With both vocalist Angela Gossow and guitarist Christopher Amott leaving Arch Enemy in the last couple of years, one could have be forgiven for thinking that the melodic death metal masters were falling apart at the seams. Alissa White-Gluz – ex-vocalist of the Agonist – was then promptly announced as the band’s new mouthpiece, and this worried some fans even more. Well, did they have reason to worry?
Absolutely not, as Never Forgive, Never Forget kicks like a kangaroo wearing Doc Martens. Michael Amott's victorious guitar melodies are as potently piercing as ever, grabbing the ears of those partial to a bit of Carcass or At The Gates.
There are moshpit anthems left, right and centre. Emerging from the deepest realms of Hell are As The Pages Burn, No More Regrets and On And On, all tailor-made for the violent crush of the crowd. Arch Enemy have once again managed to attain the balance of brutality and anthemic melody, easily picking up from 2011's 'Khaos Legions'.
Interestingly, it’s White-Gluz’s vocals that make 'War Eternal' such an interesting beast. It might seem a little petty, but her perfect enunciation bulks up the ferocity of the lyrics, not least on the title track, where the line 'crush and break you' resonates a little too well.
Time Is Black brings out a tone in her rasp that recalls Emperor’s Ihsahn and, when coupled with careful flourishes of strings, signals a new chapter for the band. It doesn't stop there, as the orchestration hits latter-day Cradle of Filth levels of bombast during Avalanche, harmonising beautifully with Amott's unmistakable riffs.
And then there are the clean vocals. If you're not down with it then that's fine – enjoy listening to Marduk on your own, mate – but White-Gluz's melodic contributions, reminiscent of her time with the Agonist, are a trump card on ‘War Eternal’. The key to their success is the subtlety with which they are deployed and when a flurry of clean singing accompanies warped layers of roaring during Avalanche, it’s a bit special. Naysayers be damned: Arch Enemy are killing it.
Retaining the caustic, volatile noise of old and injecting a booster shot of animosity, 'War Eternal' is one hell of a feat. Perhaps Arch Enemy's most accomplished album to date, it slots neatly into their discography while carving a distinct, bright path for their future.
Arch Enemy Upcoming Tour Dates are as follows:
Tue December 16 2014 - LEAMINGTON SPA Assembly Rooms
Wed December 17 2014 - BRISTOL O2 Academy Bristol
Thu December 18 2014 - LONDON Forum
Fri December 19 2014 - MANCHESTER Academy
Sat December 20 2014 - DUBLIN Academy
Sun December 21 2014 - GLASGOW Queen Margaret Union
Mon December 22 2014 - NEWCASTLE UPON TYNE O2 Academy Newcastle
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