Arch Enemy – Will to Power

Will to Power drops just in time to celebrate two decades of Arch Enemy

Will to Power marks the 10th studio album release for the melodic death metal titans, and second release featuring Alissa White-Gluz on vocals. Overall, the album is incredibly well done and the production work is top notch. Alyssa is powerful and memorable in her performance and the rest of the band does an excellent job in supporting her vocals and filling the breaks between verses with well thought out harmonies on guitar. No track exemplifies what the band is capable of as much as “The World Is Yours,” as every member has time to showcase their skills in a way that is enriching and full of life.

Though the album isn’t bad by any means as a whole besides the few tracks that simply do not leave a lasting impression such as with “Reason To Believe,” and the fact that there isn’t nearly the same amount of cohesion between band members as there is with much of the rest of the album. Though it lacks the energy and polished feel of many other tracks, the song doesn’t entirely fall flat. White-Gluz’s clean vocals throughout the song are mesmerizing and serve to show that she possesses a great level of skill outside of her normal guttural approach to vocals.

Jeff Loomis and Michael Amott’s one-two punch style of playing adds an incredibly rich melodic texture throughout the many harmonies and dueling solos are used in copious amounts, exemplified on “Dreams Of Retribution,” a nearly seven-minute song with the vigor of a Roman epic. From there it transitions into “My Shadow And I,” which is sure to be a head-banging classic as it’s yet another example of what a band firing on all cylinders together sounds like.

Overall Will to Power is a solid release; though there are some parts that could have benefited from more development and cohesion, the rest of the album more than made up for any perceived shortcomings by far.