Swedish extreme metallers ARCH ENEMY have parted ways with guitarist Christopher Amott. The band posted the following statement on their official Facebook page:

"We thank Christopher for the time he's worked with the band and of course wish him the very best in his future endeavours.

Thankfully, there is no drama behind the scenes here. This is the best way forward for all involved. Christopher simply isn't into playing extreme metal anymore.

We have already chosen and rehearsed with a new guitar player and we will complete the 'Khaos Legions' 2012 touring cycle as planned. We are highly motivated and look forward to continue spreading our music around the world!

Finally, our deepest thanks go to the ARCH ENEMY fans, whose amazing support and belief inspires us ever onward."

The band has recruited ARSIS guitarist Nick Cordle (who will definitely gel well with the band) to continue their current tour.

Guitarist and founding member Michael Amott comments:

"Nick was my first choice as he ticks all the right boxes for Arch Enemy with his musicality and technicality as well as his personality and dedication. Looking forward to having him join us stage, the rehearsals have shown we have a devastating twin axe attack going on!"

ARCH ENEMY Tour dates:

• 23-March-2012 - Festival Mediterranéen de la guitar - Tunis, Tunisia
• 25-March-2012 - Colos-Saal - Aschaffenburg, Germany
• 13-April-2012 - Shibuya Ax - Tokyo, Japan
• 14-April-2012 - Yokohama Blitz - Japan
• 16-April-2012 - Diamond Hall - Nagoya, Japan
• 17-April-2012 - Big Cat - Osaka, Japan
• 24-April-2012 - Chin Woo Stadium (Hall) - Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
• 26-April-2012 - Diablo Open Air 2012 - Singapore
• 28-April-2012 - Pulp Summer Slam 12 - Manila, Philippines
• 30-April-2012 - Manning Bar - Sydney, Australia
• 01-April-2012 - Billboard The Venue - Melbourne, Australia
• 28-June-2012 - Peace and Love Festival - Borlänge, Sweden
• 30-June-2012 - Dokk'em Open Air - Dokkum, Netherlands
• 13-July-2012 - Bang Your Head Festival - Balingen, Germany
• 14-July-2012 - Rock Harz Open Air - Ballenstedt, Germany
• 15-July-2012 - Masters Of Rock - Vizovice, Czech Republic
• 18-July-2012 - Hegyalja Fesztival - Tokaj Rakamaz, Hungary
• 20-July-2012 - Devilside - Oberhausen, Germany
• 04-August-2012 - Vagos Open Air - Vagos, Portugal
• 20-October-2012 - Metal Female Voices Fest - Wieze, Belgium
• 21-October-2012 - Le Bataclan - Paris, France
• 23-October-2012 - Totem - Pamplona, Spain
• 25-October-2012 - Capitol - Santiago de Compostela, Spain
• 26-October-2012 - La Riviera - Madrid, Spain
• 27-October-2012 - Razzmatazz 2 - Barcelona, Spain

Genre: Melodic Death Metal

Label: Century Media Records

Released: May 30th, 2011

Reviewer: Spiritcrusher


Arch Enemy needs no introduction. The impact they’ve made on metal is almost second to none. It is almost hard to find a metal fan who cannot recognize Angela Gossow’s vocals, Michael Amott’s beautifully phrased melodies, Chris Amott’s insane solos, Sharlee D’Angelo’s ripping bass riffs, and Daniel Erlandsson’s skull-smashing beats. Whether one is a fan of Arch Enemy or not, nobody can deny that Arch Enemy will be remembered as one of the greatest melodic death metal bands of all time.

It’s been a really long time since we last had an Arch Enemy album out. After “Rise of the Tyrant” success in 2007, I personally had no idea what else they could come up with. I felt like after using somewhat similar formulas since “Anthems of Rebellion”, the new album could be a huge surprise to us all. After “The Root of All Evil” disappointing me (and most other Liiva fans) for being nothing more than just a series of Arch Enemy classics that are overproduced, I definitely started looking forward to the new album. They had to make this one count. I think they did a good job, but I started listening to Burning Bridges and Wages of Sin a week after listening to the new album. Most Arch Enemy fans are going to hate me for this, but I really think they could have done a much better job with “Khaos Legions”.

Arch Enemy is back, raising the black flag of anarchism. Let the revolution begin; we will rise! …Sounds slightly familiar, no?


Sound:

The first thing I heard about the new album was in a short interview with Michael Amott on Terrorizer Magazine (I think). I remember him saying that the new album will have lots of elements of black metal and hardcore punk, and that it’s a bit of a step back to their roots. I thought it would be interesting. I do recall some black metal moments in some of their music (most notably in I Am Legend/Out For Blood).

Once I heard the album, I really couldn’t notice THAT much of a difference, although they were noticeable in various songs. “Cruelty Without Beauty” is filled with blastbeats and chorus with keyboards (courtesy of Per Wiberg) that give you chills.

Some of the songs were really weak to my standards. I thought Yesterday Was Dead and Gone could have been a lot more impressive. It started off pretty neatly, and got into some good moments, but I thought the chorus was weak and that the melodies were nothing very unique. I think most die-hard Arch Enemy fans will notice that in some of the songs on this album.

Needless to say, the drums are still brilliant, the bass breaks into the mix like a savage beast, and the guitar solos give me chills down my spine time and time again, most notably Bloodstained Cross. Michael Amott started off with a beautiful Baroque-style melody building up into a beautiful signature Amott solo with bends and beautiful phrasing. The three instrumentals on the track are very beautiful as well; I do wish they were a minute or two longer!


Lyrics:

Simply put, I always enjoyed Arch Enemy’s lyrics. I think the best lyrical efforts were on “Wages of Sin”, but I do enjoy the hooks they’ve had since then. I think they did a good job with Khaos Legions lyrically, but it’s nothing out of the ordinary, should we compare it to some of their previous albums. It’s all about revolution and the rise of the masses. I think one of the weaker lyrical efforts is on No Gods, No Masters. Otherwise, I think Cult of Chaos has some pretty strong lyrics.


Conclusion:

I liked this album, but it didn’t stick to me the way the others did. I find myself still listening to Burning Bridges and Wages of Sin like they were released yesterday, as well as various tracks from Doomsday Machine and Rise of the Tyrant. With the 4-year break they had to get this album done, I thought it could have been a bit better. It’s definitely worth buying and listening. The acoustic rendition of Wages of Sin’s Snowbound is really awesome as well, which I believe is not available on all formats.


Favorite songs:

• Cult of Chaos
• Bloodstained Cross

Weakest songs:

• Yesterday Is Dead and Gone
• No Gods, No Masters

Final word:

Some of the songs will grow on you, some will hit you instantly….but, some will easily be forgotten.

I give this album a 7.5/10 … 7.5 with slight optimism that I’ll enjoy it more with time.

---

Click here to order Khaos Legion via AmazonMp3

ARCH ENEMY performed for the first time in Casablanca, Morocco at Boulevard Festival on May 14th.

The band's live sound engineer Clem Bennett posted a 3 minute clip of the band's trip, which shows the stage set-up as well as how the band had to reschedule their performance to the next day due to heavy rain; ultimately putting on a killer show nonetheless.

ARCH ENEMY's latest studio album "Khaos Legion" will be released May 30th via Century Media Records

[PRESS RELEASE]

Metal masters ARCH ENEMY are currently locked up in the Sweet Spot Studio facilities in the south of Sweden recording their newest studio album which is being engineered/mixed by Rickard Bengtsson (who already produced 2005's “Doomsday Machine”). After releasing the “Tyrants Of The Rising Sun – Live In Japan” Live DVD/CD (2008) and the re-recordings album “The Root Of All Evil” (2009), the new studio effort marks the long awaited successor of 2007’s acclaimed “Rise Of The Tyrant” album.

Previous to the recording session, UK’s Bonkers Entertainment caught up with ARCH ENEMY at their headline show at the HMV Forum in London UK on November 27th, 2010. This concert was the last stop on a three year long touring cycle for the “Rise Of The Tyrant” and “The Root Of All Evil” albums. In the interview the members of Arch Enemy discussed the upcoming recording of the new studio album, the song writing process and touring plans for 2011. During the conversation, the band also divulged the title of the new album to be “Khaos Legions”. Check out the full clip below:

ARCH ENEMY online: Official Site | Facebook | Myspace | Twitter

And while the band is still busy completing the album for a May 2011 release via Century Media Records, a first bunch of live dates and summer festivals have already been confirmed for 2011 in order to promote the release. See the list of officially announced dates here:

- ARCH ENEMY – Live 2011 - 27-May-2011 - Metalfest Open Air Switzerland, Pratteln28-May-2011 - Metalfest Open Air Germany, Dessau29-May-2011 - Metalfest Open Air Austria, Mining31-May 2011 - Majestic Music Club, Bratislava, Slovakia04-June-2011 - Metalfest Open Air Hungary05-June-2011 - Metalfest Open Air Czech Republic25-June-2011 - Graspop Metal Meeting Dessel, Belgium12-July-2011 - Metal Camp, Tolmin, Slovenia14-July-2011 - Lez' Art Scenique Festival, Selesat, France22-July-2011 - Tuska, Suvilahti, Helsinki, Finland30-July-2011 - MetaLmorphosiS Festival, Cyprus18/19/20-August-2011 - Summer Breeze Open Air Dinkelsbühl, Germany27-August-2011 - Summers End Open Air, Andernach, Germany

Look out for further studio updates and more shows to be confirmed soon…

Once the news broke out about the passing of legendary front man Ronnie James Dio (DIO, Black Sabbath, Heaven And Hell) musicians from all over the world started updating their online statuses, to pay respect to one of Metal's most beloved (and probably most respected) front men.

The following are just a small chunk from Twitter, Facebook and other websites:



Tony Iommi (Black Sabbath, Heaven and Hell):

"Yesterday 16th May my dear, dear friend Ronnie James Dio passed away at 7.45am LA time.

I’ve been in total shock I just can’t believe he’s gone. Ronnie was one of the nicest people you could ever meet, we had some fantastic times together.

Ronnie loved what he did, making music and performing on stage. He loved his fans so much.

He was a kind man and would put himself out to help others. I can honestly say it’s truly been an honor to play at his side for all these years, his music will live on forever. Our thoughts are with Wendy Dio who stood by Ronnie until the end, he loved her very much. The man with the magic voice is a star amongst stars, a true professional. I’ll miss you so much my dear friend.

RIP - Tony"

Iron Maiden:

"It is with huge sadness we hear that Ronnie has lost his battle against stomach cancer, and our heartfelt condolences go out to his wife Wendy and family at this terrible time.

"From his earlier years in ELF, BLACK SABBATH and DIO, right through to his most recent days fronting HEAVEN & HELL, Ronnie, time and again, proved his genius as a frontman, always giving his all to his fans and his music.

"Ronnie was not only an incredibly gifted singer but also a wonderfully warm, intelligent and generous person and this shone through both on and off stage leaving a positive mark on everyone he came into contact with. A longstanding friend of MAIDEN, we played many shows together over the years and we will all miss him greatly.

"The world has lost an irreplaceable talent and, first and foremost, one of the finest human beings you could ever wish to meet."

Mikael Åkerfeldt (Opeth):

"I saw the news last night and I hated them.

"Ronnie James Dio is gone…. I love him almost like a family member, and I feel empty and lonely knowing he's not around anymore. He sits on my wall as he has since my family moved in here. Can't bring myself to hear him sing right now, even though I think it might be comforting if I did.

"I was fortunate enough to meet him and share a few drinks with him once, and it's a memory I will treasure to the end of my days. He blew my mind, quite honestly.

"Thank you, Ronnie James Dio, for everything!

"Our collective condolences goes out to his families and friends and the musicians that were fortunate enough to work with him.

"I was thinking about this for quite some time, and I think we can say for sure that even if he was taken from us too soon (100 years from now would've been to soon), I'm sure he felt happy with his life and what he had achieved. But it hurts, though, it really fucking hurts…. I can't stop thinking about it.

"There is a massive hole in my heart.

"Love you, Ronnie. Rest in peace.

"Your fan, Mikael Åkerfeldt"

Slash:

"RIP Ronnie James Dio, one of the best Heavy Metal singers of all time."

Robert Flyn (Machine Head):

"MACHINE HEAD had the opportunity to open for HEAVEN & HELL in May of 2007, and having never met or toured with Ronnie James Dio, it was a HUGE honor for all of us.

"He was a powerhouse singer. Incredible tone, and grit. His voice onstage was FUCKING LOUD!! Shockingly loud!! We were lucky enough to watch from side stage almost nightly, and all of us were blown away by how loud his voice was."

Chris Jericho (Fozzy/ WWE Superstar):

"Can't sleep...only Dio can soothe me through the pain I feel from his loss. The moon is just the sun at night..."

David Ellefson (Megadeth):

"He was truly one of the 'good guys' in this business and a consummate pro, someone we can all take a que and learn from. We are all fans of his and he did many great things for MEGADETH and its members, starting starting as far back as his 'Dream Evil' North American tour in which we were the support band during the 'So Far, So Good...So What' tour. . . I'm very thankful to have gotten to know and tour with him in both MEGADETH and with Tim 'Ripper' Owens.

Wendy Dio (Ronnie's wife/manager) looked after Ripper's European tour where we played several shows with HEAVEN & HELL and we got to have many good moments with Ronnie during that tour.

He is missed by us all."

Shawn Drover (Megadeth):

"I am at an absolute loss right now upon hearing that Ronnie has passed away. I had the pleasure of touring both Canada and America in 2007 when Megadeth toured with "Heaven and Hell" (Black Sabbath in my eyes) and I swear to you he is 1 of the nicest human beings I have ever met, period. Many a night on that tour, Glen and myself would have amazing conversation's with Ronnie about his career, etc. fully knowing he had probably told these stories 10,000 times to people and yet he answered every question I had with a big smile.

I can recall so many times making eye contact with Glen sharing the exact same thought - "Dude, I can't believe we are hanging with RONNIE JAMES DIO!!!!!" If you are lucky enough in your lifetime to actually meet 1 of your idols (let alone tour with them) and they turn out to be even nicer than you could have envisioned, that is something you would truly treasure. Lucky for me, I will cherish those memories forever..................."

Arch Enemy:

"Today is an immensely sad day for the heavy metal / hard rock community as we mourn the loss of one of the most amazing talents in the genre. Ever. "A master of his craft and a true gentleman. Funny, smart and witty. He will be much missed by the ARCH ENEMY camp. "

Dio's voice will echo in eternity!"

*Update:

KISS:

"We mourn the tragic passing of the great Ronnie James Dio. In addition to his powerhouse vocal ability, Ronnie was a true gentleman who always emanated great warmth and friendship to us and everyone around him. We will miss him.

Paul, Gene, Tommy and Eric"

Judas Priest:

"We are filled with great sadness at the terrible news about our friend Ronnie James Dio - our condolences and love go to Wendy and Ronnie's family - Ronnie was a wonderful man and will be sorely missed.

ROB, GLENN, K.K., IAN & SCOTT"

Scott Ian (Antrhax):

"Dio, Italian for God. Words won't do the man justice so we won't even try. Horns up always!"

Corey Taylor (Slipknot/Stone Sour):

"One of the strongest, purist and consistent singers of all time. Ronnie sang like he lived -- all out, from the heart, with so much honesty and joy. He was a great man with a smile and a handshake for fans and peers alike. He spoke his mind and stood his ground for decades. I will miss him dearly."

Kerry King (Slayer):

"Few people have had the ability to carry a song like Dio, literally demanding your attention as he effortlessly recreated live the amazing things he did on record,"

"It's odd how things get taken from you quickly...I just saw him a month ago. I know I was lucky to have known Ronnie. One of the nicest guys in the business without a doubt. He will be hugely missed."

Killswitch Engage:

"It's a very, very sad day in metal, and this one hits pretty hard. Dio was one of the greatest metal singers of all time. His soaring vocal lines even to this day, strike a chord in me that few other singers can come close to. Even in his old age, Dio rocked harder and more on point then 99% of the singers out there.

He is truly a musician's musician; a model for the new school to aspire towards. A man who stuck to his guns, and played the type of music HE wanted to play...and extremely well at that!"

Feel free to add any Ronnie related quotes or links in the comments section, and they will be added to the post.

This space will be updated shortly.