Arch Enemy's 'Will to Power' - Album Review

Since effectively being relaunched back in 2014 with the release of War Eternal (which I reviewed here), the Swedish melodic death metal legends Arch Enemy have been working around the clock to promote the album and to play in as many countries as possible. The touring cycle the band undertook for War Eternal is almost certainly the longest in the band's history, and it really helped to re-establish the band's place in the upper echelons of the metal world after a couple of weaker releases. The inclusion of frontwoman Alissa White-Gluz and guitarist Nick Cordle seemed to really rejuvenate the band's founder and main songwriter Michael Amott, and the result was probably the band's best work since 2005's Doomsday Machine. Sadly however, this line-up did not last very long, as Cordle left the band mid-tour a few months after the album's release. Jeff Loomis (Sanctuary; Nevermore; Conquering Dystopia) was announced as the band's new guitarist shortly afterwards, and the band carried on playing live around the world and completed the lengthy War Eternal touring cycle earlier this year. Despite their busy road lives, Arch Enemy still found time to record a new album, which was finally released last month as Will to Power. Will to Power is the band's tenth studio album, and second to feature the dynamic vocal presence of White-Gluz. Sound wise, this album is mostly full of the type of material that fans will have come to expect from Arch Enemy, although there are a few differences throughout to help keep things interesting. Mostly however, this is an album of solid melodic death metal anthems in the Gothenburg style, with plenty of hard-hitting riffs, twin-guitar leads, and fist-raising choruses. The band's two remaining founding members, Ammot and drummer Daniel Erlandsson, have written the vast majority of the band's music on this album together, with White-Gluz and Amott writing around half of the album's lyrics each. While Amott and Erlandsson have always been heavily involved in the band's songwriting, I have to say that I was disappointed to see that Loomis was not involved in the creative process of this album at all. Reading interviews with both Amott and Loomis, it seems that this decision was made by the former to the (well-hidden) disappointment of the latter. I was looking forward to hear an Arch Enemy song co-written by Loomis, as his progressive songwriting style could have really given the band's music a new dimension, but it seemed that Amott wanted to keep the creative process close to his chest this time around. Loomis' role on Will to Power is limited to some of the album's guitar solos, so his presence is not really felt at all here. Amott's brother Christopher, another of the band's founding members, is credited with co-writing a couple of the songs here, and even contributes some guitar and keyboard work to one of them. Elsewhere, Jens Johansson (Yngwie Malmsteen's Rising Force; Dio; Stratovarius; Cain's Offering; Rainbow) provides some subtle keyboard textures on a few other songs which help to add depth when required.

After the instrumental opening Set Flame to the Night, which focuses on moody guitar leads instead of the traditional orchestrations, the album proper gets underway with The Race, a furious slab of melodic death metal that takes no prisoners. Without a real opening riff or distinct melody, the song is a pure aural assault that makes use of White-Gluz's throat-shredding vocals and some relentless drumming from Erlandsson. This is a song that never really pauses for breath, despite slowing down a little during a groovier section about two-thirds of the way through, and certainly takes greater influence from extreme metal than usual with no defined song structure. While Arch Enemy albums have started with more memorable songs, there are few album opens by fairly big 'mainstream' acts that will hit with this much venom right from the start. Blood in the Water follows and this follows the band's trademark more closely with a strident opening riff that is instantly memorable and a real classic rock strut in the verses with a simple drum pattern and White-Gluz's almost-spoken vocals. The chorus, despite it's short length, is a very catchy moment, with an ascending guitar pattern that is accompanied by some strong vocals. This then explodes into a guitar solo that is packed with melody and technical prowess. The World is Yours was the first song to be released from the album, and definitely has all the hallmarks of an Arch Enemy 'single'. The song's main riff is a fast one, backed up by some fast double bass drumming, and the chorus makes greater use of twin lead guitar melodies with Amott's rousing lyrics perfectly delivered by White-Gluz. There are plenty of chances throughout for both Amott and Loomis to shred, but sadly the album's booklet does not detail who performs each of solos. The soloing is always solid on an Arch Enemy album whoever is partnering Amott, and that is no different here with Loomis' additions. There is a quieter moment towards the end however, with Johansson's sparse piano melodies accompanied by White-Gluz's whispered vocals. This is something a bit different for the band, and just helps to add an extra dimension to the song. The Eagle Flies Alone is the other song that was released to the public before the album's release, and it has a feel of the style of songwriting that dominated 2011's Khaos Legions. The song is not as heavy or as fast as much else of what is found here, but that is not to say that it is not a good song. The riffs are packed with a groove that is rarely found in the band's music, and the mid-paced nature helps to amplify this. The chorus is another rousing one in Amott's trademark lyrical style, but it could have hit a little harder by speeding up a light to differentiate it from the rest of the song. The sixth song here, Reason to Believe, makes the biggest deviation from the band's traditional sound. In White-Gluz's previous band The Agonist, she made use of her strong clean voice as well her growls, but this was not the case on War Eternal. This song however is largely sung clean which, along with many of the clean guitar melodies that sit beneath the vocals, make this song the closest thing to a ballad the band have ever done. It works well however, as the chorus is heavier with the growls to hit home who wrote the song, and just helps to diversify the album's sound. This is one of the two songs here co-written by Christopher Amott, who also provided some of the clean guitar and keyboard work on the song, and it makes you wonder if the Arch Enemy would have done more songs of this nature if he was still in the band.

If anyone was worried that Arch Enemy were going soft, the next song Murder Scene should put any rumours of that nature to bed. This has a very similar sound to the raw melodic death metal found on 2001's Wages of Sin with razor-sharp riffs and plenty of guitar melodies cutting through thanks to Amott and Loomis. This is one of the songs that instantly stood out to me on first listen to this album, and it remains a firm favourite of mine. The chorus is a real winner, and the explosive guitar solo really recalls the band's early days. First Day in Hell opens with some doomy clean guitar melodies with a bleak atmospheric backing, but soon opens out with a grinding mid-paced riff that sounds suitably evil to be following on from the intro. The song does pick up the pace when the vocals come in, but it never really reaches thrash speed, retaining a little of the opening groove. White-Gluz shows off the real diversity of her voice throughout this song, with some of her deepest growls yet during the verses before unleashing some higher screams elsewhere. This is another one that stood out on first listen, and is still a song I enjoy hugely. The riffing here is a little different to the band's typical sound, which I think makes it stand out. Saturnine is a short instrumental interlude, featuring some guitar leads over Johansson's piano, which leads nicely into Dreams of Retribution which opens out with a strong keyboard presence but explodes into a fast metal anthem with plenty of dual-guitar riffing and powerful drumming. Johansson's keyboard presence is strongly featured throughout, providing an atmospheric backing. When the riffs slow down towards the chorus, some gothic harpsichord melodies work alongside the guitars to create a sound that is quite unlike anything heard on an Arch Enemy album before. There is lengthy instrumental section here too, which sees Amott and Loomis trading solos throughout. The chemistry between the two guitarists is evidently very strong, which only makes the decision to not include Loomis in the album's creative process even more strange. Incidentally, this is the other song on the album co-written by Christopher Amott, showing that he was probably always responsible for some of the more 'off the wall' elements on previous Arch Enemy albums. My Shadow and I is more of a thrash number, with a strong guitar riff that carries the song throughout and forms the backbone of the verses. The choruses are a bit more anthemic than your average thrash number, but that is still the overarching mood that fills the song. White-Gluz's vocals in the chorus are positively evil however, and it is amazing that she manages to create this anthemic sound while singing with such venom. This shows off her skills as a vocalist, and seems that she only gets better with each album she participates in. The album's closing number, A Fight I Must Win, has a strong orchestral presence throughout and opens with strings, before a powerful mid-paced riff kicks in. While sometimes the guitars are playing alone, there are many instances here where the symphonic elements are added which provide counter melodies to the guitar riffs and add some emotional depth. Again, this is something that the band has not used much before in the past, so it makes the song stand out. The more 'epic' feel of the song makes it a perfect closing number for the album and rounds everything off nicely. Overall, Will to Power is more diverse than usual for Arch Enemy and as a result is a bit of a grower. War Eternal was classic Arch Enemy through and through, so was a fairly immediate listen, but the songs here take longer to reveal their intricacies. It is great to see the band trying a few new elements here, and I hope this is something they continue to do moving forward.

The album was released on 8th September via Century Media Records. Below is the band's promotional video for The World is Yours.