Arch Enemy’s 30th anniversary arrives during 2025, and the Swedish metallers have fittingly chosen to celebrate via a new full-length. For the uninitiated, they’ve been reliably knocking out new music during this period; Blood Dynasty is studio album number 12.
The group has maintained a strong core of Mike Amott (guitars), Daniel Erlandsson (drums) and Sharlee D’Angelo (bass) for some time now. Here, new guitarist Joey Concepcion is afforded the opportunity to showcase a mix of neoclassical shredding and tastefully melodic playing. For any long-running act, it’s a fine line to tweak and hone your sound with each subsequent album, while retaining the essence of that established approach. A collection of brutal, yet highly melodic cuts isn’t overall re-writing the book for Arch Enemy, but the crew provides enough familiar moments to satiate diehards, while offering a few surprises.
The album’s singles have laid a strong platform. Opener “Dream Stealer” sets the pace, all high-octane, hook-laden fare; meanwhile, the title track is tailor-made for fist-pumping at live shows. The Priest-esque “Paper Tiger” is a standout; sheer ’80s-infused metallic joy. And “Liars and Thieves” closes the record in suitably blistering, yet catchy fashion. So far, so good.
As for the remainder of the LP, the formula of crafting fare that sits somewhere between melodic death metal, traditional heavy metal and thrash is in full effect; see “Don’t Look Down” and “March of the Miscreants”. They’re hardly going to create puzzled looks among long-time fans, but get the job done. At first impression, “Illuminate the Path” appears headed down this same path, before vocalist Alissa White-Gluz’s cleanly sung chorus kicks in and elevates the song further. This isn’t the first time the band has veered into such territory since White-Gluz’s recruitment, but it’s executed with a sliver more accessibility without sacrificing Arch Enemy’s identity.
The turbo-tonsilled vocalist is afforded more opportunities to showcase her range. “Vivre Libre” is a cover of the ‘80s hard rock ballad from French outfit Blaspheme. The Quebec, Canada product is understandably confident tackling the French lyrics, and while a bold move to include it in the running order instead of as a tacked-on bonus track, it’s a grower that soon resonates. It’s a little unexpected initially, but as a selection doesn’t feel out of place for an outfit with a penchant for celebrating both heavy music’s legends and less-heralded acts.
Tighter than a miser’s wallet, Blood Dynasty benefits from a steroidal production, courtesy of Jens Bogren, that suits their self-professed “pure fucking metal”. Touches like subtle guitar harmonies, orchestrations and textures provide added depth amid the bruising riffs and harsh vocals.
Like everything else in the Arch Enemy catalogue, Blood Dynasty is an unapologetically metal record. It may be churlish to expect a career best effort from the band at this stage of the game, but a little filler aside, these songs indicate Arch Enemy remain a force as they enter another new decade of existence.
(released March 28, 2025 on Century Media Records)
Heavy Music HQ Rating:
Watch Arch Enemy – “Paper Tiger” Video
