War Eternal

Author: Primož Novak

Artist: Arch Enemy
Label: Century Media
Release: year_month
Length: 47:29
Rating: 3.5/5

It’s been pretty heated in the Arch Enemy camp these past few years. In 2012, guitarist Christopher Amott, who had been around since the very beginning, left the band again (he first quit after the album Doomsday Machine in 2005). Nick Cordle, who had previously proven himself in the more technically minded Arsis, stepped into his shoes, so Chris’s spot was filled more than adequately. The band racked up a good number of tours in that time, and last year the writing process began for a new album, War Eternal, the follow-up to Khaos Legions (2011).

Then this March, Arch Enemy dropped a bombshell: after 14 years, charismatic vocalist Angela Gossow, the voice that had given the band its identity, was leaving. Angela stayed on with Arch Enemy as manager, and the band announced they’d recruited a new singer, the young and sexy Alissa White-Gluz, who had previously earned her bread in the metalcore-tinged The Agonist. By the time of the announcement, the album was already in the can. There was plenty of speculation, but after the first track they showed off, War Eternal, the picture was clear: the band had found a worthy replacement, even though Alissa’s vocal tone is different from her predecessor’s (and so is her hair color).

Alissa supposedly brought a breath of fresh air to Arch Enemy. Angela, after all, sounded more burned out and short on real ideas with every album. But you have to ask: was the problem only the vocals, or something else too? Did Arch Enemy gain much by bringing young Nick Cordle in on guitar? Not really. Michael Amott still has the final say when it comes to writing the music.

War Eternal starts off promisingly. After the intro, the band hits you with the fast-paced Never Forgive, Never Forget, where the rapid-fire drums and, of course, the Amott/Cordle solo duel stand out. Alissa’s vocals aren’t even that much of a shock. Her voice fits Arch Enemy’s music nicely. After that the band slows down and serves up the first single War Eternal, which, with a more melodic vocal, could have had the potential to be a power metal anthem, judging by the standout chorus, the melodies and the virtuoso guitar soloing. Similarly built songs show up pretty much across the whole record.

Once again, Arch Enemy show an exceptional sense for melody. The problem is mainly that Amott still sticks to the same songwriting patterns. Alissa may have brought some freshness to the band, but the basic approach to writing music is the same as before. The songs are predictable, and there are no special surprises in the structures. In many tracks you can feel the choruses were built for big arenas. What saves the day are the songs that add orchestration, which gives the neoclassical soloing more weight. Standout examples are Time Is Black and Avalanche, while the rest are merely average, with solid (power metal-style) drumming, the bland and boring bass of Sharlee D’Angelo, and countless solos that gradually turn generic because of Amott’s overly repetitive patterns. Avalanche deserves a special mention: with its epic, almost cinematic orchestration and even some melodic vocals from Alissa, it’s the peak of the album. After that, nothing much happens. You could say the album has quite a few fillers. But somehow that result was to be expected, given how many albums the band has put out so far.

The sound of the record definitely deserves praise. War Eternal is the very definition of a modern release, with a massive, polished sound and sensibly woven-in extra instruments.

Despite the fresh blood, Arch Enemy haven’t risen above average. With a few exceptions, War Eternal offers nothing new that would count as an innovative record in today’s flood of albums. The album will satisfy the fans and will probably show up on plenty of »Best of metal 2014« lists, but compared to some of their earlier albums, you have to admit that Arch Enemy simply have no real ideas left. Or maybe they just need more time. Say, as much as Metallica.

Lineup

Michael Amott – guitar

Nick Cordle – guitar

Alissa White-Gluz – vocals

Sharlee D’Angelo – bass

Daniel Erlandsson – drums

Production

Jens Bogren

Tracklist