Arch Enemy

Many bands see lead singers come and go but Arch Enemy utilized vocalists from three different countries: Swede Johan Liiva (’96-‘00), German Angela Gossow (’00-14), Canadian Alissa White-Gluz (’14 – 25) and U.S. born/Australian raised Lauren Hart (’26 – present).

Liiva and guitarist Michael Amott founded Carnage in ’88. Eight years later, Amott launched Arch Enemy as a Death Metal solo effort but he added Liiva on vocals and bass. According to Amott, he wanted to “merge melody with aggression and technicality.”

The band’s debut, “Black Earth,” arrived in ’96. It led the band to sign with Century Media where they unfurled ‘98’s “Stigmata.” The album, Arch Enemy’s first worldwide release, included bassist Martin Bengtsson and drummer Peter Wildoer.

In ‘99, Sharlee D’Angelo took over on bass while Daniel Erlandsson handled drums. “Burning Bridges” dropped that year and because Arch Enemy was popular in Japan, their next effort, “Burning Japan Live 1999,” had its initial release limited to Japan before getting worldwide distribution.

Liiva soon parted ways with the group and was replaced by female vocalist Angela Gossow. Her first Arch Enemy effort was ‘01’s “Wages Of Sin.” “Anthems Of Rebellion” (’03) and the EP “Dead Eyes See No Future,” a collection of live recordings along with covers, followed.

“Doomsday Machine” gave Arch Enemy its highest chart entry but that was eclipsed by their next effort, “Rise Of The Tyrant” which debuted at #84 on the Billboard 200.

Arch Enemy’s eighth album “The Root Of All Evil” landed the group opening slots for Megadeth, Judas Priest, Slayer, Anthrax, Rob Zombie and Children Of Bodom.

With “Khaos Legions” out, guitarist Christopher Amott, who had previously been in and out of the group (to deal with personal matters) left again in ’12. He was replaced by Nick Cordle.

The personnel changes continued. Gossow announced her departure stating she was “passing the torch to the super talented Alissa White-Gluz (formerly of The Agonist), whom I’ve known as a dear friend and a superb vocalist for many years. I always thought she deserved a chance to shine.”

Arch Enemy’s ninth album, “War Eternal,” a ’14 release, was Glutz-White’s first album with the band.

“I love the energy of working with new people and Alissa and Nick have certainly brought a lot of talent and enthusiasm to the band,” enthused Amott. But Cordle was not long for Arch Enemy. He announced his departure (11/10/14) mid-way through the North American tour in support of “War Eternal.”

Christopher Amott stepped in to complete the trek before guitarist Jeff Loomis (formerly of Nevermore) became the official replacement.

“Will To Power” was promoted by the music video for “The World Is Yours,” which gained more than 1.1 million views on YouTube in its first two days.

Also on the band’s ’17 album was the track “The Eagles Flies Alone.” Seven years after the music video’s original release it surpassed 100-million views on YouTube. The video is “a testament to the hard work, creativity, and passion that went into creating something we hoped would resonate with fans around the world,” clip director Patric Ullaeus wrote on social media.

“Deceivers” was Arch Enemy’s first studio album in five years, marking the longest gap between two of their studio albums. It was also the second and last studio album to feature guitarist Jeff Loomis, before his departure from the band in ’23.

A longtime animal rights activist White-Glutz posed as a mermaid in a ’23 PETA anti-fishing ad campaign and later in the year she delivered the opening speech at the “Animal Liberation March” in New York City.

Her efforts were initially recognized over a decade earlier when she received PETA’s Libby Award (while with The Agonist) for her work in an international campaign against the hunting of Canadian seals.

“Blood Dynasty,” the band’s twelfth studio album, was the first to feature Joey Concepcion (replacing Loomis). The ’25 set featured the singles “Dream Stealer,” “Paper Tiger,” “Liars & Thieves” and the title track.

“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,” enthused Amott.

In November of ’25, White-Gluz, who’d recorded four albums with Arch Enmey, left the band. She was replaced by Lauren Hart (the ex-Once Human vocalist).

“Connecting with Lauren has marked an important step in my journey,” offered Amott. “Working with her was an exceptional experience — her remarkable voice, coupled with her dedication and professionalism, brings a rare level of excellence. I look forward to continuing the collaboration.”

Arch Enemy’s “To The Last Breath” was their first song to feature Hart.

To The Last Breath

Talking about “To The Last Breath” Amott said, “Make no mistake — this song is a reckoning. Musically, it’s unapologetically aligned with my original vision for the band — and I believe longtime fans will recognize that immediately. Lyrically, it’s about seeing through deception and dismantling the illusion of control. It captures that moment when you realize you’ve been fed poison — and you choose to fight back.”

###