Arch Enemy is a Swedish melodic death metal band, formed in 1995 by former Carcass guitarist Michael Amott. The group was originally represented by Johan Liiva, singer Angela Gossow having taken her place in 2001. She was replaced in 2014 by Canadian Alissa White-Gluz.
Arch Enemy is formed by Michael Amott when he left the group of grindcore and death metal Carcass. The two guitarists Michael Amott and his brother Christopher Amott (Armageddon) have teamed up with singer Johan Liiva and drummer Daniel Erlandsson. The first disc of the group, Black Earth , is marketed at the defunct Wrong Again Records in 1996. It obtains a good success in Japan, completed by the broadcast on MTV of the single .
At that time, Arch Enemy was more of a solo project than a real band: Michael Amott wrote all the songs himself, and even played bass on this disc, contrary to what the credits of the album indicate. , who designate Johan Liiva as a bass player. Michael Amott later revealed that he wrote the credits in this way so that the album looks more like a band and not a solo project. Many consider this disc as the most violent of the group, character softened on the following discs, but never totally abandoned.
After the release of Black Earth , the band changes label, and signs a contract with Century Media Records. In 1998, Arch Enemy released Stigmata , for which bassist Martin Bengtsson and drummer Peter Wildoer joined the band. This album gets the attention of a wider audience, and is gaining popularity in Europe and America. It is also Arch Enemy's first album to be released worldwide. In 1999, Sharlee D'Angelo takes the place of bassist, and Daniel Erlendsson is once again recruited to take care of the battery, this time permanently.
