BAND: Arch Enemy
ALBUM: War Eternal
LABEL: Century Media
RELEASE DATE: June 10, 2014
RATING: 9/10
When Arch Enemy announced that Angela Gossow would be stepping down from her position as lead vocalist to focus on managerial aspects of the band, the metal community waited with bated breath to hear if Allisa White-Gluz, of The Agonist fame, could fill such large shoes. War Eternal is Arch Enemy’s latest effort, and what an effort it is; the death metal veterans’ ninth disc is a masterpiece of memorable guitar work, exceptional songwriting, and ripping vocals.
From the start, a haunting instrumental titled “Tempore Nihil Sanat (Prelude in F Minor),” it is clear that War Eternal will not be a straightforward, “plug and chug” death metal album; the songwriting on the album is catchy without ever losing its edge. Songs like the album’s intro and “Time Is Black” are as haunting as they are heavy. Guitarist Michael Amott hasn’t lost his touch, either. Locking in with the drum-bass duo of Daniel Erlandsson and Sharlee D’Angelo, as well as second guitarist Nick Corlde, the album moves at a breakneck pace, but yet pulls back at the perfect times. The guitar solos on War Eternal are beautiful. There is no overly-technical showboating to be found on the album, but rather melodic interludes that are always welcome extensions to the songs.
As expected, Allisa White-Gluz’s joining of Arch Enemy had fans questioning the direction that the band would take. The former The Agonist vocalist leaves no room for speculation on War Eternal; White-Gluz didn’t just fill Gossow’s shoes, but rather took off running in them. Her vocals are nothing short of vicious, each syllable biting yet understandable. White-Gluz’s range is wide, stretching from relentless highs to roaring gutturals. Lyrically, the album isn’t too shabby either. Topics including betrayal and identity are clear throughout War Eternal, making the album more relatable than most death metal releases.
War Eternal is Arch Enemy’s best effort yet. The same senses of melody and brutality that made previous releases so great are still present and at their highest levels to date. Arch Enemy has taken in strides changes that would ruin most bands and created an album that will surely stand the test of time. War Eternal is the best extreme metal album of 2014 thus far.
