Interview with Arch Enemy

«We are already thinking about a new page in our history»

Legendary in their style, Arch Enemy will present their 12th studio album this spring. Music critics are already describing “Blood Dynasty” as an explosive but melodic record. as an explosive but melodic record.“Blood Dynasty” was recorded in Sweden, with recognized production guru Jens Bogren at the console. He previously worked with the band on the mix for 2017's “Will To Power” album. The band's drummer, Daniel Erlandsson, kindly took the time to answer our questions about album artwork and new music.

What question would you like to permanently eliminate from all interviews? Something that journalists should never ask again…

I have to say it's a very original question. In the past we've had many people ask us things like, “Hey everyone, what's the craziest thing that's happened to you guys on tour?” And that's a question that's hard for me to answer, because we don't have many crazy things happening on tour. But I'm much less likely to be asked that kind of thing now. But if I had to choose, I would choose that question.

What still motivates you to create new music?

It's something I love to do. I really enjoy being in a band and doing all this work. You know when you start from scratch and create a song from the very first note? And then you make a demo, you try to be creative, you go into the studio, you bring the album work to the finish line, and then, with the excitement of presenting all those records to the fans—I love that whole cycle. I also get inspired by seeing how the music motivates the fans. This is our 12th album, and we're still trying to outdo ourselves and find a new sound or some things we haven't done before!

There are so many different music albums coming out this month. Do you feel competition with other bands, or in the world of heavy music, is everyone friendly and supportive of each other?

I can say that yes, I am used to some competition between bands. But I can also say that there are definitely enough stages, festivals, and fans in the world for everyone! As long as you make really good music and have a real connection with the fans, you shouldn't have to worry about competition in the music world. At least that works for bands like Arch Enemy. But I realize that if we were a new band that was just starting out now, I would think about these things more often.

For most of your album covers, you choose dark drawings by various artists, but not your own photos. But in the music industry, it is a common belief that records with pictures of musicians' faces sell better. What is the reason for this choice?

It seems to me that first of all, we strive to create covers that will go well with the music and lyrics of our band and with the name of the records. And the second point is that you and your work should look interesting so that the listeners want to know something more about the band. We also used a lot of real paintings for our records, because it's original and because if we look at the past of music, most of the albums we listened to when we were young had covers that were literally hand-drawn. I think that creates a special mood for the albums.

Maybe this question is a bit strange, but I was wondering... Is it just me, or does the cover of your new album really reference the Russian royal Romanov family? Because it's a bit like some of the pictures and paintings of the royal family.

No, it's more just a picture that you can relate to all the royal families in the world and that part of human history. That's a very interesting point, but I don't really want to speculate much about the meaning behind the picture on the cover. I like it when people share their own thoughts and ideas about it; sometimes interesting ideas come up.

Would you call your new album innovative and experimental or more classic?

I can say that both of those points are true. Because when you listen to the new record, you still realize that this is Arch Enemy. It still sounds like us. In a way, we're already a classic band, just because we've been playing for so many years. But also, you can expect some unexpected twists and turns in a few songs. We tried to create something that will be entertaining not only for us but also for the listeners and show both the familiar side of our music and some innovative solutions.

This is already your 12th studio album. Has the team that helped you with the albums changed? And how important is it to invite new people to work on songs from time to time? Or do you prefer to be creative with your old friends and colleagues and not change anything in the team?

We did one new thing on this record—we worked with Jens Bogren, and he recorded, mixed, and mastered the new music in his studio. That's a bit unusual for us. We're pretty confident in our music and what we create, so usually we don't need to bring in outside producers to evaluate or do extra work on our songs. And besides, already at the stage when you create a demo, you start treating each song like your little children, and you don't want to destroy anything in them at all!

Which song from the new album was the hardest to create?

I can't name any song because I think the creation happened naturally. But when we went into the studio, a few songs had to be changed a little bit. For example, “Illuminate the Path.” That song originally didn't have that melodic chorus that we have now. It was Alisse's idea to create that melodic chorus. When you're working in the studio, you have the time and space to change the songs a little bit, and inspiration comes suddenly.

I have a funny question: do you know the answer to why the guitarist always gets all the girls?

No, but I thought you were going to tell me why. In so many years in music, I still haven't found the answer to that question.

Can you name the most unpleasant thing about being a musician?

I can't say that there is anything very annoying about being a musician. Unless it's the long tours. Sometimes long journeys are really exhausting. But now all this can be solved in a much more comfortable way. Since I'm a drummer, sometimes I don't feel 100 percent good because of the heavy workload in live shows. Playing drums in a band like this and at this level is kind of a sport, if you know what I mean. I should always be in great shape and in the right mood, but some nights it doesn't happen for objective reasons. That kind of thing is annoying sometimes. Also, you have to sometimes sacrifice a lot in the long run if you want to have a good career. We often don't see our families and loved ones for long periods of time because of tours, and sometimes it's difficult.

Is there anything you wish you had changed from past albums?

No, I don't think I would change anything. We spent a lot of time working on past albums, creating all these concepts and album artwork. Then we had some great long tours. And every time you look back on the work you've done, you realize that you're completely happy with everything, and it's time for new work and to step into new music. Yeah, when we start working on a new album after a while, we can't help but look back and think that maybe we would have done some things differently, but I can definitely say that I don't regret anything.

Swedish music is known for its pop singers and very talented songwriters. Have you ever had the idea to collaborate with any of Sweden's famous pop singers or songwriters?

I can say that I personally never had such an idea. But I do remember. That Michael had thought about such things some time ago. But that was before we were such a recognizable band. I also think that anything we create on our own is perfect for Arch Enemy. And if something doesn't fit, we'll make it fit. Of course, we listen to a lot of different music, and often it's not metal music. But we can still get inspiration from it. And even if we were inspired by pop music, we would still make it sound like Arch Enemy. But we are totally free to create.

Nowadays, many musicians are inspired by the music of the 80s and adopt some technical techniques from there. What kind of music do you think will be popular in 20 years?

I think it depends on the territory. Today you can say that different music is popular in different countries. I can say that even the picture of Metal music in the USA and Metal music in Europe is a little bit different. Nowadays there are many new bands that are setting new trends. But, for example, in Germany, many old metal bands are still strong in their position. So it's hard to make predictions for the music business of the whole planet. But if we look back 20-30 years, it's about the mid-90s, and there were quite a few albums released then that are still popular now. I even think some “heavy” albums are even more popular now than they were in the 90s. That's the power of music!

What's the weirdest rumor you've heard about your band or yourself?

Surprisingly, I can't tell you anything about that. I really haven't heard anything like that about us. Besides, often musicians just don't know what's being chattered behind their backs.

I haven't heard any weird rumors yet either.

Well, we try to be on our best behavior and not give an excuse. We're good boys and girls.

You are a public person, and you are known by many people in different countries. What would you like to use your influence for? What would you like to change in society, the world, or in music with your influence?

I think I would just want to inspire people with my creativity and the music that I am a part of. I wouldn't want to spread my political views to people or be an activist in that sense. I want to inspire people as a good drummer and musician. It's enough for me to be a part of this band and help it grow.

Maybe some young people will want to be good drummers like you!

You know, there are a lot of good young drummers out there right now! Nowadays, if you want to be a good musician from scratch, you have so much information on how to play and all these YouTube videos. The level of musicians has gone up a lot if you compare it to the past. When I started out, I couldn't find information on how to play drums anywhere. I just listened to my favorite albums and tried to replicate everything. I didn't know how they were able to play like that, so I tried to play as fast as I could.

Maybe in the future, you might just open your own school for young drummers.

That's a good idea; I think some people would like that!

How long do we have to wait for your next album? Are there any crazy musical ideas you'd like to bring to life?

I can tell you that we're already looking towards new music. “Blood Dynasty” is coming out in a couple of weeks, and the songs from it were written about three years ago. And like I said before, when the record is out, you're proud of the work you've done, but you're already looking forward. Since the record has been released and we've shared it with the world, it's not just our songs anymore; it belongs to all the music fans. We're already thinking about a new beginning and a new story. And it's always so entertaining—because everything starts with a blank sheet of paper, then you collect ideas, and only then, you start to feel the right direction in creativity. But right now I can't give you a date when we plan to release the new record, although I'm absolutely sure that it will be one right and beautiful day.

That's great news! I think if we wait 5 years or so, we'll see the next album!

No, I don't think so. I don't think we have to wait 5 years. 2 or 3 years, and we'll release something new.

Jenet Bonishi