Arch Enemy - new album Will to Live

Anyone hear this yet? IMO their strongest album yet, and Jeff Loomis RIPS on it. To top things off, Alissa actually sings on one track! To my knowledge this is the only female vocal melody the band has done so far. Anyway, it's a powerful record from start to finish. The first video is my favorite, the second is where Alissa sings (it's a power ballad), and the third is the video for the first single (which has a badass breakdown).

It's good. I just wish Jeff was allowed to contribute some to the writing. Seems like a waste. Same with Gary & Slayer.

mc666 wrote:

It's good. I just wish Jeff was allowed to contribute some to the writing. Seems like a waste. Same with Gary & Slayer.

I was just reading about that actually. I will say this album sounds a little more "classic-metal" to me in parts. I dunno, maybe that's Jeff rubbing off on them? Regardless I'm hoping he'll have more input on the next record.

Tried to get into this band without any success so far.

Another very good album. Not sure if it's their best, but it's quite good. I do hope they allow Loomis to contribute on the next one, though, if he's still in the band.

Eyesore wrote:

Another very good album. Not sure if it's their best, but it's quite good. I do hope they allow Loomis to contribute on the next one, though, if he's still in the band.

The good news is his solos are distinctive. He makes it absolutely certain it's him whenever his spot comes up.

I will say that First Day in Hell, a kick-ass tune, sorta reminds me of Nevermore. I could hear Dane tearing it up with that riff.

Talk about a band that's gone to shit....ugh

Shawn Of Fire wrote:

Talk about a band that's gone to shit....ugh

????

How? I've been revisiting their entire catalog and there's a hair's breadth of difference between now and then. Unless you're more a fan of when Johan was singing?

corplhicks wrote:

Shawn Of Fire wrote:

Talk about a band that's gone to shit....ugh

????

How? I've been revisiting their entire catalog and there's a hair's breadth of difference between now and then. Unless you're more a fan of when Johan was singing?

He hates everything!

candlemass wrote:

corplhicks wrote:

Shawn Of Fire wrote:

Talk about a band that's gone to shit....ugh

????

How? I've been revisiting their entire catalog and there's a hair's breadth of difference between now and then. Unless you're more a fan of when Johan was singing?

He hates everything!

Nonsense. He's posted many positive comments on lots of bands. I don't particularly agree with him on Arch Enemy either though.

Great band music-wise. Why the frell they keep getting those one-trick-pony growling chicks is beyond me. One day they will upgrade to a vocalist I can tolerate, and I'd be able to enjoy their music. One can always hope

stormspell wrote:

Great band music-wise. Why the frell they keep getting those one-trick-pony growling chicks is beyond me. One day they will upgrade to a vocalist I can tolerate, and I'd be able to enjoy their music. One can always hope

Uhhh, well, this is the band that really spearheaded the death metal female vocalist revolution, if we wanna call it that. And as a fan of harsh vocals, I find her rather multi-dimensional. We've got whispers to screams, punkish deeps, blackened highs, shouts--and the brilliant thing is that the guitar carries the melodies in time with her growls, which makes it all so memorable. And here we actually have her singing on one track. Her work in The Agonist was outstanding. I believe she's a trained vocalist? Anyway, one-trick pony is a little wut. Especially since she was handpicked by Angela. These guys work off a different pitch, a different dynamic.

But of course I understand if growling's just not your thing.

But of course the guitar carries the melodies. There is no vocal line in her growls whatsoever, doh.

Anyhow, for me personally this band was never death metal. They are technical power metal with growling vokills. New chick has a bit wider vocal diapason than Angela, but then Angela's range was flat two-tones, so its not hard to top it. If they keep upgrading vocals in that direction, I have hopes to fully enjoy their albums sometime next decade .

I do applaud her for actually trying to sing on the "ballad" song. A way to go! Although personally, if it was up to me, I'd swap her instantly with Kimberly Goss for instant killer results.

stormspell wrote:

But of course the guitar carries the melodies. There is no vocal line in her growls whatsoever, doh.

I'm just saying that to me it's rather ingenious; I've actually been singing these songs for days now (I can't growl to save my life). I'm sure there are other bands that do this, but none come to mind right now.

I also find her methodology with the ballad to be rather cool. Start with a clean vocal, get all raspy for the pre-chorus, and growl the chorus. Pretty dynamic.

I've always known AE to be melodic death metal, but your tags work as well.

Overall I have the same issue with this album as all Arch Enemy records, I start off by digging the hell out of it but then it's all a bit samey to hold my attention all the way through, so I would welcome a bit more singing to break it up.

The best tune is this little gem



Argue the Melodic Death or growly power metal thing if you must but strip away the heavy guitars and growls and this is a straight up DISCO tune!!

^^Yeah, that number is pretty rad, and stuck in my head. I'd weirdly enjoy a disco remix lol.

There's only a couple throwaway songs with weaker hooks. Otherwise the whole album is like opening the Lament Configuration (wondering who will get this reference).

I do know I'll get burnt out on this album soon; happens with every AE album. Not a bad thing, just is what it is.

stormspell wrote:

I do applaud her for actually trying to sing on the "ballad" song. A way to go! Although personally, if it was up to me, I'd swap her instantly with Kimberly Goss for instant killer results.

Goss has been MIA for years, man. Last I knew she was a vocal coach/teacher somewhere out in the midwest, focusing on being a mom.

The only lp I have from them is "Doomsday Machine", and I absolutely love it!

mc666 wrote:

candlemass wrote:

corplhicks wrote:

Shawn Of Fire wrote:

Talk about a band that's gone to shit....ugh

????

How? I've been revisiting their entire catalog and there's a hair's breadth of difference between now and then. Unless you're more a fan of when Johan was singing?

He hates everything!

Nonsense. He's posted many positive comments on lots of bands. I don't particularly agree with him on Arch Enemy either though.

I certainly do not "hate everything". But, for me, compared to when Johan was singing, this is Katy Perry metal.

Shawn Of Fire wrote:

mc666 wrote:

candlemass wrote:

corplhicks wrote:

Shawn Of Fire wrote:

Talk about a band that's gone to shit....ugh

????

How? I've been revisiting their entire catalog and there's a hair's breadth of difference between now and then. Unless you're more a fan of when Johan was singing?

He hates everything!

Nonsense. He's posted many positive comments on lots of bands. I don't particularly agree with him on Arch Enemy either though.

I certainly do not "hate everything". But, for me, compared to when Johan was singing, this is Katy Perry metal.

I can definitely understand that POV.

Although Alissa is cuter than Katy Perry...

Haven't listened to these guys in awhile as I grew bored with them. This is very good on some of the guitar parts but the singer isn't doing it for me.

Eyesore wrote:

stormspell wrote:

I do applaud her for actually trying to sing on the "ballad" song. A way to go! Although personally, if it was up to me, I'd swap her instantly with Kimberly Goss for instant killer results.

Goss has been MIA for years, man. Last I knew she was a vocal coach/teacher somewhere out in the midwest, focusing on being a mom.

Yeah, she's on sabbatical raising her daughter. Latest pictures of her I've seen are awesome - she shed all the extra weight and looks fabulously gorgeous! She will be back one day, and maybe we'll finally get that 4th Sinergy album

stormspell wrote:

She will be back one day, and maybe we'll finally get that 4th Sinergy album