The band is probably not to most DLPers taste (for shame!). Like Amon Amarth, they are Swedish melodic Death Metal. But the similarities end there. Arch Enemy has been my favorite band since 2004, and a new album is coming out next month. It's called Khaos Legions. I think they should have spelled 'Khaos' properly, but to each their own I suppose.

Oh, and the singer:


Their have been a few singles from the new album released, as well as a few interview/album previews.

First, some examples of older songs.

I am Legend/Out for Blood
Shadows and Dust
Vultures
Nemesis
We Will Rise + Fields of Desolation extended outro solo (live) + sexy Angela
If you watch none of these, at least watch the last live one.

Interviews about new album; 1 2 3

New Single: Yesterday is Dead and Gone

I like the song, but the guitar does have a different sound than normal. Its more reverberating, and honestly reminds me of Death Magnetic and Surtur Rising. Also, I can't stand the first solo. It sounds too Children of Bodom-ish. But the song is fairly heavy, with nice melodic guitar parts as well.

 

Awesome band, but you're right- this single is not up to par with their older work, particularly Rise of the Tyrant and Doomsday Machine.

 

A second single has been circulating for awhile as well; "No Gods, No Masters". Neither one are official singles and they keep getting removed occasionally. I think this one is slightly better than the one in the other post though. I like the breakdown + solo at least, and the main riff is slow, but nice to listen to. Still, I am disappointed so far.

 

I had never really heard Arch Enemy before, so I checked out the link to "No Gods..."

It's decent, certainly good guitar work, though the vocals weren't nearly as violent as I would have hoped. I also did not like the polished production, I prefer my sound to be a bit more rough around the edges.

When it comes to female-fronted bands, I'd say San Fransisco black metal quartet Ludicra it my favorite. Certainly the two female members aren't as attractive as the Arch Enemy vocalist, I just find the music more to my tastes.

A Larger Silence
Userpent

 

Meh, the singer doesn't sound very confident in her screams or her more melodic vocals- Hell, the lead from Kittie screams better. It sounds like they're trying to combine Doom Metal with Screamo, with mixed success. If you like them, you'd probably like Enter-era Within Temptation and now that I think about it, Spit/Oracle-era Kittie.

Kittie
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r3ThppM3IhA
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x-Yuj2Kn_lc

Within Temptation
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qbdlPaaoG_8
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SbToW1M-Z2A

 

You could check out Stigmata, one of their older albums (before they changed the vocalist) I personally think it's one of their best works together with Rise of the Tyrant.

I haven't listened to the new single yet, but I hope they maintain their quality.

 

I remember buying Kittie's 'Spit' album when I was back in high-school, and hating it with a passion. The song you linked off of 'Oracle' was better, though the music still holds the usual problem of being comprised of simplistic mid-paced power chords, which don't appeal to me much.

While Morgan Lander's clean vocals were better, I still like Laurie Shanaman's harsh vocals better.

Ludicra is certainly not a Doom / Scream hybrid. If anything, it can be likened to Black Metal. The tremelo picking 14 seconds into 'A Larger Silence' is something that removes it from Doom Metal quite efficiently, being a genre more concerned with plodding atmosphere as to speed.

Within Temptation was interesting. The keyboard parts were mixed too high in the mix, and sounded quite cheesy, but I liked the other aspects in 'Enter'. Next time I go CD browsing I may pick up one of their albums if I see it used.

Mustaine:
I checked out one of the tracks from 'Stigmata'. Liked it a lot better.

 

I should probably warn you that they've really changed their sound in the two decades since those came out. I hope you have better luck finding Enter than I have; I don't think there's even been a mass printing of that album, which is a shame...

 

I don't think the two arch enemy singles from their new album do them any justice. Try listening to some of the other song's I linked, Angela's vocals are usually pretty violent, such as in Nemesis

I've never heard of Kittie before, but I wasn't impressed with the songs linked here. Too boring and bland. I've listened to a lot of Within Temptation, but I'm not familiar with their old work. They remind me more of Epica more than anything (<3 simone simons).

Ludicra sounds pretty good though. They remind me a lot of Be'lakor (be'lakor -countless skies). You might like Astarte(all female band) as well, if you haven't heard them before (astarte - god i hate them all)

 

I did like Nemesis better than the track you linked off the new album, though the track I heard off of "Stigmata" I enjoyed more.

Be'lakor was really good, quite enjoyable. Astarte I liked as well. Good finds.

 

I must disagree with you, Simone Simmons is a phenomenal vocalist and freaking hot, but Within Temptation is definitely taking their cues from After Forever, not Epica. And to be fair Kittie was mediocre, I think they were like 17 when they made Spit, and are slowly getting better as they slowly began to hire better musicians. I like the newer stuff a lot more, try a couple of their more recent tracks:

Whiskey Love Song
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dt8AR-hMeM4&feature=related

Witch Hunt
http://v.youku.com/v_show/id_XMTQ5MTYxNjI0.html
-The mix is awful for this one, but it's sadly the best video I could find.