“Something we did do was throw out the rulebook”: Arch Enemy discuss “chaotic” new album Blood Dynasty

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Band founder Michael Amott spills the secrets of Arch Enemy’s highly anticipated new album

Arch Enemy in 2024
(Image credit: Katja Kuhl)

Arch Enemy are melodeath’s ol’ reliables. While such pioneers as In Flames and At The Gates have either deviated from the genre or split up over the years, this international force have been dealing in flurrying guitars and savage tunes uninterrupted.

It’s unlikely that Arch Enemy will go samba on their newly announced album Blood Dynasty, but things certainly won’t be stale either. Talking in the new issue of Metal Hammer, guitarist Michael Amott promises a “chaotic” ride that breaks some long-established rules while remaining metal as fuck.

A divider for Metal Hammer

You’ve said this album pushes the boundaries of what Arch Enemy do. How so?

“Something we did do was throw out the rulebook. Let’s be a little more free in the arrangements. As we’ve become better musicians and songwriters, we’ve missed a bit of that chaotic thing that was part of our early style. We wanted to do that a little bit on the album.”

The album is called Blood Dynasty. Where did that title come from?

“It started with being a song title, and it just popped out. It’s sort of talking about the times we’re living in, so it felt right, but we’re not really the sort of band that likes to explain our lyrics. I prefer to leave that to the listener; they can make up their own mind.”

Do you have a favourite song from the new album?

“You have some favourites during the demo phase, and you think, ‘That might be a single,’ but then some songs emerge when you don’t think that’s going to happen. [Closing track] Liars And Thieves is one of those songs, I thought it was just going to be another song on the album, but it’s a single and we have already started playing it live.”

There’s a cover of the song Vivre Libre by the French band Blasphème on the album. It’s quite an obscure choice.

“It is. I’m a bit of connoisseur, one of those sad record collectors. It's from an album from 1985 [Désir De Vampyr], an underground metal record from France. We wanted to have something that would make people dig deeper into the metal scene. It’s kind of a slow song, and Alissa [White-Gluz, vocals] speaks French, so it just worked – her voice sounds so killer on it.”

Taken from the new issue of Metal Hammer. Order your copy now and get it delivered directly to your door.

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Stephen Hill
Stephen Hill
Writer

Stephen joined the Louder team as a co-host of the Metal Hammer Podcast in late 2011, eventually becoming a regular contributor to the magazine. He has since written hundreds of articles for Metal Hammer, Classic Rock and Louder, specialising in punk, hardcore and 90s metal. He also presents the Trve. Cvlt. Pop! podcast with Gaz Jones and makes regular appearances on the Bangers And Most podcast.

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