Arch Enemy Guitarist: US Bands Sound More Swedish
Band Photo: Arch Enemy (?)
Kyle Jongerden of the Vermont Cynic recently conducted an interview with ARCH ENEMY guitarist Michael Amott. A couple of excerpts from the chat follow:
Vermont Cynic: Why do you think heavy metal is becoming so popular in America?
Michael: "I mean, everything seems to go around in circles. Now people seem to be more open. A few years ago it was bands like GODSMACK. That stuff was still pretty heavy, I guess, but it had a certain atmosphere, a 'nu-metal' tag or whatever. I don't really know, I'm not from here so I don't really know what goes on too much. I just know there's an increased interest in what we do, that's always exciting. There are some bands that are doing really well, like KILLSWITCH ENGAGE and SHADOWS FALL. They're doing really well and it's cool. I don't really follow it too closely so I don't know what that is. We've just been doing what we've always been doing.
"When we started out, no one was interested over here. For the first three albums nobody even really bothered to schedule an interview for us over here. There was no interest and we definitely didn't tour. And then suddenly, yeah, things come around and it's like, 'Yeah this band's really cool,' and it's like, 'Oh, yeah, they've got guitar solos,' but it was before anyone was really into us.
"We really haven't changed for this tour [Ozzfest]. We're evolving as a band but we're doing what we're going to do. We don't pay attention to what goes on. We don't know what things are happening. Something that we thought about was that we definitely want to retain our European sound, our European feel. I know that some European bands are trying to sound American, it seems that way when you listen to stuff. Then a lot of Americans are trying to sound like Swedish bands. I definitely want to keep our European metal atmosphere."
Vermont Cynic: If you could create a genre to describe ARCH ENEMY, what would it be?
Michael: "Pure metal (laughs). It's just metal to me. Extreme metal I guess. There are labels and labels you know. I understand heavy metal, I understand thrash metal, I even understand death metal. But now it seems like these boxes are getting smaller and smaller and it's not that fun sitting in a box that small and like, 'This is what we are.' Then you do a song that's different and everybody will say, 'Well that's not what they should be doing, it's a bit weird.' Music is an art form, it's supposed to be creative, you're supposed to have fun with it. Be creative and be an artist."
Read the entire interview at VermontCynic.com.
Source: VermontCynic
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10 Comments on "Arch Enemy Guitarist: US Bands Sound More Swedish"
2. writes:
Let's not forget that metal was created by the San Francisco Band Blue Cheer and the term "Heavy Metal" coined by the American band Steppenwolf. The euros are just picking up where america left off and now it's coming back around again. Of course the Brits had alot to do with the big metal wave in the 80's but metal as was rock and roll was birthed in the USA. The euros are simply taking off of that so if theyre b****ing about americans trying to sound like them then they're just p***ed because the "creator" is coming back to claim their stake. :)
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3. writes:
While a lot of that is true, you have to look at bands like sabbath and cream to see the early heavy stuff. and they were all from england. (and im american btw). but it doesnt really matter where it comes from, if it rocks thats all that i care about. so i think it is great that people in the US are starting to get into metal, no matter where it comes from. we need to praise the creators but also love what we have now. \m/
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4. writes:
doesn't sound like Mike Ammot is p***ed to me. all he's doing is telling the truth. all of these new american bands are playing music that the swedes have been playing for the last 15 years. go back and listen to at the gates, in flames(old), dark tranquility, ebony tears, eucharist and even carcass(mike ammot was in this band for a time) and you'll hear the same stuff you hear today, only better. is the term "heavy metal" more important than the music? are you trying to say that black sabbath would never have existed if it wasn't for blue cheer?i think most of us would agree that black sabbath was way more influential to the sound of metal than blue cheer or steppenwolf, and they were from england. don't forget about all the great german thrash bands like destruction, sodom, kreator, angel dust. to rule out the importance of european metal just because you're american is ridiculous. i thought we were in this for the music, real underground american metal has always been great, but the regurgitated mainstream pap that our popular culture has deemed metal(limp biskit, korn, pod etc) has no appealing qualities to any real metalhead. yes i was listening toswedish bands 10 years ago,personally love the fact that american bands are copying them because this is good music, americans have finally discovered the minor scale! there is good metal all over the world, who cares who named it or who supposedly started it. one infuence feeds off the next in an endless cycle, all for our benefit so we can enjoy good metal for years to come
5. writes:
man if u like the music. the end. im british, but i listen to lots of old skool american thrash, bcoz they make the sound i like, i listen 2 good old skool european thrash as well and british thrash. lol so it really doesnt matter wot countries! as long as its true 2 ur heart ! stay metal!
7. writes:
chaosbringer is right, and I read the interview with Michael Amott on the new Terriozer and I think he does sound pretty p***ed, I think it would suck if I was in a band that wasnt respected by a certain place or people, and then when that certain style becomes big, everyone bows to bands like Killswitch engage and other bands without having any knowledge of this music before it became 'Big', but like most of you have said, if its good music then its all good, but lets hope originality is still alive when these artists release music.
8. writes:
I would think stuff like Arch Enemy and other metal bands is an extension of the Trash movement of the 1980's. The name of the game was playing as f***ing fast and hard and you could! With that said Thrash is American brew. Exodus, Metallica, and Slayer, the 3 founding fathers, followed by Rigor Mortis and countless others. I don't care where the music is coming from myself, but considering it took american freedom and attitude to foster metal in the first place it's somewhat ironic a euro metal band would have any problem or comment on what american bands are doing as long as it's good!
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1. Symbolic writes:
Most people dont realise that it was original bands like Arch enemy for example that started off whats really big in the metal scene today, I can tell Michael Amott is p***ed about all this, I mean years ago it was all nu metal, and it was uncool to do guitar solos unless you were Pantera, Now all these american bands are ripping off the Swedish style, and Now Swedish bands are changeing their style to not be part of 'The Scene' and are getting called sellouts for this, the music buisness is f***ed up.