Arch Enemy "Blood Dinasty (Digisleeve, Japan, Trooper Entertainment, QATE-10150)"

Blood Dynasty is the twelfth studio album by Swedish melodic death metal band Arch Enemy. The album was released on 28 March 2025. It is Arch Enemy's first studio album to feature guitarist Joey Concepcion, following the departure of Jeff Loomis from the band in 2023, although Loomis is featured on bonus tracks "Break the Spell" and "Moths".

On 31 July 2024, Arch Enemy surprise released their new standalone single "Dream Stealer" and premiered its music video at 6pm CET.

At the first show of the Rising from the North tour (with co-headliner In Flames and special guest Soilwork) on 3 October 2024, the band debuted the then-unreleased track "Liars & Thieves". The following day, Arch Enemy announced their new album and its release date of 28 March 2025

On 17 October 2024, the album's second single "Liars & Thieves" was released alongside a music video composed of live footage from the first two weeks of the Rising from the North tour.

On 12 November 2024, Arch Enemy began their headlining 'Largo Camino Al Inframundo...' tour in Mexico in promotion of Blood Dynasty.

On 25 November 2024, Arch Enemy announced their headlining European Blood Dynasty 2025 Tour (with support acts Amorphis, Eluveitie and Gatecreeper).

On 27 November 2024, the band announced that the title track of the album would be the third single, and it was released on 4 December 2024. Its music video premiered on the band's YouTube channel at 6pm CET.

On 18 December 2024, the band announced their headlining North American Blood Dynasty 2025 Tour (with support acts Fit for an Autopsy, BAEST and Thrown into Exile), which is the band's first tour scheduled for after the release of Blood Dynasty.

On 3 February 2025, it was announced that the fourth single "Paper Tiger" would be released, alongside a music video, on 6 February 2025.

On 31 March 2025, three days after Blood Dynasty was released, the band announced via social media that they would be releasing a fifth music video, for the track "A Million Suns", on 2 April 2025.

The cover artwork of Blood Dynasty was created by artist Alex Reisfar, who has previously created the artworks for Arch Enemy's albums Will to Power (2017) and Deceivers (2022).

Upon announcing the album, founding member and guitarist Michael Amott stated that Blood Dynasty will surpass fans' expectations for an Arch Enemy album, saying "This new album pushes the boundaries of what we've done before — it's everything you've come to expect from this band, and then some! We can't wait for you to hear it and feel the energy we've poured into every track. Welcome to the 'Blood Dynasty'!".

Track 9 of Blood Dynasty is a cover of the song "Vivre Libre" by the French heavy metal band Blaspheme. This is the first time in their career that Arch Enemy are releasing a cover as a track on the standard edition of an album rather than the deluxe edition. As there is a cover on the main track listing, two of the bonus tracks ("Break the Spell" and "Moths") are original songs written by Arch Enemy, and the third bonus track in the Japanese edition ("Evil Dead") is a Death cover.

Blood Dynasty has been available for pre-order since the album announcement, and is available in the following CD and vinyl LP formats:

• Standard CD
• Standard black LP
• Limited deluxe CD box set (11 + 2 bonus tracks)
• Limited deluxe split red and golden LP + bonus LP (2 tracks) + CD artbook (13 tracks) and art print
• Limited deep blood red LP
• Limited grey LP
• Limited transparent red LP
• Limited creamy white LP, exclusive to EMP
• Limited bright gold LP, available at various outlets such as the Arch Enemy store
• Limited red blood splatter LP, exclusive to the Arch Enemy store and Rebellion Republic
• Limited liquid blood LP (666 copies), exclusive to the Arch Enemy store and Rebellion Republic
• Limited black ice LP, exclusive to Century Media and Piranha Records
• Limited tangerine LP, exclusive to Century Media

Fans also have the opportunity to preorder bundles (available at the Arch Enemy store and Rebellion Republic) which contain a physical copy of the album alongside a merchandise item such as a t-shirt.

Tracklist:

1. Dream Stealer 04:29  
2. Illuminate the Path 04:48   
3. March of the Miscreants 04:49   
4. A Million Suns 03:45  
5. Don't Look Down 04:07  
6. Presage 00:47
7. Blood Dynasty 03:51   
8. Paper Tiger 03:56
9. Vivre Libre (Blasphème cover) 04:07  
10. The Pendulum 03:42
11. Liars & Thieves 04:20
12. Break the Spell 04:29
13. Moths 04:04
14. Evil Dead (Death cover) 03:05

Time:  54:19

Recording information:

Recorded, mixed and mastered at Fascination Street Studios in Örebro, Sweden in the winter of 2024.

Cello on track 6 recorded at Sonic Boom Studios in Berlin, Germany.

Jens Bogren – production, engineering, mixing, mastering

Michael Amott – co-production

Daniel Erlandsson – co-production

Jacob Hansen – production, mixing, mastering ("Break the Spell", "Moths")

Tony Lindgren – mastering

Johan Martin – mixing assistance

Jeff Loomis – guitars ("Break the Spell", "Moths")

Raphael Liebermann – cello ("Presage")

Alexander Khromov – engineering ("Presage")

Francesco Ferrini – keys, orchestrations

Alexander Backlund – drum tech, tuning

S. C. Kuschnerus – drum tech, tuning

Alex Reisfar – cover art

CVSPE (André Trindade) – artwork ("Dream Stealer", "Liars & Thieves", "Blood Dynasty", "Paper Tiger" singles)

Patric Ullaeus – photography, music video direction ("Dream Stealer")

Jens De Vos – music video direction ("Liars & Thieves")

Mirko Witzki – music video direction ("Blood Dynasty", "A Million Suns")

Moritz "Mumpi" Künster – music video direction ("Paper Tiger")

Arch Enemy "Deceivers (Digisleeve, Germany, Century Media, 19439950312)"

Deceivers is the eleventh studio album by Swedish melodic death metal band Arch Enemy. Originally scheduled for a 29 July 2022 release, the album was pushed back to 12 August 2022 for undisclosed reasons. Deceivers is Arch Enemy's first studio album since 2017's Will to Power, marking the longest gap between two of their studio albums. It is also the second and last studio album to feature guitarist Jeff Loomis before his departure from the band in 2023.

Writing began as early as October 2018: main songwriter and guitarist Michael Amott mentioned on an interview with Loudwire that he had "a few new ideas already for new stuff". In February 2021, on "The Riffhard Podcast", lead guitarist Jeff Loomis revealed he was "doing solos for the new Arch Enemy album", though adding he did not know when it would be released.

All of the album was recorded in Europe, except for Loomis' guitar contributions: due to traveling restrictions, he was unable to join the rest of the band, so they ended up "having him do his solos in the studio in Seattle".

The song "Spreading Black Wings" is dedicated to the memory of LG Petrov.

"Deceiver, Deceiver" and "House of Mirrors", respectively released on 21 October 2021 and 9 December 2021, were the first two singles from the album, each receiving a music video: however, at that time, the album had not been yet announced, and both tracks were simply marketed as standalone singles.

The album was officially announced on 27 January 2022; the third single "Handshake with Hell" was released eight days later on 4 February 2022, along with its accompanying music video.

On 20 May 2022, the fourth single "Sunset over the Empire" was released alongside a video clip. A 7-inch vinyl single featuring the single alongside "The Judging Eyes", an instrumental remake of War Eternal's "You Will Know My Name", was commercialized in limited edition.

The band announced that the record was postponed by two weeks on 6 June 2022, the reason being "unforeseen circumstances". No further information was issued about the topic.

"In the Eye of the Storm", the fifth and single, was released on 14 July 2022 with its music video.

"The Watcher", the sixth single, was released on August 14, 2022, which was two days after the album's release.

"Poisoned Arrow", the seventh and final single, was released on February 9, 2023.

Track listing

All music is composed by Michael Amott and Daniel Erlandsson except where noted

1. "Handshake with Hell" Alissa White-Gluz 5:39
2. "Deceiver, Deceiver" M. Amott 3:52
3. "In the Eye of the Storm" M. Amott 4:09
4. "The Watcher" White-Gluz 4:58
5. "Poisoned Arrow" M. Amott M. Amott/Erlandsson/Christopher Amott   3:51
6. "Sunset over the Empire" M. Amott 4:03
7. "House of Mirrors" White-Gluz M. Amott/C. Amott   3:40
8. "Spreading Black Wings" M. Amott 4:46
9. "Mourning Star" Instrumental 1:37
10. "One Last Time" M. Amott 3:49
11. "Exiled from Earth" White-Gluz 4:45

Total length: 45:09

Recording information:

Drums and vocals recorded at Hansen Studio, Ribe (Denmark).

Rhythm guitars recorded at Studio 666BPM, Verberg (Sweden).

Lead guitar and bass recorded at Sweetspot Studio, Harplinge (Sweden).

Jeff Loomis solos recorded at Envisage Audio, Seattle, WA.

Mixed and mastered at Hansen Studios, Ribe (Denmark).

Jacob Hansen – production, engineering (drums, vocals), mixing, mastering

Michael Amott – co-production

Daniel Erlandsson – co-production, guitar and bass engineering

Aaron Smith – recording (Jeff Loomis solos)

Ruben Kamlah – recording (cello on "Poisoned Arrow")

Alex Reisfar – cover art

CVSPE (André Trindade) – artwork (booklet)

Costin Chioreanu – layout

Patric Ullaeus – photography

Arch Enemy "Covered In Blood (Digipak, Germany, Century Media, 19075910592)"

Covered in Blood is a compilation album by Arch Enemy, featuring all 24 covers the band recorded and released from 1996 until 2019. This is the only official Arch Enemy release that features all three lead vocalists that the band has had – Johan Liiva, Angela Gossow and Alissa White-Gluz.

Starting with their debut album (1996's Black Earth), Arch Enemy have regularly recorded two or more covers as bonus tracks for deluxe versions of their albums. Most of these tracks were exclusive to physical copies of the albums, and Covered in Blood is the first time they are available on streaming platforms. The album features all covers the band had, at that point, recorded in their entire career.

Tracks 1, 2 and 11 were originally bonus tracks of Will to Power.

Tracks 3 and 4 were originally bonus tracks of War Eternal.

Tracks 5 and 6 were originally released on a flexi-disc available as a free gift with the August 2014 copy of Decibel magazine.

Tracks 7, 8, 9 and 10 were originally on the Råpunk EP which was available as a 7" vinyl in the deluxe boxset of Will to Power and, later, as a 7" vinyl or CD single exclusively in Japan.

Tracks 12, 14 and 16 were originally on the Kovered in Khaos CD as part of the deluxe digibook version of Khaos Legions.

Track 13 was originally a Japanese bonus track of Khaos Legions.

Track 15 was originally a Japanese bonus track of Rise of the Tyrant, and later appeared on the Dawn of Khaos EP which was available as a free gift with the May 2011 edition of Metal Hammer magazine.

Track 17 was originally a Japanese bonus track of The Root of All Evil.

Tracks 18, 19 and 20 were originally part of the EP Dead Eyes See No Future.

Tracks 21 and 24 were originally bonus tracks of Black Earth.

Track 22 was originally a bonus track of Burning Bridges and Wages of Sin.

Track 23 was originally a bonus track of Burning Bridges and Wages of Sin, and part of the EP Burning Angel.

This album remained a comprehensive compilation of every Arch Enemy cover until the release of Deceivers in 2022, which had two covers as bonus tracks - which, to this date, remain exclusive to physical copies of the album.

Track listing

Covered in Blood track listing

1. "Shout" (Tears for Fears) Roland Orzabal, Ian Stanley 4:45
2. "Back to Back" (Pretty Maids) Ronnie Atkins, Ken Hammer, Alan Owen 3:21
3. "Shadow on the Wall" (Mike Oldfield) Mike Oldfield 3:03
4. "Breaking the Law" (Judas Priest) Rob Halford, KK Downing, Glenn Tipton 2:20
5. "Nitad" (Moderat Likvidation) Moderat Likvidation 1:06
6. "When the Innocent Die" (Anti Cimex) Anti Cimex 1:57
7. "Warsystem" (Shitlickers) Shitlickers 0:54
8. "Armed Revolution" (Shitlickers) Shitlickers 0:51
9. "Spräckta Snutskallar" (Shitlickers) Shitlickers 0:51
10. "The Leader (of the Fuckin' Assholes)" (Shitlickers) Shitlickers 1:02
11. "City Baby Attacked by Rats" (Charged GBH) Charged GBH 2:48
12. "Warning" (Discharge) Discharge 2:44
13. "The Zoo" (Scorpions) Rudolf Schenker, Klaus Meine 4:42
14. "Wings of Tomorrow" (Europe) Joey Tempest 3:15
15. "The Oath" (Kiss) Paul Stanley, Bob Ezrin, Tony Powers 4:14
16. "The Book of Heavy Metal" (Dream Evil) Snowy Shaw 4:16
17. "Walk in the Shadows" (Queensrÿche) Chris DeGarmo, Geoff Tate, Michael Wilton 3:06
18. "Incarnated Solvent Abuse" (Carcass) Bill Steer, Michael Amott 4:35
19. "Kill with Power" (Manowar) Joey DeMaio 3:30
20. "Symphony of Destruction" (Megadeth) Dave Mustaine 4:02
21. "Aces High" (Iron Maiden) Steve Harris 4:24
22. "Scream of Anger" (Europe) Tempest, Marcel Jacob 3:46
23. "Starbreaker" (Judas Priest) Halford, Downing, Tipton 3:23
24. "The Ides of March" (Iron Maiden) Harris 1:44

Total length: 70:39

Recording information:

Fredrik Nordström – production, engineering, mixing, keyboards

Costin Chioreanu – cover art, layout