Arch Enemy – Will to Power


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ARCH ENEMY’s latest album “Will to Power” goes 12 rounds of hard hitting, knockout tracks… don’t expect to hear no bell.  White-Gluz storms in with all guns blazing, packing a serious punch and leaving a trail of destruction in her path.  This release also marks Jeff Loomis’s first album with the band. “Will to Power” is intense with a dominate sense of urgency that demands we listen.  “Set Flame to the Night” is a short introduction that opens up the album… but right out of the gate we can feel the exigency. Without missing a step, the intro rips into “The Race”… flashing full speed with brooding refinement and a dark melodic crunch.

Track 3, “Blood in the Water,” is an epic totality of musical arrangements to the “enth” degree. It pounds, it pummels and it delivers… nowhere to run and nowhere to hide. By far, the highlight of “Will to Power” is track 6 “Reason to Believe.”  Beyond amazing, White-Gluz’s clean vocals are ballsy, alluring and emotional. This album’s marks ARCH ENEMY’s first time using clean vocals and gives reason to believe that future usage should be expected. “Dreams of Retribution,” track 10, is electrifying… powerful and passionate. The opening guitar work is cinematically expressive as the rest of the song just pushes the pace. The addition of the keyboard work takes the song to a whole new level of what Death Metal can be.

“A Fight I Must Win” is simply an old fashion beat down. “Will to Power” packs one helluva punch. Sonically, the album is an eclectic array of charging Metal symphony. I am normally not a huge fan of this style of vocal.  However, the mix of melodic passages, use of keyboards, strings and the vocal range and diversity orchestrate this album far beyond that of an average, everyday Death Metal band… The guitar work alone is reminiscent of a cross between Criss Oliva of SAVATAGE and Yngwie… there is so much more of a Power Metal feel and texture to “Will to Power” that labeling it strictly Melodic Death Metal alone does not do it justice, and may actually limit its reception and or awareness to certain sects of the multifaceted Metal genre.

Songwriting: 9
Originality: 8
Memorability: 8
Production: 9