Review Summary: To endure, to persist
Listening to Arch Enemy’s new album “Blood Dynasty” one thought kept coming to me over and over - they are the Judas Priest of melodeath. Patently they are a legacy band having enjoyed a successful career that pioneered a subgenre, have headlined festivals and possess a deep discography. Through these lens, “Blood Dynasty” is the equivalent of Priest’s much lauded “Invincible Shield” from last year. Both albums are full of signatures riffs and solos, the versatility and personality of their singers’ shines through and both are immaculately produced and packaged. This is the way big bands roll.
Taking these parallels a bit further, the compelling opener “Dream Stealer”, like JP’s “Panic Attack” is an executive summary of the band in 2025. With a stormy organs lead in and explosion into riffs this is a great start, enough to up the heart rate. For me the sound I want to hear from a band I’ve derived plenty of pleasure listening to over the last 20 plus years. The extended solos just add to the experience and they then smartly rein it in.
The band manages a freshness with “Illuminate the Path” with its longitudinal riffs that reminds me of 2005’s “Doomsday Machine” that soon has a clean vocals accessibility that the purists would hate. There’s more classic heavy metal in the latter stages, again the Priest vibes return. Naysayers will say it sucks - there’s no Jeff Loomis, but this is Michael Amott’s band and the way he throws in a cool bridge in “March of the Miscreants” and follows with his unmistakable solos doesn’t require any enhancements.
All the songs appearing on “Blood Dynasty” have been meticulously vetted for quality and an even share of hooks and innovations. “A Million Suns” is one of the lesser loaded tracks but still a worthy inclusion. A bit like “Devil in Disguise” *wink. Side 1 is rounded out by the ripping “Don’t Look Down”, melodeath for Arch Enemy fans and no-one else.
Keyboards and synths provide a supplementary atmospheric layer throughout, occasionally lairing up like in “Presage”, the prelude to the title track. “Blood Dynasty” proves to be one of the record’s peaks, carrying a momentum of catchy riffs and solos for a tasty gorge.
I’m sure Rob Halford himself lent his lungs in the screamed intro of “Paper Tiger”, deepening my observed parallels with the mighty Priest. No doubt this is metal accessible to a wider audience but don’t get me wrong it’s still nice ‘n heavy whilst also being easily digestible and fun. One key ingredient is the sound and mix. Just superb from Jens Bogren who is credited with the mixing and/or mastering of a spate of recent releases I've adored including In Vain’s “Solemn”, Borknagar’s “Fall”, Rotting Christ’s “Pro Xristou” and Dark Tranquillity’s “Endtime Signals”.
Alissa White-Gluz puts in a great performance throughout including in the French speaking “Vivre Libre” (Live Freely), a cover which is a left turn for the band but demonstrates their agility, this time laying down a classic heavy metal ballad. Drummer Daniel Erlandsson has several writing credits in addition to his machine like playing and has always been a formidable presence at the back in their records and at live shows. But ultimately it is the guitars of Amott and new hire Joey Concepcion that shine brightest, with the penultimate “The Pendulum” and the thrashy closer “Liars and Thieves” leaving a lasting impression, as fashioned by the Brummie Metal Gods.
