During a recent sit-down with Metal Hammer, Arch Enemy architect Michael Amott promised that the Sweden-based firebrands’ 12th album would be a transformative one. “Something we did do was throw out the rulebook,” the guitarist claimed. “Let’s be a little more free in the arrangements.”
It was an eyebrow-raising statement. Where genre pioneers such as In Flames and At The Gates defected or went on extended hiatuses over the years, Michael and co. have saluted the melodic death metal flag unceasingly for three decades. As a result – even through two singer changes, the latest of which saw Angela Gossow pass the mic to Canadian-born Alissa White-Gluz while retreating to a management role – they’ve amassed one of the most consistently blood-pumping catalogues in metal.
Once the needle hits the wax on Blood Dynasty, it takes some time for Arch Enemy’s self-imposed constraints to crumble. Opener Dream Stealer could have enjoyed a space on their previous album, 2022’s Deceivers, Alissa’s debut, War Eternal, or any of this band’s other efforts – but it’s no less invigorating for it. Although the long-standing formula returns, it still packs table-flipping power, with the single charging through sharp guitar chords, imperious roars and a mighty chorus during its four-minute sprint.
The following Illuminate The Path is when Michael’s pledge to deviate starts to reveal itself. It initially slows the momentum to a stomping groove – which, with all its potential for venue-wide headbanging on tour, isn’t outside the usual arsenal – but then bursts into some majestically melodic vocals. Despite her past days in metalcore unit The Agonist, the scream/sing dichotomy has become a rare one for Alissa, making the sudden contrast all the more striking and triumphant.
From there, Arch Enemy’s door reopens to new ideas a handful of times. With the bridge of March Of The Miscreants, the bulletproof metal built by Michael’s blackened riff and Daniel Erlandsson’s double-kick drumming slowly melts away, and it doesn’t return until the band finish a brief symphonic prog jam. The title track’s preceded by an acoustic folk ditty, yet it’s Vivre Libre, originally by French metallers Blaspheme, that stuns the strongest. No screams, no scurrying drums, just a delicate ballad amid the blasts of ferocity.
Of course, this is still Arch Enemy, so the majority of Blood Dynasty remains riotous. Don’t Look Down could threaten Dethklok in the ‘primal melodeath extremity’ stakes. Lightspeed alternate picking is accompanied by the howling of phrases as stereotypically metal as ‘Stand your ground!’ and ‘Heavy is the head that wears the crown!’. A Million Suns relishes in virtuoso soloing, while a midpoint drum fill is the only give in Liars & Thieves’ otherwise thunderous blitzkrieg.
Ultimately, to argue that Blood Dynasty “throws out the rulebook” when so much of it adheres to Arch Enemy’s ever-rampant ways would be to exaggerate. The moments that do reject tradition all prick ears, however, and they suggest that the collective may be entering their most ambitious era yet. Considering 2025 marks their pearl anniversary, that’s a rather rare feat.
Blood Dynasty is out this Friday, March 28, via Century Media
