Arch Enemy in Manila: A melodic death metal awakening
If there’s one thing I love about working at Pulp Live World, it’s that the job allows me to expand my musical horizons. Before beginning my tenure as the associate editor of Pulp magazine in August 2023, I wasn’t big on heavy metal. When it came to the rock side of things, I had always been more of an alternative and punk kind of guy. But that changed when I attended my first Pulp Summer Slam and gained an appreciation for heavy metal, thanks to all the bands on the bill that day.
That appreciation came in handy when I turned up at the SM North EDSA Skydome on May 15 for the Manila leg of Arch Enemy’s Deceivers Asia Tour 2024. Powered by Pulp Live World, this show gave me a crash course in melodic death metal courtesy of the five-person Swedish outfit.
For the uninitiated, Arch Enemy has gone through several lineup changes since the band was formed in 1995. Currently, the lineup includes Alissa White-Gluz on lead vocals, Daniel Erlandsson on drums, Jeff Loomis on rhythm guitar, Michael Amott on lead guitar, and Sharlee D’Angelo on bass guitar. That night, they combined their talents to give Filipinos a taste of their signature blend of aggressive and melodic elements: heavy guitar riffs, fast-paced drumming, and growling vocals. But I’m getting ahead of myself.
When I arrived, I ran into an old friend from my Ateneo days, Eikon Records head honcho Rick Olivares. After exchanging one-armed bro hugs, I asked Rick how he got into Arch Enemy’s music. He was only too happy to talk to me about his love for the band. He got into them by way of their fifth studio album, “Anthems of Rebellion,” which dropped in 2003. Rick even got to see them live when they went on tour in the US that same year. He went back and listened to every album and single they had ever released. He’s been a fan ever since, staying even when their former frontwoman Angela Gossow left and was replaced by Alissa.
“They don’t do mindless rock,” he said when asked why he likes Arch Enemy so much. “There’s a sense of melody to what they do in spite of the aggressive nature of the music. To be honest, Angela was part of the mystique. She sang like a man and held her own against men, which really impressed me. But I came away a fan of everything about the band — their artwork, their music, and the way they write songs.”
Speaking of songs, Rick balked when I asked him to pick a favorite. “It’s very tough to pick just one. Kasi the band has had three iterations, ’di ba? Three different vocalists and all. As much as I’d like to be partial to Angela, Alissa brought her own sh*t to the band. Something not as aggressive as Angela but every bit as magaling. So picking a favorite song is like choosing your favorite child. It’s impossible.
“This will be my third time seeing them live so I expect them to flatten me,” Rick continued. “For me, they’re the kind of band where what you hear on the album is what you hear live. Sometimes even better pa, actually, so I expect no less.”
Soon he was called inside the Skydome for a meet-and-greet session with the band. I thanked him for his comments and sent him on his way. His words had piqued my curiosity, and suddenly I found myself looking forward to the rest of the evening, even though I was still very much a heavy metal newbie.
Remember Rick’s wish that the band would flatten him? That’s exactly what he got when the show finally kicked into gear. The band served up a soul-stirring wall of sound featuring Alissa’s vocals and Michael’s riffs. The atmosphere in the venue was as electric as the blue of Alissa’s hair. Speaking of which, the hair on my arms stood on end when I heard her powerful growling for the very first time. Rick was right. Seeing a woman command the stage and lead a band of men playing such heavy music was something else.
The band played a mixture of classics — My Apocalypse; No Gods, No Masters, and War Eternal — and new tracks from their 11th studio album, “Deceivers,” such as Deceiver, Deceiver, and Handshake with Hell. The latter opened with a 30-second riff, each note of which was punctuated by roars of appreciation from the crowd before the drums came charging in.
One of the things that struck me the most about the show was that it almost felt like a family reunion. Rick and I were able to catch up after not seeing each other for several years due to the pandemic, and throughout the night, I saw audience members come up to my bosses and greet them warmly as if they were old friends. To me, that means the heavy metal scene in the country continues to thrive. Those people have supported Pulp Live World’s rock shows for years, and that night, they were as energetic and passionate as ever.
The band clearly felt the crowd’s passion, because soon after the show, a post popped up on their official Facebook page. It read, “Wow, Manila! What a great feeling to be back here in the Philippines after all these years! We promise that it won’t take another 12 years before we come back! Mahal namin kayo, Manila! Hanggang sa muli.”
Rick gave me a thumbs-up after the show. That, I think, says it all. As for me, ever since that night, I’ve been doing my own deep dive into Arch Enemy’s discography. This concert was another exciting chapter in my ongoing musical education. It was my melodic death metal awakening. Before the show, I was a total noob. Now I can’t wait for them to come back to Manila! — Julian Mauricio
