deep Purple.

Mantra III, originally released in 1998, showcases keyboards from Per Widberg, who joined the band at this time. Also a riff heavy album with lots of solos and psychedelic effects from Amott, Mantra III also features a nice, melodic intro, “Superbossonova,” which first appeared on a re-release of the album in 2000. Ad Astra soon followed in 2000 and is the last album to feature Spice on vocals.

On Fire (2002) saw a revamped lineup with Spice departing and Janne "JB" Christoffersson of Grand Magus taking over on vocals. Christoffersson would remain with the band until 2010. Bassist Roger Nilsson also makes his first appearance on this album. On Fire is also the most melodic of the four albums with the band’s roots from the 1970s shining through.

Each of these albums is a great way to get introduced to Spiritual Beggars, and Music For Nations really seals the deal with these stellar vinyl editions.

(released June 30, 2015 on Music For Nations Records)