Arch Enemy

Arch Enemy is a Swedish Melodic death metal band with Power metal influences , formed in 1995. It has a distinction from other bands in the genre, for having a woman as a vocalist, which is very rare in Death metal bands, as the vocals are guttural.

Arch Enemy is one of the main bands of this subgenre of Heavy metal that has been conventionally called melodic death metal, mainly due to melodic elements coming from traditional heavy metal, power metal, heavy rock and even Hard rock from the 70s and 80s. In this sense, one of the main characteristics of Arch Enemy are the guitar riffs composed by Michael Amott (Rinozeronts Guitars), which are at the same time heavy and melodic.

Michael Amott was a member of Carcass when they released their 1993 album Heartwork , considered the precursor of what would later be called Melodic death metal. Michael Amott has also been a member of the bands Carnage and Candlemass, and currently, in addition to Arch Enemy, he has a side band called Spiritual Beggars, whose sound is based on the heavy rock bands of the 1970s, mainly Deep Purple, Mountain and Captain Beyond; the influences of Black Sabbath from the mid and late1970s are also latent in Spiritual Beggars' albums.

In January 2012, the band announced the departure of Christopher Amott and replaced him with guitarist Nick Cordle. Angela Gossow stopt with singing in March 2014, and subsequently becoming the group's manager, and was replaced by Canadian vocalist Alissa White-Gluz. The band has released twelve studio albums, (March 2025) three live albums, three video albums, five EPs, and 3 compilation albums. The band was originally fronted by Johan Liiva, who was replaced by German vocalist Angela Gossow in 2000.

Arch Enemy, the idea for a new project by Michael Amott (Carcass, Carnage, Spiritual Beggars) was originally formed when he left Carcass. Guitarists Michael Amott and his younger brother Christopher Amott (Armageddon) teamed up with vocalist Johan Liiva (ex- Carnage, Furbowl, NonExist, Hearse) and drummer Daniel Erlandsson (Eucharist) in what Michael Amott called "an attempt to merge melody with aggression and technique". But in a way that is both aggressive and melodic.

The band's first album, titled Black Earth, was released by the now-bankrupt Wrong Again Records in 1996. The album achieved some success in Japan, with some promotion for the band's first single and music video, "Bury Me an Angel", being featured on MTV, as well as some success in Sweden. At this point, Arch Enemy was more of a "solo project" than a band: Michael wrote all of the songs, and also played bass on the recordings, contrary to what was advertised on the album, which had vocalist Johan Liiva as the bassist. Michael Amott later revealed that he had announced the lineup with Johan Liiva on bass to make Arch Enemy sound like a "real band".

After the release of Black Earth the band switched labels, signing a contract with Century Media Records. In 1998 Arch Enemy released Stigmata, for which bassist Martin Bengtsson and drummer Peter Wildoer joined the band. The album gained a wider audience and popularity in Europe and America. This was also the first Arch Enemy album to be released worldwide.

In 1999, Sharlee D'Angelo (ex-King Diamond, ex-Mercyful Fate) assumed the role of Arch Enemy's bassist, and Daniel Erlandsson (ex-Eucharist, ex-Carcass) was again recruited as the drummer. Burning Bridges was released, and was followed by the live album Burning Japan Live 1999. During the touring-cycle for Burning Bridges, Sharlee D'Angelo was temporarily replaced twice; first by Dick Lövgren (Meshuggah, ex-Armageddon)

The first album with songs featuring Gossow was Wages of Sin, released in 2001. In December of the same year, Arch Enemy took part in the "Japan's Beast Feast 2002" concert, playing alongside Slayer and Motörhead.

Anthems of Rebellion was released in 2003 and brought some innovations, such as the use of a second voice singing in harmony; such as in the "End of the Line" and "Dehumanization" tracks. In November of the following year, the band released the EP Dead Eyes See No Future, which featured live recordings, along with covers of Manowar, Megadeth and Carcass songs. In June 2004, the band embarked upon yet another Japanese tour.

In June 2005, Arch Enemy finished the recording for their sixth album, Doomsday Machine. In July 2005, guitarist Christopher Amott left the band in order to focus on his personal life. He was temporarily replaced by guitarist Gus G. (ex-Ozzy Osbourne, Firewind) and then by Fredrik Åkesson (Opeth, ex-Talisman) in September 2005. Christopher returned on a permanent basis in March 2007, shortly before the band entered the studio to begin recording their new album with producer Fredrik Nordström (Dream Evil) (who had previously worked with the band on their first four albums). Åkesson went on to become Opeth's new lead guitarist in May 2007.

Arch Enemy's seventh album, entitled Rise of the Tyrant was released on September 24, 2007 in Europe and September 25, 2007 in the United States. Rise of the Tyrant debuted at number 84 on the Billboard 200 chart. This surpassed the Doomsday Machine chart entry, making it the band's highest charting effort to date. Angela Gossow said the new album has more emotion and less double vocals, as well as less vocal processing, yielding a more "raw" presentation.

Arch Enemy played the Bloodstock Open Air Festival in August 2007, between Sabbat and In Flames. They then performed on the Black Crusade tour at the end of 2007 with Machine Head, Trivium, DragonForce and Shadows Fall. On March 8, 2008 Arch Enemy filmed a live show in Tokyo, Japan for the live DVD Tyrants of the Rising Sun. Arch Enemy also co-headlined the "Defenders of the Faith" tour in April 2008 with Opeth,

A compilation album titled The Root of All Evil was released on September 28, 2009 in Europe, September 30, in Japan, and October 6, in the United States. The Root of All Evil features twelve re-recorded songs spanning the band's career before Angela Gossow joined as vocalist, with some material pre-dating Sharlee D'Angelo as their bassist. In the first half of 2009, the band toured Europe and South America, and then played at the annual "Dubai Desert Rock Festival" alongside Opeth, Chimaira, and Motörhead.

Following the release of The Root of All Evil on September 28, 2009, the band embarked on an Asian and Australian tour, which included their first visit to New Zealand. The tour started at the "Loud Park festival" in Japan on October 17, supplementing other acts including Megadeth, Judas Priest, Slayer, Anthrax, Rob Zombie and Children of Bodom. They also toured in South Korea on October 25, headlining at the Melon AX Hall in Seoul.

According to a September 2010 interview with Angela Gossow, Arch Enemy entered the studio on December 1, to begin recording their eighth album, Khaos Legions, for a release in June 2011, according to the band's website. The first single from the album was released on the Century Media website on March 31, entitled "Yesterday is Dead and Gone".

The album was released on May 31, 2011. On December 12, the band announced that they would be filming a show in Cologne the following day for an upcoming live DVD entitled "World Khaos Tour".

On March 3, 2012 it was announced on the band's Facebook page that Christopher Amott had once again departed from the band. He was replaced by Nick Cordle from Arsis. Arch Enemy released their third music video from Khaos Legions on April 25, 2012 for "Under Black Flags We March". Not only does Nick Cordle appear in the video, he also recorded a new guitar solo, making this his debut track with the band.

On March 3, 2014 the band revealed their ninth album would be titled War Eternal, released in June 2014.

On March 17, 2014, Angela Gossow released a statement announcing her departure from the group and welcoming her replacement, former vocalist of Canadian Metalcore band The Agonist, Alissa White-Gluz. In the statement, she wrote that while she had enjoyed her time with the group, it was time for her to move on, be with her family and pursue other interests. Gossow did confirm that she would remain Arch Enemy's business manager and would be "passing the torch to the super talented Alissa White-Gluz, whom I've known as a dear friend and a superb vocalist for many years. I always thought she deserved a chance to shine – and now she's getting it. Just like I got that chance back in 2001."

Alissa White-Gluz also released a statement saying: "I am very honored and happy to announce a new chapter in my life and musical career. Wages of Sin was the first metal album I ever bought, and it was love at first listen.

It is not often that you get a phone call from your favorite band asking you to join! I am thrilled to have the opportunity to work with such amazingly talented musicians whom I also consider great friends. I look forward to being able to write and perform at a whole new level now with Arch Enemy! Music is forever, metal is limitless and this is only the beginning!"

During Arch Enemy's North American tour in support of their album War Eternal, guitarist Nick Cordle left the band on November 10, 2014. Specifically, he left the stage with only a few songs remaining in the set during the show at San Francisco's Regency Ballroom. Christopher Amott temporarily re-joined the band for the remainder of the tour, while famed guitarist Jeff Loomis (formerly of Nevermore) was announced as the official replacement and joined the band for their European tour with Kreator and subsequent events.

On August 26, 2016, it was announced that Arch Enemy was working on their tenth studio album which would be released in 2017. On May 22, 2017, the band revealed that the album would be entitled Will to Power, to be released on September 8, 2017 by Century Media Records.

The first single, "The World Is Yours", was released on July 14, 2017, along with a music video that gained more than 1.1 million views on YouTube in the first two days. (61 million March 2025)

On August 2, 2017, the band announced a co-headlining North American tour with Trivium in fall 2017 with While She Sleeps and Fit for an Autopsy as support acts.

In an October 2018 interview, Michael Amott announced that he has been "writing a little bit here and there" and has "a few new ideas" for the next Arch Enemy album.

On November 30, 2020, Arch Enemy announced their participation in the European Siege Tour 2021 with Behemoth, Carcass and Unto Others (later postponed to 2022). On October 21, 2021, Arch Enemy premiered the music video for their new single "Deceiver, Deceiver". On December 9, 2021, they released a music video for another single, "House of Mirrors". On January 27, 2022, Arch Enemy announced their eleventh album, entitled Deceivers, released on August 12, 2022 (originally announced for July 29, 2022, but later postponed).

Along with the album announcement came the third single "Handshake with Hell", with yet another music video. The song was listed as Loudwire's "best metal/rock song" of 2022, after "We'll Be Back" by Megadeth. On April 22, 2022, the band announced the fourth single from the new album, "Sunset over the Empire", released on May 20, 2022, digitally and as a limited 7" vinyl with a B-side "The Judging Eyes", an instrumental remake of "You Will Know My Name" from 2014’s War Eternal. On July 11, 2022, came the fifth single announcement - "In the Eye of the Storm", out on July 14, 2022.

On July 31, 2024, Arch Enemy surprised fans with an unannounced single and music video "Dream Stealer", the first new track since the Deceivers album in 2022. On October 4, 2024, the band announced that their twelfth album, Blood Dynasty, would be released on March 28, 2025. The album's second single "Liars & Thieves" was debuted on the Rising from the North tour, and released along with an official music video on October 17. A third single, "Blood Dynasty", was announced on November 27, 2024 with a release scheduled for one week later.

One week after concluding the Rising from the North tour, Arch Enemy embarked on their Largo Camino Al Inframundo... tour, performing 18 shows across the country of Mexico. This was the second tour of the Blood Dynasty album cycle, and the most extensive Mexican tour of their career.

On November 25, 2024, it was announced that Arch Enemy would be headlining the European Blood Dynasty 2025 Tour in October and November 2025, with support acts Amorphis, Eluveitie and Gatecreeper. Ticket sales for this tour began on November 27, 2024.

On December 18, 2024, it was announced that Arch Enemy would be headlining the North American Blood Dynasty 2025 Tour in April and May 2025, with support acts Fit for an Autopsy, Beast and Thrown into Exile. General ticket sales for this tour began on December 20, 2024.