Arch Enemy

Live at the Wiltern Theater

Los Angeles, CA

November 29th, 2017

Review and photos by Travis Baumann

Melodic death metal titans, Arch Enemy once again smash the boundaries and expectations of their fans and the global music scene with their tenth album, "Will to Power".

Hailing from Sweden, the brain child of Michael Amott combines his signature blazing guitar work, thunderous bass, and explosive vocals in what is perhaps the pinnacle of female fronted extreme metal.

"Will to Power" is the second album featuring Alissa White-Gluz on vocals, continuing the legacy of her predecessors. Joining her and Michael on stage are Jeff Loomis on guitar, Sharlee D'Angelo on bass guitar, and Daniel Erlandsson on drums.

The band took to the stage and immediately ignited the room with "The World is Yours" off the latest release. Alissa is dynamic and constantly moving around the stage as she snarls out the lyrics.

A personal favorite of mine was up next with "Ravenous" from 2002's "Wages of Sin". They continued with "Stolen Life" from their second to latest album, "War Eternal" and followed it up with the title track from that album as well.

Prior to the show I was listening to my all-time favorite song of theirs, "My Apocalypse" so I was excited when the signature intro started playing. "Doomsday Machine" is still my favorite album of theirs and I love hearing anything from it but especially this song.

Moving back to the new album, they did "The Race" and stayed with Alissa's contributions to the band with "You Will Know My Name" from "War Eternal".

Another of my favorite albums of theirs is "Khaos Legions" and they gave us "Bloodstained Cross" from that album. I wish they would have done a few more like the classic "No Gods, No Masters" or "Under Black Flags We March" but there is just too much material to choose from to go in to depth on past releases and the focus was definitely on the new album which is the way I like it when a band tours.

Speaking of which, they played "The Eagle Flies Alone" from "Will to Power" followed by "As The Pages Burn" from "War Eternal", maintaining that focus on material that Alissa wrote herself.

They did however, appease the long time fans, as all bands try to do when they have as rich of a history as Arch Enemy does, with the classic "Dead Bury Their Dead" from "Wages of Sin". They followed that with the awesome "We Will Rise" from "Anthems of Rebellion".

Returning to "War Eternal" for one last song with "Avalanche" they then dipped back to "Wages of Sin" for "Snowbound" before bringing the set to a close with the massively popular fan-favorite, "Nemesis".

"Nemesis" is easily my other all-time favorite of theirs, also hailing from "Doomsday Machine", and had the entire audience singing along to the chorus: "One for all. All for one. We are strong. We are one. Nemesis!"

It was a great show by one of my favorite death metal bands in the world. Arch Enemy were hugely instrumental in developing my tastes in extreme music and have been a must-see band every time they come through town and remain to be so. I highly recommend checking these guys out.

Click the banner above

to return the navigation page of the

Virtual Night Angel

website