Arch Enemy - Deceivers (2022)^{Release ID: 39076}

It's been ages since I've last listened to an album by Arch Enemy, the last new one I've heard being Will to Power. I've still heard a few songs by the band, but never thought about a full return to their material. After hearing some singles from their new album Deceivers, I took some time to decide whether to give this band another chance. And with their upcoming album Blood Dynasty coming out two months after this review, if I want to listen to Deceivers while it's still fresh, it's now or never...

As with many melodeath bands, Arch Enemy is the kind of band that aims for melody and aggression blended together in great balance. They still haven't dropped their melodic side in the guitar leads and keyboard ether. Vocalist Alissa White-Gluz decided to add more clean vocals than ever, reminiscent of her former band The Agonist.

The diverse opening track "Handshake with Hell" has those cleans in best display. The creativity shines greatly from the epic intro to the energetic rest of the song. ''Deceiver, Deceiver'' (Is it a title track when the name is repeated twice in the title?) blasts through heavy Swedish melodeath, the way At the Gates and In Flames kickstarted it in the mid-90s. "In the Eye of the Storm" is a midtempo anthem, like a march into the war. "The Watcher" is a total thrasher.

Things slow down for the sweet highlight "Poisoned Arrow". Then "Sunset over the Empire" starts with audible bass making way for the harsh vocals and riff melodies. There are even some strings and choirs that almost make this a symphonic death metal track. "House of Mirrors" has some amazing Dark Tranquillity-esque melodeath.

"Spreading Black Wings" has some lyrics that aren't totally bad, but they could've been better written, "Do not fear to tread the left-hand path, I am here spreading black wings". The interlude "Morning Star" is a nice break with some guitar talent. Keyboard melancholy covers "One Last Time" while staying heavy in the instrumentation. The closing track "Exile From Earth" is almost as epic as the opener, with the vocals, soloing, and background atmosphere, reaching great dark heights.

I can witness the greatness the band still has after Will to Power. Alongside the melodic guitarwork, the clean vocals and symphonics add a sweet touch. Deceivers shall give them some new fans, though the earlier ones might be thrown off. I look forward to their new album Blood Dynasty and finding out if it works for their 30-year milestone....

Favorites: "Handshake with Hell", "In the Eye of the Storm", "Poisoned Arrow", "Sunset over the Empire", "House of Mirrors", "Exile From Earth"

It's hard watching a band that you once had so much favour with fall on hard times. Arch Enemy seem to have been on a descending spiral ever since Alissa White-Gluz took over as lead vocalist. Not by any fault of Alissa of course; she has filled in quite admirably for Angela Gossow. It is instead the compositions that have fallen flat in recent years. Arch Enemy have always been a band with some pedestrian song structures in the past, but at least they bothered to make each individual track sound distinct. Now it feels like Arch Enemy is trying to recapture a formula that made them popular fifteen years ago. I swear I heard callbacks to the singles on Doomsday Machine on this album at least half of the songs. Are "Nemesis", "My Apocalypse" and "Taking Back My Soul" good tracks? Yeah, but I want to hear 2022 Arch Enemy; this isn't 2006 anymore! 

Compositionally, Arch Enemy have always followed the Dragonforce approach of letting the lead guitar have a very heavy foot, but here they seem less sporadic, which is a nice touch as many of the leads/solos match the tempos/styles of the songs they are associated with. The vocals can seem forced at times thanks in large part to the opening track, "Handshake with Hell". After giving Alissa the opportunity to perform some clean singing here, it's never heard from again on the rest of the album. A little bit more variety here would go a long way for this album, and Arch Enemy moving forward. Overall, it's a solid enough of an Arch Enemy record. They took their time to release following 2017's disastrous Will to Power, and longtime fans will likely enjoy it. It sure as hell won't be deceiving anyone with it's sound, which is why I'm so mixed on it.

Best Songs: Handshake with Hell, The Watcher, Sunset over the Empire, One Last Time