ARCH ENEMY Guitarist Doesn't Rule Out CHRISTOPHER AMOTT's Return To Band

Jorge Ciudad, the metal editor of Rockaxis magazine (web site) from Chile, conducted an interview with ARCH ENEMY guitarist Michael Amott on January 26, 2007 in Santiago prior to the band's appearance the following day at the city's Teatro Teletón. A few excerpts from the chat follow:

On what the next ARCH ENEMY record is going to sound like:

"I think that the last two albums, 'Anthems Of Rebellion' and 'Doomsday Machine', to me, have kind of the same... a lot of the same themes. Lyrically and musically, they are kind of very dark, very post-apocalyptic, but I think that the new album, the new songs we are writing, is actually looking a little bit [closer] to what we did on 'Burning Bridges' and 'Wages Of Sin'. It's a bit faster maybe, I think, there's more stuff in the music, more riffs and more melodies in every song, more action-packed, maybe (laughs). More solos, also. But it's not just a look back, we are not taking a step back... I think it's moving into a next level. Maybe it will be a little more technical. Anyway, there's some anthemic stuff as well that's a bit simpler... I think there's good variation."

On whether they have working songtitles or a working album title:

"No. You know what?! We don’t, not this time. Sometimes we do, but we are still trying to figure out... We have lyrics, we have the music, but we are still trying to fit it all together. I usually try to think of a color with and album, like a theme, you know?! An atmosphere, and we are still trying to search a little bit for it... Wait! I think this album is pink... It's 'The Pink Album' (laughs)!"

On guitarist Fredrik Åkesson's role in the songwriting department for the next record and how they are going to fill the void left by Christopher Amott's departure:

"Yeah... well... hmmmmmm (thinks). Well, I think Chris might still be involved in some way or another, and Fredrik isn't actually writing with us. Because for me, the writing is a very... I don't know... it's a pretty special process, I can't just write with anybody, you know. I'm a self-taught musician and me and my brother have a great and close relationship, we are still extremely good friends." Rockaxis: So you are saying that maybe Chris might once again be involved in the songwriting process? "Yeah. I mean, that would be something that we both talked about. Either Chris comes back or we continue with Fredrik... I don't wanna have different people all the time (to pick a new guitarist for every tour) because it's hard work teaching somebody all the stuff. (laughs)"

On the band's decision to once again utilize the services of Fredrik Nordström, producer of ARCH ENEMY's "Black Earth", "Stigmata" and "Burning Bridges", and not work with Andy Sneap, who did the group's last three albums:

"We are going back to Studio Fredman with Fredrik Nordström on this record. Andy Sneap is one of my best friends — we are only ten days apart, really similar age, only a ten-day difference. We have exactly the same taste in a lot of things, so we are a little bit too close... you know what I mean? (laughs) He mixed 'Wages Of Sin', he produced and mixed 'Anthems Of Rebellion' and he mixed 'Doomsday Machine'. So this time, yeah, we are going back to Fredrik Nordström. Fredrik Nordström's got a new studio and I think he's got a new focus as well. I've heard his new mixes and they sound great, and we want kind of more of a classic metal sound, a little bit more open, a bit more lively. And Fredrik's got some great ideas."

Rockaxis' entire interview with Michael Amott will appear in the magazine's March 2007 issue (#54). (Note: The print version of the interview will only be available in Spanish.)

For more information, visit www.rockaxis.com.