I N T E R V I E W

Interview Christopher Amott

My first question comes naturally and I think it’s not the first time that a journalist asks you that, but Arch Enemy hasn’t produced a new album since 2007. In 2009 "The Root of All Evil" was just a re-recording of some titles of the first albums. So, can you explain why?

Oh, it’s not easy! We didn’t really have the time because we were touring and this album of re-recording was important for us, and we had wanted to produce it for a long time. But a new album will be out before the end of the year.

Ok, so in September or October 2010 we'll be able to hear a new album?

Yes, maybe we will record it in August.

Will the new album be a sequel to the "Rise of the Tyrant" opus or will Arch Enemy make a totally different album?

No, no! It will be something totally different from this opus!

When will you release a live album for "The Root of All Evil", because you seem to like this type of album with "Burning Japan", "Live Apocalypse" and "Tyrants of the Rising Sun"?

No, we prefer to go to the next album and touring for this year, so no live album for The Root of All Evil.

Each year you do many shows all around the world, for you is Arch Enemy a band born for the stage? Is it important for you to offer the fans concerts on a regular basis?

Yes, because we like touring and it permits to make money! (Laugh)

What is the atmosphere like for the band before a concert, and more generally the relationships during a tour, between the members of Arch Enemy and all the people who work with you?

There's a very good atmosphere! We have been touring together for so many years that it’s become easy to live together.

And the atmosphere before a concert? Maybe you are excited…

We try to help each other to be focused!

For you who have been in the band since 1996, is the fact of having a woman who sings at the place of Johan Liiva (since 2001) not too strange?

Not now, not after ten years! (Laugh) I have no problem with women in metal. It has been much harder for the fans than for me.

Angela Gossow is very aggressive on stage but she seems to be very quiet in everyday life. She said in the interview for the documentary "Metal: An Headbanger Journey", that it is very important to be very aggressive on stage, do you agree and does the same thing apply to you?

Yes, I remember that! Yes, you have to be energetic …

Yes but you look very quiet too!

I know, I look depressive, but I can be crazy some days. For Angela it’s difficult to say because before a concert she takes care of her voice so she doesn't speak so much.

Arch Enemy make a very special metal and it is very difficult to find a band like that if we consider that it is a woman who sings so gutturally. Can you compare your work to some other metal bands or do you think that Arch Enemy is an exception in the death metal world too?

I think that we are more a practice metal band like Judas Priest, with two guitar players and many harmonies and a very charismatic singer. For me it’s very usual that a woman sings like Angela!

Yes, but in the metal it’s more usual to see women in symphonic metal bands! And I haven't found a band like Arch Enemy with a guttural female singer.

Yes, unfortunately! But I think that women don’t try to sing like that.

In my opinion, they try but Angela is very good at this.

Yes, I know, she has a very good scream and she sings deeper than some guys!

You seem to have a very large fanbase, what about them? Are the contacts good, or do you have to face some very disturbing fans?

Sometimes yes, but the relations are good. We maybe have ten percent of disturbing fans but for the most we never meet them. For example we have a really crazy fan in Canada but I think that he is a little disturbing…

To conclude what is the most incredible show that you have played with Arch Enemy?

I think that it is the first time that we went to Japan in 1997! It was the first time that I played before a very big crowd like that.

Yes, I have heard many things about the Japanese fans, they seem to be very impressive and they make some very big concerts!

Yes, but it’s great because they are very big music fans, they like that and me too!