Arch Enemy: Will to Power (Century Media)

Not content with just one essential release this year (the excellent live set As the Stages Burn), Swedish melodic death metal masters Arch Enemy returned with a brand new studio album, titled Will to Power. It’s the band’s 11th full-length album, and the second since singer Alissa White-Gluz and guitarist Jeff Loomis joined the fold.

If you heard 2014’s War Eternal (or literally any other Arch Enemy album ever), you pretty much know what to expect from Will to Power. And that’s not really a bad thing. Arch Enemy perfected this style of melodic death metal 20 years ago, and they still do it better than almost all of their peers. Will to Power, like all good Arch Enemy albums, is instantly recognizable for Michael Amott’s razor-sharp, perfectly melodic rhythms. Adding Loomis to the mix takes it to another level, with longtime rhythm section of Daniel Erlandsson and Sharlee D’Angelo tight as ever. White-Gluz continues to prove why she is worthy to front this band, with her powerful and articulate growled style. She also adds clean vocals (a first ever for Arch Enemy) on one track, which sounds really good and will no doubt enrage internet trolls everywhere.

Lyrically, Will to Power also follows the Arch Enemy playbook, with song after song about staying strong and fighting the power. Hey, it’s clichéd but it gets you pumped up. “The World Is Yours” is the first single, and is probably the best song on the album, though there’s a lyrical bit (“Every empire was built by the slave, built through the ages you destroy it in a day”) that’s lifted almost word-for-word from Royal Hunt’s “Tearing Down the World.” Anyway, “The Race,” “Dreams of Retribution,” “Reason to Believe” (clean vocals and all) and “A Fight I Must Win” are other standouts.

If you’re already an Arch Enemy fan, and particularly if you enjoyed War Eternal (and you should, it’s freaking great), you don’t need me to tell you to get Will to Power. It’s just a really strong, really enjoyable melodic death metal album, which is exactly what you’ve come to expect from Arch Enemy. If you haven’t checked in on the band lately, this makes a great reintroduction.

Format Notes: The deluxe edition of Will to Power comes in a digipack and includes a cover of GBH’s “City Baby Attacked By Rats.”