Arch Enemy: “I’m going to say it… metal dreams do come true.”

This year marks the thirtieth anniversary of Swedish melodic death metal juggernaut Arch Enemy. To celebrate, the band are dropping their twelfth studio album, Blood Dynasty, on March 28th, 2025, via Century Media Records.

Given the importance of the Swedish band in defining a whole genre of metal, longtime fans of the band will already have had expectations of what should sound like. However, as the singles have indicated, there is more to Blood Dynasty than meets the eye. While there is still plenty of Swedish melodeath metal shredding on the album, dig a little further into the album, and you will find the sound of a band who, while still sticking true to their core, have thrown the rulebook out of the window.

For our latest Cover Story, V13 sat down with guitarist Michael Amott to discuss creative freedom, expectations of how an Arch Enemy record should sound, and his thoughts on bad grammar.

The new record is out on March 28th and we’ve heard the singles already. Are they a good indication of the direction of the rest of the record? I think you had commented that you had thrown the rulebook out on this record.

“No, I don’t think it’s an indication. I think every song is a little bit different. There’s a lot of variety on this album, which I think you could tell with the four singles that are out. We have a sound which is identifiable as an Arch Enemy sound as a band, but there’s just lots of different little nuances, some different kinds of songs.”

What have you enjoyed most about the whole process of writing this album?

“It’s always fun to write music, to be honest. You’re creating something out of nothing. You start the day with a cup of coffee, and you don’t have anything, and then, at the end of the day, you’ve got a song and a piece of music there, and I still can’t get over that. I think that’s amazing. I just love that.”

Are you more of a studio person or a live person?

“What I mostly enjoy is the demo phase when you’re just writing, and you can change a lot of stuff and think about things. I like that. Then, once you’re recording it, in a real studio, so to speak, when we’re recording the real album, it’s so final in a way. This is going to be the album.

“We’re always well prepared, but things can change at that point as well, there’s always things happening there as well where this song took a different turn. That doesn’t happen as much as in the writing phase because there are no rules. There are no rules at that point, so that’s fun. Touring is very repetitive, very repetitious in a way, but it’s also super exciting.”

V13 Cover Story – Issue 083 – Arch Enemy

On this record, you said the rulebook was thrown out at the beginning. What do you think will surprise fans most about this record? Especially long-term fans like that have been with you from the early days.

“There are some moments in there, but it’s in the details, though. I don’t know if people will notice, really, because, at some point, we do all these different things, and then at the end of the day, people say, “Oh, it’s just another Arch Enemy song, right?” For us, we can do something and think people are going to flip when they hear this because we’ve never had a song in this tempo in this key, then you put it out, and nobody ever mentions that part.”

“You start the day with a cup of coffee and you don’t have anything and, then at the end of the day, you’ve got a song and a piece of music there…”

Going back to the demo process and the writing process, as you said, it is final when you get the end record. How different was your original vision from the final version? Was there much of a change as you progressed through writing the record?

“Usually, it turns out a lot better than I expected, which is nice. Sometimes, there are always songs where you go, “Ah, the demo had something that the album version doesn’t quite have,” but, at some point, I forget about what the demo sounds like. I never listen to it again, so I get used to the album version, then it sounds great. You can get something called Demoitis. You get a bit too attached to the demos. I’m not going to listen to demos of songs we have on an album now. I’m listening to demos now of things that have not been put out yet. Now I’m already on to the next thing.”

We’ve talked about you pushing boundaries on this record. Is there anything on the album that you feel is a bit risky for Arch Enemy? Especially considering there’s a certain expectation of a particular Arch Enemy type of sound?

“There could be but, you know what, I don’t view it as risky, I just embrace it. I just welcome it. We want reactions nowadays. I think it’s more fun if people hate it and then express that. I fucking love it.”

The Blaspheme cover song you included on the record. I believe that started as a bonus track, and then it slotted into the main track listing. How did the cover come about and, secondly, how did it move from being a bonus track to fitting into the themes of the record?

“it was very simple. I’m really into all this obscure music from all over the world, and I’m a bit of a record collector, I have to admit. It is just something that I enjoy. I enjoy all these obscure, wild bands that didn’t quite make it, but they’re super awesome. It’s fun for me. It’s just a hobby that I’ve had since forever really right, still connected to music, still connected to metal. I’m really into the French metal scene of the ’80s.

“Blaspheme was not on such a commercial, high level, success-wise, but it is such a beautiful album, their second album from 1985. I was playing it for Charlee and Daniel had never heard it. I was playing it one night on the bus, and Charlee said, “You know, we could cover this song because Alissa speaks French because she’s from Quebec.” I made a note of that as it would be pretty crazy to do just for something super different as a bonus track or for a deluxe edition or Japanese bonus tracks.

“When it was completed, and we had recorded it, it was mixed, it sounded amazing, and we felt like it would be wasted and nobody would hear it if we put it on as a bonus track. We thought it was weird to put it on the main tracklist, but, at the same time, it brings a different dynamic to the record. It’s a balladesque song. It’s a bit dark in a way, and then it’s anthemic, and it’s also sung in French. This is outside, maybe what we were talking about before, this is outside of what we normally do but, why not? It’s one song out of so many that we put out there.”

“We want reactions nowadays. I think it’s more fun if people hate it and then express that. I fucking love it.”

Is it going to make it into the setlist?

“It’s in French, though, isn’t it? So, nobody’s going to be able to sing along. Somebody else said, “It’s so anthemic, though. I could see the whole field at Wacken and still singing along to it.” I was like, “Yeah, but it’s in French. It doesn’t work in Manchester,” so it’s typical Arch Enemy. We almost got it right, but not quite.”

Earlier, you said you love collecting vinyl. Have you had Blood Dynasty on vinyl yet?

“No, I’ve approved all the layouts and everything, but I haven’t seen it. I don’t think there is one yet.”

Arch Enemy ‘Bloody Dynasty’ album artwork

I just wondered what it sounded like compared to the digital version.

“Yeah. Me too. I’m looking forward to it, but I haven’t seen it yet.”

We’ve talked about pushing the boundaries of the sound on this record a bit. 12 albums in, do you think there’s an expectation from people about what an Arch Enemy record should sound like? Does that frustrate you at this stage?

“Not really. Everybody has different opinions, right? I think it’d be really weird if I sat at home and was thinking about what people want from me or what they want from the band. That would be unhealthy for us. I don’t think we would get anything done. Imagine if you’re writing poems and you stop for a minute in the middle of the poem to wonder if people are going to like this. It’s just weird. It stops you from, I think, creating self-expression.

I guess you have got to tap into yourself and, when you’re creating something, I’m going to call it art, when you’re creating something, you have to be very free and not feel that people are judging you. Then, of course, it gets judged to hell and criticized and analyzed later on, but that’s fine. Then it’s already done. Then it’s not a precious moment. I think those moments are very fragile when you’re creating music.”

Are you the kind of person who worries about feedback? Other musicians have said they focus on the one comment that’s shitty rather than the, the 99 that say this is the best thing a band has ever done?

“I think I’ve become immune over the years. I’ve been called everything. Arch Enemy has been called everything. As far as me personally, I’ve been hailed as a guitar god genius and then things that are slightly worse than that to the worst musician on the planet and blah, blah, blah, waste of space. I don’t believe the good comments or the bad comments. To be honest, I like a well-written, spicy comment; nasty comments can be more entertaining.”

As long as it makes you smile…

“As long as the spelling is okay. I take offence to that. Usually, the bad commenters are not very good spellers.”

You can dismiss their comment straight away…

“Exactly. I’m already visualizing exactly what a cretin you are. I can see it now.”

agree with you. The new record marks the 30th anniversary of the band. When you formed back in the ’90s, what was your goal for the band?

“So this year, we’re releasing the Blood Dynasty album. I think the first Arch Enemy album came out in 1996 so we’re going to throw a party next year in 2026. I never thought it would be 30 years. Nobody can envision anything like that. If I could have seen into the future, then that would have been so strange how everything ended up. It’s good that we can’t look into the future.”

Arch Enemy “Blood Dynasty” UK tour admat

Starting out, you came from a death metal background, and the sound has progressed over the years. Again you’re pushing the boundaries of your sound with each record, where do you see it going?

“There are moments on Blood Dynasty that are hinting at more extreme stuff again but then there’s other things that are almost softer and harder at the same time. ‘Dreamstealer’ goes pretty hard, you know? Then you have other songs that are more melodic and not as crazy on the aggression side of things. I don’t know where it’s going to go.

“I’m writing some new stuff already. It’s an ongoing thing. We try to have good, solid songwriting. Long ago you could impress people with how fast you play or how deep you could growl. We use those elements, but it’s to spice up a great dish that we are creating. We’re trying to write really good songs, good material that’s timeless but with an extreme edge.”

“I don’t believe the good comments or the bad comments. To be honest, I like a well-written, spicy comment, nasty comments can be more entertaining…”

It’s been a great journey though. 12 albums and many incredible shows… so long may that continue…

“Yes, a lot of memories. A lot of super cool things, almost too many great things that happened. There’s been so many ups and so many downs as well. It’s been such an interesting journey. So many highs that somebody will remind me of something when we are sat on the bus. We all remember different things like Charlee will say “Remember when we played on a TV show in Korea in 2003?” I’d forgotten about that. There are so many things that have happened that it does become a little bit of a blur at times.

“We have played so many big shows, and people say, “What’s the biggest show you’ve ever played or what’s the most memorable show you’ve ever played?” There’s been hundreds of shows, thousands depending on how you view it, there are some epic moments, you know? What a gift. To have been a part of that. I’m just super happy with everything. I’m really appreciative that I’ve been able to live my life in music, especially in metal. I’m going to say it… metal dreams do come true.”