Arch Enemy (band)
Encyclopedia
Arch Enemy is a Swedish melodic death metal
band, originally a supergroup
, from Halmstad
, formed in 1996. Its members were in bands such as Carcass
, Armageddon
, Carnage
, Mercyful Fate
, Spiritual Beggars
, and Eucharist
to name a few. It was founded by Carcass
guitarist Michael Amott
along with Johan Liiva
, who were both originally from the influential death metal
band Carnage
. The band has released nine studio albums, a live album
(Burning Japan Live 1999
), two DVD
s and three EPs
. The band was originally fronted by Johan Liiva
, who was replaced by Angela Gossow
as lead vocalist in 2000.
(Carcass
, Carnage
, and Spiritual Beggars
) was originally assembled when Michael Amott left Carcass. Guitarists Michael Amott and younger brother Christopher Amott
(Armageddon
) joined with vocalist Johan Liiva
(ex-Carnage, Furbowl, Devourment) and then-session drummer Daniel Erlandsson
(Eucharist
) in what Michael Amott called "an attempt to merge melody with aggression and technicality".
The band's debut, entitled Black Earth
was recorded in Studio Fredman
and released by the now defunct Wrong Again Records
in 1996. It obtained a fair amount of success in Japan
, achieving MTV rotation with their first single "Bury Me an Angel", as well as moderate success in Sweden. At this point, Arch Enemy was more of a "solo effort" than a full band; Michael Amott wrote all the songs himself, and even played bass guitar on the album, contrary to the album's liner notes, which listed vocalist Johan Liiva as handling bass duties. Amott later revealed that he had the credits listed that way to make the album seem more of a "band" effort. Many consider it to be the band's most aggressive album, a trait that was softened to some degree on its following releases, but never abandoned.
and America
. This was also the first Arch Enemy album to be released worldwide.
In 1999, Sharlee D'Angelo
assumed the role of Arch Enemy's bassist, and Daniel Erlandsson was once again recruited to handle drum duties, this time on a permanent basis. Burning Bridges was released, and was soon followed by the live album Burning Japan Live 1999
, which was initially a release limited to Japan, but later given worldwide distribution due to strong demand. During the touring-cycle for Burning Bridges, Sharlee D'Angelo
was temporarily replaced twice; first by Dick Lövgren
(Meshuggah
, ex-Armageddon
) and then by Roger Nilsson
(ex-Spiritual Beggars
, Firebird
, The Quill
). Burning Bridges marked a shift in Arch Enemy's core sound, now opting for a more melodic approach, while still keeping the original melodic death metal-sound first heard on the first two albums.
In November 2000, vocalist Johan Liiva was asked to quit the band. Michael Amott stated that the he wanted more dynamics from the band's frontman, and that Liiva's live performance was not up to par with the rest of the band. Liiva was soon replaced by amateur German journalist and death metal vocalist Angela Gossow
, who had given a demo
tape to Christopher Amott earlier that year during an interview she had conducted with him. Gossow proved to be a talented vocalist and has been with the band ever since.
, released in 2001. This is also the first album where the band used C tuning, which they have kept until the present. 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 Japan touring with Japanese act Edge of Spirit.
. 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.
(Ozzy, Firewind
) and then by Fredrik Åkesson
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 (who has produced for acts such as In Flames and Soilwork). Åkesson went on to become Opeth
's new lead guitarist in May 2007. An album from Arch Enemy's earlier work, Black Earth, was reissued on April 24, 2007, with Liiva's vocals.
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. 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
. With this, as Michael Amott reported on the band's website, "These will be the first European shows we do with Arch Enemy after the release of our new album".
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
, while DevilDriver
and 3 Inches of Blood
opened for them. They then headlined the "Tyranny and Bloodshred" tour in May 2008 with Dark Tranquillity
, Divine Heresy
, and Firewind
as supporting acts.
features twelve re-recorded songs spanning the band's career before Gossow joined as vocalist, with some material pre-dating 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 Asia
n and Australia
n 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, supported by Fatal Fear
.
, Arch Enemy entered the studio on December 1 to begin recording their eighth album for a release in June 2011, according to the band's website. The title for the new album is Khaos Legions
. 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 31 May 2011.
Former members
Touring and session members
Melodic death metal
Melodic death metal is a heavy metal music style that combines elements from the New Wave of British Heavy Metal with elements of death metal. The style was developed during the early and mid-1990s, primarily in England and Scandinavia...
band, originally a supergroup
Supergroup (music)
In the late 1960s, the term supergroup was coined to describe "a rock music group whose performers are already famous from having performed individually or in other groups"....
, from Halmstad
Halmstad
Halmstad is a port, university, industrial and recreational city at the mouth of Nissan in the province of Halland on the Swedish west coast. Halmstad is the seat of Halmstad Municipality and the capital of Halland County...
, formed in 1996. Its members were in bands such as Carcass
Carcass (band)
Carcass are an extreme metal band from England, who formed in 1985 and disbanded in 1995. A reunion was enacted in 2008 without one of its original members, drummer Ken Owen, due to health reasons....
, Armageddon
Armageddon (band)
Armageddon was a Swedish heavy metal band, led by Christopher Amott of Arch Enemy. Originally conceived as a melodic death metal band with metalcore influences, the group's later efforts fall into the power metal category...
, Carnage
Carnage (band)
Carnage was a Swedish death metal band whose members later went on to found Dismember, Arch Enemy and the Grindcore band Carcass. The band was formed by Michael Amott and Johan Liiva in 1988. They released only one album before dissolving in 1991.-History:...
, Mercyful Fate
Mercyful Fate
Mercyful Fate was a Danish heavy metal band from Copenhagen. Initially active from 1981 to 1985, they reunited in 1992. The band went on hiatus again in 2000, when frontman King Diamond decided to continue his solo career...
, Spiritual Beggars
Spiritual Beggars
Spiritual Beggars is a hard rock/stoner metal band from Halmstad, Sweden, formed by Michael Amott, who is known from Arch Enemy, Carcass and Carnage.- Biography :...
, and Eucharist
Eucharist (band)
Eucharist was a Swedish melodic death metal band which released two albums in the 1990s.-History:Eucharist's first album, A Velvet Creation , featured Markus Johnsson , Thomas Einarsson , Tobias Gustafsson , and Daniel Erlandsson , while for the second, Mirrorworlds , they were reduced to the trio...
to name a few. It was founded by Carcass
Carcass (band)
Carcass are an extreme metal band from England, who formed in 1985 and disbanded in 1995. A reunion was enacted in 2008 without one of its original members, drummer Ken Owen, due to health reasons....
guitarist Michael Amott
Michael Amott
Michael Amott is a Swedish guitarist, songwriter, founding member of the bands Arch Enemy, Spiritual Beggars, and Carnage, as well as a member of the death metal band Carcass. He is the older brother of Christopher Amott...
along with Johan Liiva
Johan Liiva
Johan Patrik Mattias Liiva is a Swedish extreme metal vocalist, most widely recognized as the founding vocalist of popular melodic death metal band Arch Enemy, as well as a former member of Carnage, Furbowl, and NonExist...
, who were both originally from the influential death metal
Death metal
Death metal is an extreme subgenre of heavy metal. It typically employs heavily distorted guitars, tremolo picking, deep growling vocals, blast beat drumming, minor keys or atonality, and complex song structures with multiple tempo changes....
band Carnage
Carnage (band)
Carnage was a Swedish death metal band whose members later went on to found Dismember, Arch Enemy and the Grindcore band Carcass. The band was formed by Michael Amott and Johan Liiva in 1988. They released only one album before dissolving in 1991.-History:...
. The band has released nine studio albums, a live album
Live album
A live album is a recording consisting of material recorded during stage performances using remote recording techniques, commonly contrasted with a studio album...
(Burning Japan Live 1999
Burning Japan Live 1999
-Reception:Burning Japan Live 1999 received mixed reviews by critics. Metal Rules's El Cid criticized mainly the crowd writing that "the Japanese crowd doesn't help much in this matter, no offense to anyone but it does seem like everyone is just sitting down listening and doing nothing else during...
), two DVD
DVD
A DVD is an optical disc storage media format, invented and developed by Philips, Sony, Toshiba, and Panasonic in 1995. DVDs offer higher storage capacity than Compact Discs while having the same dimensions....
s and three EPs
Extended play
An EP is a musical recording which contains more music than a single, but is too short to qualify as a full album or LP. The term EP originally referred only to specific types of vinyl records other than 78 rpm standard play records and LP records, but it is now applied to mid-length Compact...
. The band was originally fronted by Johan Liiva
Johan Liiva
Johan Patrik Mattias Liiva is a Swedish extreme metal vocalist, most widely recognized as the founding vocalist of popular melodic death metal band Arch Enemy, as well as a former member of Carnage, Furbowl, and NonExist...
, who was replaced by Angela Gossow
Angela Gossow
Angela Nathalie Gossow is the lead vocalist for the Swedish melodic death metal band Arch Enemy. Her previous bands include Asmodina and Mistress. She is considered to be one of the few successful female metal singers to use growling as her primary singing style...
as lead vocalist in 2000.
Early years and Black Earth (1996–1997)
Arch Enemy, the brainchild of Michael AmottMichael Amott
Michael Amott is a Swedish guitarist, songwriter, founding member of the bands Arch Enemy, Spiritual Beggars, and Carnage, as well as a member of the death metal band Carcass. He is the older brother of Christopher Amott...
(Carcass
Carcass (band)
Carcass are an extreme metal band from England, who formed in 1985 and disbanded in 1995. A reunion was enacted in 2008 without one of its original members, drummer Ken Owen, due to health reasons....
, Carnage
Carnage (band)
Carnage was a Swedish death metal band whose members later went on to found Dismember, Arch Enemy and the Grindcore band Carcass. The band was formed by Michael Amott and Johan Liiva in 1988. They released only one album before dissolving in 1991.-History:...
, and Spiritual Beggars
Spiritual Beggars
Spiritual Beggars is a hard rock/stoner metal band from Halmstad, Sweden, formed by Michael Amott, who is known from Arch Enemy, Carcass and Carnage.- Biography :...
) was originally assembled when Michael Amott left Carcass. Guitarists Michael Amott and younger brother Christopher Amott
Christopher Amott
Christopher Amott is a Swedish guitarist and vocalist, younger brother of Michael Amott and founding member of the Swedish metal bands Arch Enemy and Armageddon.-Biography:...
(Armageddon
Armageddon (band)
Armageddon was a Swedish heavy metal band, led by Christopher Amott of Arch Enemy. Originally conceived as a melodic death metal band with metalcore influences, the group's later efforts fall into the power metal category...
) joined with vocalist Johan Liiva
Johan Liiva
Johan Patrik Mattias Liiva is a Swedish extreme metal vocalist, most widely recognized as the founding vocalist of popular melodic death metal band Arch Enemy, as well as a former member of Carnage, Furbowl, and NonExist...
(ex-Carnage, Furbowl, Devourment) and then-session drummer Daniel Erlandsson
Daniel Erlandsson
Daniel John Erlandsson is the drummer in the melodic death metal band Arch Enemy.His early work includes drumming on the In Flames album Subterranean...
(Eucharist
Eucharist (band)
Eucharist was a Swedish melodic death metal band which released two albums in the 1990s.-History:Eucharist's first album, A Velvet Creation , featured Markus Johnsson , Thomas Einarsson , Tobias Gustafsson , and Daniel Erlandsson , while for the second, Mirrorworlds , they were reduced to the trio...
) in what Michael Amott called "an attempt to merge melody with aggression and technicality".
The band's debut, entitled Black Earth
Black Earth (Arch Enemy)
Black Earth is the first album by the Swedish melodic death metal band Arch Enemy. The album was reissued on April 24, 2007 on Regain Records, featuring "Losing Faith", two Iron Maiden covers and the video for "Bury Me an Angel"....
was recorded in Studio Fredman
Studio Fredman
Studio Fredman is a recording studio in Göteborg, Sweden, owned and operated by producer Fredrik Nordström.It is popular among Swedish metal bands, with artists such as At the Gates, Deathstars, Nightrage, Dimmu Borgir, Arch Enemy, Soilwork, Dark Tranquillity, Amon Amarth, In Flames, Zonaria,...
and released by the now defunct Wrong Again Records
Regain Records
Regain Records is a Swedish based independent record label. The label predominantly releases death metal and black metal albums. Regain Records was founded from what remained of the former label, Wrong Again Records, by Per Gyllenbäck in 1997...
in 1996. It obtained a fair amount of success in Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
, achieving MTV rotation with their first single "Bury Me an Angel", as well as moderate success in Sweden. At this point, Arch Enemy was more of a "solo effort" than a full band; Michael Amott wrote all the songs himself, and even played bass guitar on the album, contrary to the album's liner notes, which listed vocalist Johan Liiva as handling bass duties. Amott later revealed that he had the credits listed that way to make the album seem more of a "band" effort. Many consider it to be the band's most aggressive album, a trait that was softened to some degree on its following releases, but never abandoned.
Stigmata, Burning Bridges, and Gossow (1998–2000)
After the release of Black Earth the band switched labels, signing a contract with Century Media. In 1998 Arch Enemy released Stigmata, for which bassist Martin Bengtsson and drummer Peter Wildoer joined the band. The album caught the attention of a wider audience, gaining popularity in both EuropeEurope
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
and America
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. This was also the first Arch Enemy album to be released worldwide.
In 1999, Sharlee D'Angelo
Sharlee D'Angelo
Sharlee D'Angelo is the bassist for Swedish melodic death metal band Arch Enemy, as well as the Swedish hard rock band Spiritual Beggars.Sharlee has also been in various bands in the past, either as a studio session player or full member. Some of these include IllWill and Mercyful Fate as well as...
assumed the role of Arch Enemy's bassist, and Daniel Erlandsson was once again recruited to handle drum duties, this time on a permanent basis. Burning Bridges was released, and was soon followed by the live album Burning Japan Live 1999
Burning Japan Live 1999
-Reception:Burning Japan Live 1999 received mixed reviews by critics. Metal Rules's El Cid criticized mainly the crowd writing that "the Japanese crowd doesn't help much in this matter, no offense to anyone but it does seem like everyone is just sitting down listening and doing nothing else during...
, which was initially a release limited to Japan, but later given worldwide distribution due to strong demand. During the touring-cycle for Burning Bridges, Sharlee D'Angelo
Sharlee D'Angelo
Sharlee D'Angelo is the bassist for Swedish melodic death metal band Arch Enemy, as well as the Swedish hard rock band Spiritual Beggars.Sharlee has also been in various bands in the past, either as a studio session player or full member. Some of these include IllWill and Mercyful Fate as well as...
was temporarily replaced twice; first by Dick Lövgren
Dick Lövgren
Dick Lövgren is the bassist for the Swedish experimental metal band Meshuggah. He joined the band in 2004 as Meshuggah's third bass player.-Biography:...
(Meshuggah
Meshuggah
Meshuggah is an extreme metal band from Umeå, Sweden, formed in 1987. Meshuggah's line-up has primarily consisted of founding members vocalist Jens Kidman and lead guitarist Fredrik Thordendal, drummer Tomas Haake, who joined in 1990, and rhythm guitarist Mårten Hagström, who joined in 1992...
, ex-Armageddon
Armageddon (band)
Armageddon was a Swedish heavy metal band, led by Christopher Amott of Arch Enemy. Originally conceived as a melodic death metal band with metalcore influences, the group's later efforts fall into the power metal category...
) and then by Roger Nilsson
Roger Nilsson
Roger Nilsson a Swedish bass-player best known for his work with The Quill, Spiritual Beggars, Arch Enemy and Firebird.-The Quill:* The Quill * Silver Haze * Evermore...
(ex-Spiritual Beggars
Spiritual Beggars
Spiritual Beggars is a hard rock/stoner metal band from Halmstad, Sweden, formed by Michael Amott, who is known from Arch Enemy, Carcass and Carnage.- Biography :...
, Firebird
Firebird (band)
Firebird is a British blues-rock power trio founded by Bill Steer in 1999. The music style, reminiscent of seventies rock bands such as Cream, is a radical departure from Steer's previous work with grindcore pioneers Napalm Death and death metal band Carcass....
, The Quill
The Quill (band)
The Quill are a Swedish stoner rock/heavy metal band.-Biography:The Quill was formed in the early 1990s by singer Magnus Ekwall, guitarist Christian Carlsson, drummer George Atlagic, organist Anders Haglund and bassist Peter Holm. The Quill played the Swedish barcircuit the following years. Peter...
). Burning Bridges marked a shift in Arch Enemy's core sound, now opting for a more melodic approach, while still keeping the original melodic death metal-sound first heard on the first two albums.
In November 2000, vocalist Johan Liiva was asked to quit the band. Michael Amott stated that the he wanted more dynamics from the band's frontman, and that Liiva's live performance was not up to par with the rest of the band. Liiva was soon replaced by amateur German journalist and death metal vocalist Angela Gossow
Angela Gossow
Angela Nathalie Gossow is the lead vocalist for the Swedish melodic death metal band Arch Enemy. Her previous bands include Asmodina and Mistress. She is considered to be one of the few successful female metal singers to use growling as her primary singing style...
, who had given a demo
Demo (music)
A demo version or demo of a song is one recorded for reference rather than for release. A demo is a way for a musician to approximate their ideas on tape or disc, and provide an example of those ideas to record labels, producers or other artists...
tape to Christopher Amott earlier that year during an interview she had conducted with him. Gossow proved to be a talented vocalist and has been with the band ever since.
Wages of Sin and Anthems of Rebellion (2001–2004)
The first album with songs featuring Gossow was Wages of SinWages of Sin
Wages of Sin is the fourth studio album by the Swedish melodic death metal band Arch Enemy. It is the first Arch Enemy album to feature the vocals of Angela Gossow...
, released in 2001. This is also the first album where the band used C tuning, which they have kept until the present. In December of the same year, Arch Enemy took part in the "Japan's Beast Feast 2002" concert, playing alongside Slayer
Slayer
Slayer is an American thrash metal band formed in Huntington Park, California, in 1981 by guitarists Jeff Hanneman and Kerry King. Slayer rose to fame with their 1986 release, Reign in Blood, and is credited as one of the "Big Four" thrash metal acts, along with Metallica, Megadeth and...
and Motörhead.
Anthems of Rebellion
Anthems of Rebellion
-Release:At its time of release, Anthems of Rebellion gave Century Media its then highest first-week Soundscan sales in the United States, and later became one of the top ten best-selling albums under the record label. -Bonus disc:...
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
Extended play
An EP is a musical recording which contains more music than a single, but is too short to qualify as a full album or LP. The term EP originally referred only to specific types of vinyl records other than 78 rpm standard play records and LP records, but it is now applied to mid-length Compact...
Dead Eyes See No Future
Dead Eyes See No Future
Dead Eyes See No Future is an EP by melodic death metal band Arch Enemy. It was released on November 2, 2004 through Century Media Records.The title track is taken from Arch Enemy's Anthems of Rebellion album....
, which featured live recordings, along with covers of Manowar
Manowar (band)
Manowar is an American heavy metal band from Auburn, New York. Formed in 1980 the group is known for its lyrics based on fantasy and mythological topics along with their "loud and bombastic" sound...
, Megadeth
Megadeth
Megadeth is an American heavy metal band from Los Angeles, California which was formed in 1983 by guitarist/vocalist Dave Mustaine, bassist Dave Ellefson and guitarist Greg Handevidt, following Mustaine's expulsion from Metallica. The band has since released 13 studio albums, three live albums, two...
and Carcass
Carcass (band)
Carcass are an extreme metal band from England, who formed in 1985 and disbanded in 1995. A reunion was enacted in 2008 without one of its original members, drummer Ken Owen, due to health reasons....
songs. In June 2004, the band embarked upon Japan touring with Japanese act Edge of Spirit.
Doomsday Machine (2005–2006)
In June 2005, Arch Enemy finished the recording for their sixth album, Doomsday MachineDoomsday Machine (album)
* The end of the lyrics to "Skeleton Dance" recite the death poem of Ōta Dōkan. The beginning of "Skeleton Dance" contains backmasked messages containing the phrases "The world on his shoulders" and "Bleeding forever" among others....
. 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.
Gus G.
Kostas Karamitroudis aka Gus G., born September 12, 1980 in Thessaloniki, Greece is a heavy metal guitarist. He currently plays with his band Firewind and Ozzy Osbourne...
(Ozzy, Firewind
Firewind
Firewind is a Greek power metal band. Formed in 1998, the group is currently signed to Century Media Records and was originally a small project created by guitarist, Gus G. to showcase his demo, Nocturnal Symphony in 1998. Firewind later became a full band over three years later when they recorded...
) and then by Fredrik Åkesson
Fredrik Åkesson
Karl Fredrik Henry Åkesson is a Swedish heavy metal guitarist. He is a current member of Opeth. He is also active in Krux, Monsters of Metal and Talisman.-Biography:...
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 (who has produced for acts such as In Flames and Soilwork). Åkesson went on to become Opeth
Opeth
Opeth is a Swedish heavy metal band from Stockholm, formed in 1990. Though the group has been through several personnel changes, singer, guitarist, and songwriter Mikael Åkerfeldt has remained Opeth's driving force throughout the years...
's new lead guitarist in May 2007. An album from Arch Enemy's earlier work, Black Earth, was reissued on April 24, 2007, with Liiva's vocals.
Rise of the Tyrant (2007–2008)
Arch Enemy's seventh album, entitled Rise of the TyrantRise of the Tyrant
Rise of the Tyrant is the seventh album by the melodic death metal band Arch Enemy, produced by Fredrik Nordström, and was released on September 24, 2007.Vocalist Angela Gossow told the band's website that: Guitarist Michael Amott described it as:...
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
Billboard 200
The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists...
chart. This surpassed the Doomsday Machine chart entry, making it the band's highest charting effort to date. 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
Sabbat (band)
Sabbat are a thrash metal band from Nottingham, England, currently consisting of Martin Walkyier , Andy Sneap , Simon Jones , Gizz Butt and Simon Negus . Over the years Sabbat have released three studio albums, four demos, two split singles/compilation albums, two singles and a live VHS...
and In Flames
In Flames
In Flames is a Swedish heavy metal band from Gothenburg, formed in 1990. Since the band's inception in 1993, they have released ten studio albums and one live DVD...
. They then performed on the Black Crusade tour at the end of 2007 with Machine Head
Machine Head (band)
Machine Head is an American heavy metal band from Oakland, California. Formed on October 12, 1991, the group was founded by Robb Flynn and Adam Duce. There have been 4 member changes since their inception. The current lineup of the band comprises Flynn , Duce , ex-Vio-Lence guitarist Phil Demmel ,...
, Trivium
Trivium (band)
Trivium is an American heavy metal band from Orlando, Florida, formed in 1999. Signed to Roadrunner Records, the band has released five studio albums, eleven singles, and twelve music videos...
, DragonForce
DragonForce
DragonForce are an English power metal band from London. Formed in 1999, the group is known for its long and fast guitar solos, fantasy-based lyrics, and electronic sounds in their music to add to their retro video game-influenced sound. Guitarists Herman Li and Sam Totman are the only two...
and Shadows Fall
Shadows Fall
Shadows Fall is an American heavy metal band from Springfield, Massachusetts, formed in 1995. They are one of the few contemporary metal bands who take their lyrical influence from Eastern philosophy and some references to the Rastafari culture...
. With this, as Michael Amott reported on the band's website, "These will be the first European shows we do with Arch Enemy after the release of our new album".
On March 8, 2008, Arch Enemy filmed a live show in Tokyo, Japan for the live DVD Tyrants of the Rising Sun
Tyrants of the Rising Sun
Tyrants of the Rising Sun is a DVD+CD set of Arch Enemy, released in Europe on November 24, 2008 and in North America on November 25, 2008 via Century Media...
. Arch Enemy also co-headlined the "Defenders of the Faith" tour in April 2008 with Opeth
Opeth
Opeth is a Swedish heavy metal band from Stockholm, formed in 1990. Though the group has been through several personnel changes, singer, guitarist, and songwriter Mikael Åkerfeldt has remained Opeth's driving force throughout the years...
, while DevilDriver
DevilDriver
DevilDriver is an American heavy metal band from Santa Barbara, California, formed in 2002. The band was originally named Deathride, however, due to copyright issues and the name being taken by several bands, Deathride changed its name to DevilDriver, which refers to bells Italian witches used to...
and 3 Inches of Blood
3 Inches of Blood
3 Inches of Blood is a Canadian heavy metal band formed in 2000 in Vancouver, British Columbia, currently consisting of Cam Pipes, Justin Hagberg, Shane Clark, and Ash Pearson...
opened for them. They then headlined the "Tyranny and Bloodshred" tour in May 2008 with Dark Tranquillity
Dark Tranquillity
Dark Tranquillity is a Swedish melodic death metal band from Gothenburg. They are one of the longest-standing bands from the original Gothenburg metal scene, and are one of the most integral pioneers of the melodic death metal genre of music....
, Divine Heresy
Divine Heresy
Divine Heresy is an American metal band formed by founder of Fear Factory, guitarist Dino Cazares and Devolved, drummer John Sankey. Although the band's origins trace back to 2002, Divine Heresy was officially formed in 2006...
, and Firewind
Firewind
Firewind is a Greek power metal band. Formed in 1998, the group is currently signed to Century Media Records and was originally a small project created by guitarist, Gus G. to showcase his demo, Nocturnal Symphony in 1998. Firewind later became a full band over three years later when they recorded...
as supporting acts.
The Root of All Evil (2009–2010)
Released on September 28, 2009 in Europe, September 30 in Japan, and October 6 in the United States, The Root of All EvilThe Root of All Evil (album)
-Limited Edition bonus tracks:-Japan bonus tracks:The Japanese release of the album includes the above mentioned live tracks plus an additional two tracks.-Release Dates:* Germany / Austria / Switzerland / Italy / Benelux: September 25, 2009....
features twelve re-recorded songs spanning the band's career before Gossow joined as vocalist, with some material pre-dating D'Angelo as their bassist. In the first half of 2009, the band toured Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
and South America
South America
South America is a continent situated in the Western Hemisphere, mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere. The continent is also considered a subcontinent of the Americas. It is bordered on the west by the Pacific Ocean and on the north and east...
, and then played at the annual "Dubai Desert Rock Festival
Dubai Desert Rock Festival
The Dubai Desert Rock Festival was an event celebrating various styles of rock and metal music on one stage in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. At the time, it was the only festival of its kind in the Middle East. As well as live music, extreme sports were also featured as crowd attractions...
" alongside Opeth
Opeth
Opeth is a Swedish heavy metal band from Stockholm, formed in 1990. Though the group has been through several personnel changes, singer, guitarist, and songwriter Mikael Åkerfeldt has remained Opeth's driving force throughout the years...
, Chimaira
Chimaira
Chimaira is an American heavy metal band from Cleveland, Ohio. Formed in 1998, the group is a notable member of the New Wave of American Heavy Metal scene. The band's name is derived from the word Chimera, a monstrous creature in Greek mythology...
, and Motörhead. Following the release of The Root of All Evil on September 28, 2009, the band embarked on an Asia
Asia
Asia is the world's largest and most populous continent, located primarily in the eastern and northern hemispheres. It covers 8.7% of the Earth's total surface area and with approximately 3.879 billion people, it hosts 60% of the world's current human population...
n and Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n tour, which included their first visit to New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
. The tour started at the "Loud Park festival" in Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
on October 17, supplementing other acts including Megadeth
Megadeth
Megadeth is an American heavy metal band from Los Angeles, California which was formed in 1983 by guitarist/vocalist Dave Mustaine, bassist Dave Ellefson and guitarist Greg Handevidt, following Mustaine's expulsion from Metallica. The band has since released 13 studio albums, three live albums, two...
, Judas Priest
Judas Priest
Judas Priest are an English heavy metal band from Birmingham, England, formed in 1969. The current line-up consists of lead vocalist Rob Halford, guitarists Glenn Tipton and Richie Faulkner, bassist Ian Hill, and drummer Scott Travis. The band has gone through several drummers over the years,...
, Slayer
Slayer
Slayer is an American thrash metal band formed in Huntington Park, California, in 1981 by guitarists Jeff Hanneman and Kerry King. Slayer rose to fame with their 1986 release, Reign in Blood, and is credited as one of the "Big Four" thrash metal acts, along with Metallica, Megadeth and...
, Anthrax
Anthrax (band)
Anthrax is an American heavy metal band from New York City, formed in 1981. Founded by guitarists Scott Ian and Danny Lilker, the band has since released ten studio albums and 20 singles, and an EP featuring Public Enemy. The band was one of the most popular of the 1980s thrash metal scene...
, Rob Zombie
Rob Zombie
Rob Zombie is an American musician, film director, screenwriter and film producer. He founded the heavy metal band White Zombie and has been nominated three times as a solo artist for the Grammy Award for Best Metal Performance.Zombie has also established a career as a film director, creating the...
and Children of Bodom
Children of Bodom
Children of Bodom is a Finnish heavy metal band from Espoo. Formed in 1993, the group currently consists of Alexi Laiho , Roope Latvala , Janne Wirman , Henkka Seppälä , and Jaska Raatikainen...
. They also toured in South Korea
South Korea
The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
on October 25, headlining at the Melon AX Hall in Seoul, supported by Fatal Fear
Fatal Fear
FatalFear is a Melodic Death metal band with Hardcore influences from Busan, South Korea.-History:FatalFear was formed in Busan in South Korea around 2004...
.
Khaos Legions (2011)
According to a September 2010 interview with Angela GossowAngela Gossow
Angela Nathalie Gossow is the lead vocalist for the Swedish melodic death metal band Arch Enemy. Her previous bands include Asmodina and Mistress. She is considered to be one of the few successful female metal singers to use growling as her primary singing style...
, Arch Enemy entered the studio on December 1 to begin recording their eighth album for a release in June 2011, according to the band's website. The title for the new album is Khaos Legions
Khaos Legions
Khaos Legions is the eighth studio album by Swedish extreme metal band Arch Enemy. It was released on May 30, 2011 by Century Media. The record marks a return to new, original material, after releasing the Tyrants of the Rising Sun - Live in Japan live CD/DVD and The Root of All Evil which...
. 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 31 May 2011.
Band members
Current members- Christopher AmottChristopher AmottChristopher Amott is a Swedish guitarist and vocalist, younger brother of Michael Amott and founding member of the Swedish metal bands Arch Enemy and Armageddon.-Biography:...
− guitar (1996–2005, 2007–present) - Michael AmottMichael AmottMichael Amott is a Swedish guitarist, songwriter, founding member of the bands Arch Enemy, Spiritual Beggars, and Carnage, as well as a member of the death metal band Carcass. He is the older brother of Christopher Amott...
− guitar (1996–present), keyboardsKeyboard instrumentA keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments...
on Doomsday MachineDoomsday Machine (album)* The end of the lyrics to "Skeleton Dance" recite the death poem of Ōta Dōkan. The beginning of "Skeleton Dance" contains backmasked messages containing the phrases "The world on his shoulders" and "Bleeding forever" among others....
and Rise of the TyrantRise of the TyrantRise of the Tyrant is the seventh album by the melodic death metal band Arch Enemy, produced by Fredrik Nordström, and was released on September 24, 2007.Vocalist Angela Gossow told the band's website that: Guitarist Michael Amott described it as:... - Sharlee D'AngeloSharlee D'AngeloSharlee D'Angelo is the bassist for Swedish melodic death metal band Arch Enemy, as well as the Swedish hard rock band Spiritual Beggars.Sharlee has also been in various bands in the past, either as a studio session player or full member. Some of these include IllWill and Mercyful Fate as well as...
− bass guitar (1999–present) - Daniel ErlandssonDaniel ErlandssonDaniel John Erlandsson is the drummer in the melodic death metal band Arch Enemy.His early work includes drumming on the In Flames album Subterranean...
− drums (1996, 1998–present) - Angela GossowAngela GossowAngela Nathalie Gossow is the lead vocalist for the Swedish melodic death metal band Arch Enemy. Her previous bands include Asmodina and Mistress. She is considered to be one of the few successful female metal singers to use growling as her primary singing style...
− lead vocals (2001–present)
Former members
- Martin BengtssonMartin BengtssonMartin Bengtsson is a Swedish metal musician. He was a key part of the influential Swedish melodic death metal scene. He was a member of the melodic death metal band Arch Enemy between 1997 and 1998, and played bass guitar on their second album, Stigmata...
− bass guitar (1997−1998) - Johan LiivaJohan LiivaJohan Patrik Mattias Liiva is a Swedish extreme metal vocalist, most widely recognized as the founding vocalist of popular melodic death metal band Arch Enemy, as well as a former member of Carnage, Furbowl, and NonExist...
− vocals (1996–2000) - Peter WildoerPeter WildoerKarl Peter Wildoer is a Swedish drummer in the bands Darkane, Electrocution 250 & Grimmark. He has also drummed for the bands Armageddon, Majestic, Pestilence, Silver Seraph, Arch Enemy, Time Requiem, Gardens of Obscurity and Dawn of Oblivion amongst others. He has been tagged to perform sessions...
− drums (1997)
Touring and session members
- Fredrik NordströmFredrik NordströmBjörn Tom Fredrik Nordström, born on 5 January 1967, is a Swedish record producer and guitar player for the heavy metal band Dream Evil. Nordström is one of the leading melodic death metal producers in Sweden, and he has worked with some of the genre's top acts, including At the Gates, Arch Enemy,...
– keyboardsKeyboard instrumentA keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments...
on Black Earth, Stigmata and Burning Bridges - Per WibergPer WibergPer Jonas Wiberg is the former keyboardist of Swedish progressive death metal band Opeth, and a member of Michael Amott's stoner metal band Spiritual Beggars. Wiberg toured with Opeth from the 2003 Deliverance/Damnation tour onward, and joined Opeth officially in 2005. Wiberg provided backing...
− pianoPianoThe piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
, grand piano & mellotronMellotronThe Mellotron is an electro-mechanical, polyphonic tape replay keyboard originally developed and built in Birmingham, England in the early 1960s. It superseded the Chamberlin Music Master, which was the world's first sample-playback keyboard intended for music...
on Burning Bridges and keyboardsKeyboard instrumentA keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments...
on Wages of SinWages of SinWages of Sin is the fourth studio album by the Swedish melodic death metal band Arch Enemy. It is the first Arch Enemy album to feature the vocals of Angela Gossow...
, Anthems of RebellionAnthems of Rebellion-Release:At its time of release, Anthems of Rebellion gave Century Media its then highest first-week Soundscan sales in the United States, and later became one of the top ten best-selling albums under the record label. -Bonus disc:...
and Khaos LegionsKhaos LegionsKhaos Legions is the eighth studio album by Swedish extreme metal band Arch Enemy. It was released on May 30, 2011 by Century Media. The record marks a return to new, original material, after releasing the Tyrants of the Rising Sun - Live in Japan live CD/DVD and The Root of All Evil which... - Dick LövgrenDick LövgrenDick Lövgren is the bassist for the Swedish experimental metal band Meshuggah. He joined the band in 2004 as Meshuggah's third bass player.-Biography:...
− touring bassist (1999) - Roger NilssonRoger NilssonRoger Nilsson a Swedish bass-player best known for his work with The Quill, Spiritual Beggars, Arch Enemy and Firebird.-The Quill:* The Quill * Silver Haze * Evermore...
− touring bassist (1999−2000) - Gus G.Gus G.Kostas Karamitroudis aka Gus G., born September 12, 1980 in Thessaloniki, Greece is a heavy metal guitarist. He currently plays with his band Firewind and Ozzy Osbourne...
− touring guitarist (2005) - Fredrik ÅkessonFredrik ÅkessonKarl Fredrik Henry Åkesson is a Swedish heavy metal guitarist. He is a current member of Opeth. He is also active in Krux, Monsters of Metal and Talisman.-Biography:...
− touring guitarist (2005−2007)
Discography
Studio albums- Black Earth (1996)
- Stigmata (1998)
- Burning Bridges (1999)
- Wages of SinWages of SinWages of Sin is the fourth studio album by the Swedish melodic death metal band Arch Enemy. It is the first Arch Enemy album to feature the vocals of Angela Gossow...
(2001) - Anthems of RebellionAnthems of Rebellion-Release:At its time of release, Anthems of Rebellion gave Century Media its then highest first-week Soundscan sales in the United States, and later became one of the top ten best-selling albums under the record label. -Bonus disc:...
(2003) - Doomsday MachineDoomsday Machine (album)* The end of the lyrics to "Skeleton Dance" recite the death poem of Ōta Dōkan. The beginning of "Skeleton Dance" contains backmasked messages containing the phrases "The world on his shoulders" and "Bleeding forever" among others....
(2005) - Rise of the TyrantRise of the TyrantRise of the Tyrant is the seventh album by the melodic death metal band Arch Enemy, produced by Fredrik Nordström, and was released on September 24, 2007.Vocalist Angela Gossow told the band's website that: Guitarist Michael Amott described it as:...
(2007) - Khaos LegionsKhaos LegionsKhaos Legions is the eighth studio album by Swedish extreme metal band Arch Enemy. It was released on May 30, 2011 by Century Media. The record marks a return to new, original material, after releasing the Tyrants of the Rising Sun - Live in Japan live CD/DVD and The Root of All Evil which...
(2011)