''War Eternal'' is the ninth studio album by Swedish
melodic death metal
Melodic death metal (also referred to as melodeath) is a subgenre of death metal that employs highly melodic guitar riffs, often borrowing from traditional heavy metal (including New Wave of British Heavy Metal). The genre features the heavines ...
band
Arch Enemy
Arch Enemy is a Swedish melodic death metal band, originally a supergroup from Halmstad, formed in 1995. Its members were in bands such as Carcass, Armageddon, Carnage, Mercyful Fate, Spiritual Beggars, The Agonist, Nevermore, and Eucharist. ...
, which was released first in Japan on 4 June 2014 by
Century Media
A century is a period of 100 years. Centuries are numbered ordinally in English and many other languages. The word ''century'' comes from the Latin ''centum'', meaning ''one hundred''. ''Century'' is sometimes abbreviated as c.
A centennial or ...
. It is the first Arch Enemy album in 15 years since ''
Burning Bridges'' to feature a new line-up;
Alissa White-Gluz
Alissa White-Gluz (; born 31 July 1985) is a Canadian singer, best known as the lead vocalist of the Swedish melodic death metal band Arch Enemy, and former lead vocalist and founding member of the Canadian metalcore band the Agonist. Her vocal ...
took over on vocals after former long-time vocalist
Angela Gossow
Angela Nathalie Gossow (born 5 November 1974) is a German vocalist, best known as the former lead singer for the Swedish melodic death metal band Arch Enemy. Her other previous bands include Asmodina and Mistress.
Early life
Angela Gossow was b ...
stepped down from vocal duties to be the band's business manager.
Additionally, ex-Arsis guitarist Nick Cordle replaced
Christopher Amott
Christopher Amott (born 23 November 1977) is a Swedish guitarist, younger brother of Michael Amott and founding member of the metal bands Arch Enemy and Armageddon. He is currently the guitarist for Dark Tranquillity.
Biography
Amott was bor ...
in 2012. Cordle ultimately left the band just before their European tour and was replaced by former
Nevermore
Nevermore was an American heavy metal band from Seattle, Washington, formed in 1991. The band has been inactive since 2011, due to personal issues between the band members. In April 2015, lead singer Warrel Dane confirmed that Nevermore had n ...
guitarist
Jeff Loomis
Jeff Loomis (born September 14, 1971) is an American musician, best known for his role as lead guitarist in the progressive metal band Nevermore during its existence from 1991 to 2011, as well as brief tenures in its precursor, Sanctuary (band) ...
.
Background and development
On 3 March 2014 the band revealed the album's title ''War Eternal'' and the release date.
On 17 March 2014,
Angela Gossow
Angela Nathalie Gossow (born 5 November 1974) is a German vocalist, best known as the former lead singer for the Swedish melodic death metal band Arch Enemy. Her other previous bands include Asmodina and Mistress.
Early life
Angela Gossow was b ...
released a statement announcing her departure from the group and welcoming her replacement, former vocalist of Canadian
melodic death metal
Melodic death metal (also referred to as melodeath) is a subgenre of death metal that employs highly melodic guitar riffs, often borrowing from traditional heavy metal (including New Wave of British Heavy Metal). The genre features the heavines ...
band
The Agonist
The Agonist is a Canadian melodic death metal band from Montreal, Quebec, formed in 2004. The current line up consists of lead guitarist Danny Marino, bassist Chris Kells, drummer Simon Mckay, rhythm guitarist Pascal "Paco" Jobin and lead voca ...
,
Alissa White-Gluz
Alissa White-Gluz (; born 31 July 1985) is a Canadian singer, best known as the lead vocalist of the Swedish melodic death metal band Arch Enemy, and former lead vocalist and founding member of the Canadian metalcore band the Agonist. Her vocal ...
. 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."
White-Gluz also released a statement saying:
Artwork
The cover is set in a church that represents a rat who has a priest's habit, which represents Alissa White-Gluz a pig who has a triangle on his fingers who wears a suit Tie that represents Daniel Erlandsson, a lord who has no face who holds a baby in his arms which represents Nick Cordle, a rat who has a ruler in his hands that represents Michael Amott, a calf that has a flame in his hands he has a judge's outfit that represents Sharlee D'Angelo
Promotion
The first single and music video "War Eternal" was released on 20 March 2014. The video was the first of three produced and directed by
Patric Ullaeus
Patric Ullaeus is a Swedish director and photographer. He is the founder of Revolver Film Company, based in Gothenburg.
With his music video "The Serpentine Offering" for Dimmu Borgir he won the "Norwegian Grammy" award Spellemannsprisen in the ...
and his Revolver Film Company. A supporting tour of over 80 dates began in May 2014. On 27 May they released their second music video, "You Will Know My Name". The third video, "No More Regrets" was released the same week as the album.
A fourth music video for the track "Stolen Life" was released on 5 May 2015 which was the first to include Jeff Loomis on guitar. The track is almost identical to the album version, but it includes two extra solos recorded by Loomis.
Accolades
At the 2014
Burrn!
is a monthly Japanese magazine for fans of heavy metal music, published since September 1984. It is the major publication on heavy metal music in the country. As of 2013, it is published by Shinko Music Entertainment in Tokyo. The magazine's c ...
magazine awards, ''War Eternal'' won Best Album and the title track won Best Tune.
[ ]
Track listing
Personnel
Arch Enemy
* Alissa White-Gluz − Death growl,vocals
* Michael Amott − Electric guitar,guitars
* Nick Cordle − guitars,Keyboard instrument,keyboards
* Sharlee D'Angelo − Bass guitar,bass
* Daniel Erlandsson − Drum kit,drums,keyboards
* Jeff Loomis - Lead Guitar On stolen Life
Additional musicians
*
Per Wiberg
Per Jonas Wiberg (born 8 June 1968) is the former keyboardist of Swedish progressive death metal band Opeth, and a member of Michael Amott's stoner metal band Spiritual Beggars.
Wiberg was born in Borlänge. He toured with Opeth from the 200 ...
−
mellotron
The Mellotron is an electro-mechanical musical instrument developed in Birmingham, England, in 1963. It is played by pressing its keys, each of which pushes a length of magnetic tape against a capstan, which pulls it across a playback head. A ...
*
Henrik Janson
Henrik Janson (born 11 March 1961) is a Swedish music arranger, guitarist, record producer and songwriter. Founding a band at thirteen, in 1974, Janson today works with both domestic and international artists.
Career
Early years
Janson was born ...
−
orchestration
Orchestration is the study or practice of writing music for an orchestra (or, more loosely, for any musical ensemble, such as a concert band) or of adapting music composed for another medium for an orchestra. Also called "instrumentation", orc ...
, string arrangements
* Ulf Janson − keyboards, orchestration, string arrangements
* Stockholm Session Strings −
strings
String or strings may refer to:
*String (structure), a long flexible structure made from threads twisted together, which is used to tie, bind, or hang other objects
Arts, entertainment, and media Films
* ''Strings'' (1991 film), a Canadian anim ...
Production and design
*
Michael Amott
Michael Amott (born 28 July 1969) is a Swedish guitarist, founding member of the metal bands Arch Enemy, Spiritual Beggars and Carnage, as well as a former member of Carcass. He is the older brother of Christopher Amott.
Amott was ranked No ...
−
production
Production may refer to:
Economics and business
* Production (economics)
* Production, the act of manufacturing goods
* Production, in the outline of industrial organization, the act of making products (goods and services)
* Production as a stati ...
*
Daniel Erlandsson
Daniel John Erlandsson (born 22 May 1976) is a Swedish musician, best known as the drummer in the melodic death metal band Arch Enemy and Brujeria.
His early work includes drumming on the In Flames album '' Subterranean'' (1995). He has also p ...
-
engineering
Engineering is the use of scientific method, scientific principles to design and build machines, structures, and other items, including bridges, tunnels, roads, vehicles, and buildings. The discipline of engineering encompasses a broad rang ...
(guitars & bass)
* Nick Cordle - engineering (guitars & bass)
* Staffan Karlsson − engineering (vocals)
* Johan Örnborg − engineering (drums)
* Linn Fijal − engineering (strings & keyboards)
*
Jens Bogren
Jens Peter Daniel Bogren (born 13 November 1979) is a Swedish record producer, mixer and recording engineer specializing in heavy metal music. He has worked on albums by Opeth, Dimmu Borgir, Sepultura, Arch Enemy, At the Gates, Katatonia, Babym ...
−
mixing,
mastering
* Costin Chioreanu − artwork, layout
*
Patric Ullaeus
Patric Ullaeus is a Swedish director and photographer. He is the founder of Revolver Film Company, based in Gothenburg.
With his music video "The Serpentine Offering" for Dimmu Borgir he won the "Norwegian Grammy" award Spellemannsprisen in the ...
− photography
* Jens Prüter −
A&R
Charts
Release history
References
{{Authority control
2014 albums
Arch Enemy albums
Century Media Records albums