FOUNDRYMUSIC INTERVIEW with Michael Amott of Arch Enemy

FoundryMusicGreg: First off, I want to congratulate you on the Carcass reunion. It seems that all the annoying journalist and fan questions finally got the best of you. So what compelled you to reunite with Carcass?

Mike Amott: Nothing really. We’re just gonna do a few shows next year, a limited amount of shows.

FoundryMusicGreg: So fans shouldn’t expect any full-fledged reunion or anything, right?

Mike Amott: Absolutely not.



FoundryMusicGreg: Your current tour with Machine Head has hit a few bumps in the road with the Orlando and Anaheim dates being cancelled, since the House of Blues on Disney property felt that Machine Head has “violent imagery” and would invite trouble-making fans. What do you think of all that has gone with this situation and how did the last-minute show in California make up for it?

Mike Amott: The new venue we had in California, that was a sold-out show anyway, so it seems that people found their way to it. Nothing was lost from that perspective. I thought it was kind of unprofessional how it was moved on such short notice.

FoundryMusicGreg: How did you feel when your brother, Christopher, left the band temporarily? Was there any ill will or did you understand his decision?

Mike Amott: That was strange, of course. Now he’s back. He’s not forced to be in a band, it’s not mandatory. You gotta love it, you gotta want it.

FoundryMusicGreg: You and your brother are looked upon as two of the best guitarists going in metal today. Are their any players out there now that you admire and look at in such a way as to think, “Damn, I’ve got work to do.”?

Mike Amott: There’s lots of great players out there. One that springs to mind is Jeff Loomis from Nevermore. He’s absolutely out of this world. I don’t think anybody can touch him right now. He’s technically brilliant and he writes great music, so it’s not all about technique. There are a lot of players out there. As long as you’ve got your own flavor and you’re making something that people enjoy, I think you’re doing right.

FoundryMusicGreg: The new album is called Rise of the Tyrant. I recall Angela mentioning in the past that album titles were thought up by determining what sounded like a cool, metal title. I can’t help but wonder, is there a specific target you had in mind when coming up with this tyrant idea?

Mike Amott: There’s lots of things to do when you’re coming up with an album title. You want something that’s cool, catchy; that’s what everybody wants. There’s a theme running through the lyrics of this album that fits in with The Rise of the Tyrant.

FoundryMusicGreg: Arch Enemy has broken out in the States along with other Swedish bands in recent years, with In Flames, Soilwork, and The Haunted being other notable bands. This fact was in the spotlight more so in 2005 since all four of you were on Ozzfest that year. At this point in time, do you feel that you’ve broken through the way you wanted to in the States, or is there still work left to be done?

Mike Amott: I don’t know. It depends on what your goal is. We’re just enjoying making music, the writing and performing of music. The big thing is that you get more opportunities, get to meet more bands, and do more tours. I’m pretty happy where we are right now.

FoundryMusicGreg: The current state of the music industry is built around ipods. People are downloading or ripping individual songs off of itunes or Limewire instead of purchasing whole albums. What effect, if any, do you think this has on a band such as yourselves?

Mike Amott: The fans that are doing that are less knowledgeable about bands and the music we make. We have a lot of fans that go very deep into this band; they have all the albums, we sign all their stuff. I think it’s cool. I think in metal you have a lot more of traditional...you know, showing support of the scene and the bands that they’re into.

FoundryMusicGreg: Beyond this current tour with Machine Head, what are your other touring plans?

Mike Amott: We’re doing around the world with this one. We’re going to Canada with Machine Head to do a few shows in Vancouver, Calgary, and Edmonton. Then we fly to Japan. We go to China for the first time to do a headlining show. Then we go back to Europe, a big package tour again with Machine Head. So we’ll be home for Christmas.

That was a rousing success. Check out Arch Enemy's Official Website for tour dates and other info!