Arch Enemy (Angela Gossow) - Interview - English Version

Arch Enemy (Angela Gossow) - Interview - English Version

With sixteen years filled with intensive work and the world's acclaim, Arch Enemy are nowadays one of the greateast Metal Bands of our time. Playing a Melodic Death Metal, they impress in every single concert with their strength and rage, personified in one of the best female Metal singers, Angela Gossow!

Arte-Factos talked with Gossow and discovered her opinion about Portugal and a little more about this European band.

1- You're one of the biggest Death Metal bands. With almost sixteen years of career, have you expected to achieve this importance within the Death Metal scene?

Angela Gossow: We are an extreme metal band with death metal elements. I think the fact that we cross over many genres (from classic heavy metal to blast beats really) and that we have always kept a very melodic approach to our song writing has brought in fans from all kind of genres.. We have an ever growing fan base since 1996. We have toured relentlessly the last 10 years to get where we are at now. We have become bona fide headliners for our own tours as well as for many larger festivals these days. It is a very good place to be at. We have become quite big without ever compromising and we plan to keep rolling the brutal way til the very end.

2- How does the process of writing the lyrics work? You gather along to write them or you give freedom to each member to create something?

AG: Everybody can submit ideas really, but in the end of the day its usually me and Michael writing most of the lyrics. I mean, it is my job in the band.. The guys are very busy working out their parts, melodies, solos etc. and don't really feel like taking on more duties.

3- And what about the instrumental composition?

AG: The guys rehearse together pretty much every day of the week. I listen to their rehearsal demo tapes at home and bring in some of my own ideas or make suggestions how to alter some parts. We write as a band. Everybody has the same right to chip in, decline or add stuff.

4- You have many fans in Portugal and Spain and you're always very welcome when you come here. What dou you think about Portugal? Our country and people?

AG: The country is very beautiful and the people I have met were warm and friendly. I think Portugal’s biggest problem is the bad economy and the poverty that comes along. Last time we played Portugal I actually witnessed a burglary… Didn't feel so safe, haha.

5- Have you been introduced to any portuguese band?

AG: Moonspell of course. I really got into their ‘Wolfheart’ album back then.

6- How dou you see yourselves nowadays? What are the main the diferences between Arch Enemy of today and Arch Enemy of the beginning? You've played with some huge bands, and that had certainly influenced you in some ways.

AG: Arch Enemy are not influenced by the bands we play with, but by the bands we grew up listening to. Blues, rock, punk, jazz, NWOBHM, thrash, grind, death… Its all in our sound because it is in our hearts. Well, we have toured with Iron Maiden, Megadeth and Slayer – but they have been musical influences long before we went out with them.

7- How does the band works as a group? You still get nervous before the shows? Tell us some little secrets of yourselves as a band.

AG: No, we don't get nervous before shows. We are just a little bit excited. We love to kick ass.

The little secrets we have – we keep them secret. We don't prostitute ourselves. What many don't know yet though, is, that we are all vegetarians. We do not support the massive CO2 emissions from cattle and we do not support the slaughter of animals. We usually have problems getting food in countries like Portugal, because they don't seem to know the vegetarian lifestyle yet. Northern Europe seems to be a lot more advanced when it comes to alternative lifestyles.

8- In the near future what can we expect of Arch Enemy?

AG: Heavy Metal World Domination ;-) A new album coming out end of May 2011 and then some relentless touring for the rest of the year and beyond. We will be playing Portugal again in 2011 – get some carrot sticks and hummus dips ready for us!