Album Review: "War Eternal" by Arch Enemy

War Eternal by Arch Enemy

Is there anyone who is not familiar with Arch Enemy?

Born of Carcass, Carnage, Mercyful Fate, and more?

Champions of women in metal?

OK, there has to be someone, so, a quick history lesson. The group was formed in 1996 after Michael Amott left Carcass.

Originally, the band's vocalist was Johan Liiva who was replaced by Angela Gossow in 2000.

In 2014, it was announced that at after 14 years, eight albums, and more, Angela was going to leave the band and she had even chosen her successor, Alissa White-Gluz, formerly of The Agonist. Angela and Micheal are still married and she is still involved with the band, but she has chosen to no longer participate in a musical capacity.

Alissa White-Gulz and Arch Enemy

When bands change members, it can be very scary, but thankfully, this transition appears to have gone very smoothly.

Alissa has an extraordinarily powerful death growl, as did her predecessor.

When it comes to the rest of the band, we all know what they are going to deliver.

The riffs are brutal. The guitars are fluid. The sound of the album is spectacular. The boys can still shred with the best of them.

This is a death metal record made by masters of the genre. It's absolutely staggering how great Michael Amott continues to be and how he continues to improve those around him. He stated in the Carcass documentary that he received too much credit and too much blame for Carcass, but based on his work, I think that's hardly appropriate.

He's far too good to be zero sum addition to anything and he continues to churn out spectacular music over 20 years after he'd joined Carcass with his current band.

Release: 6/10/14
Genre: Metal, Death Metal
Label: Century Media
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