Arch Enemy - Deceivers (2022)

Since the addition of Alissa White-Gluz on vocals, and Jess Loomis on guitars back in 2014, Arch Enemy has massively improved the dynamics of their sound and now function like a precise Swiss watch when making catchy and technically brilliant music. On “Deceivers”, the band channels their creativity on 11 tracks and nearly 45 minutes of their signature sound… but better.

Opening with the scorcher of “Handshake with Hell”, we get killer guitar leads, superbly catchy melodies, and a very crafty mixture of harsh and clean vocals, making this one hell of an opener and a small taste of what is to come. It is quite impressive how the band’s Melodic Death Metal sound is like no one else, as their Heavy Metal (e.g. “The Watcher” and “In the Eye of the Storm”) and even Thrash Metal (e.g. “Deceiver, Deceiver”, “Spreading Black Wings”) nicely complement the barrage of melodic riffs and wild guitar leads.

The band is clearly having fun, and the listener can hear it on the crafty Bass guitar opening of “Sunset Over The Empire”, and the anthemic “House Of Mirrors” and its guitar acrobatics. One of the most interesting tracks has to be “One Last Time”, and its different vocal elements and pummeling drumming. The closer “Exiled From Earth” is one of those typical Arch Enemy tracks that we would love to see the band shred into existence in an upcoming tour.

Overall, “Deceivers” is an album that further augments the legacy of Arch Enemy with 11 more killer songs. Michael Amott and company are an extremely talented set of musicians and they excel at writing music together, creating intricate and engaging pieces that are not just extremely technical or extremely catchy, but well rounded tracks with tons of elements to digest and enjoy in more than a couple dozen spins.

Label: Century Media Records

Release: August 12h, 2022

Genre: Melodic Death Metal

Country: International