19 years on from when Michael Amott formed Arch Enemy, the band are showing no sign at all of slowing down, and in fact sound revitalized on this album which to my ears is probably their best to date. With guitarist Nick Cordle (ex-Arsis) and vocalist Alissa White-Gluz replacing Amott’s younger brother Christopher and long-time frontwoman Angela Gossow in 2012 and 2014 respectively, one could have been forgiven for thinking that this album would play fairly safe, but actually they have added additional elements of commerciality and melody that previously just weren’t there previously and have taken a step forward. Cordle’s first appearance in Arch Enemy was on the “Under Black Flags We March” video (from 2011’s ‘Khaos Legions’) but this is his first full-length release while White-Glutz (ex-The Agnoist) only joined the band earlier this year. There is no doubt that when Angela Gossow was brought in to front the band for the ‘Wages of Sin’ she not only made a huge difference to the band, but also changed the view of women in extreme metal. Now, given that Alissa has only just joined the band it would be interesting to understand just what impact she has had on the album in terms of the musicality (vocally she is very similar in the most part to Angela), so it is possible that Nick Cordle has had the greater effect on Michael, as the guitars are truly linked as one yet this is now way so much more than a death metal band with symphonic and melodic influences.
What we have now is a band that is truly combining the best of melodic and death, using symphonic when it makes sense, and using blistering guitar runs, duets and solos that mean that Daniel and Sharlee have to be at their very best to enable the rhythm section to stay in touch with what is going on at the sharp end. Produced by the band and mixed and mastered by Jens Bogren (Opeth, Paradise Lost) at Fascination Street Studio, the Swedes’ 10th full-length is unrelentingly brutal yet remarkably polished. If ever a band was going to bring death metal truly into the mainstream then this is probably the act to do it, and this could well be the album. Stunning from start to finish, with incredible note density and ferocity combined with melody and harmonies, this is one hell of an album.
Arch Enemy are re-energised and on the very top of their game – I can’t wait to catch these guys on tour. 5*’s all the way..
