Swedish/German/American extreme metallers ARCH ENEMY are recording their as-yet-untitled eighth album for a tentative late spring/early summer release via Century Media. The CD is being laid down at a few different studios in Sweden.

"We tracked drums at Fascination Street Studio, and we've been recording guitars and bass in another room," ARCH ENEMY guitarist Michael Amott tells Decibel for the magazine's March 2013 issue (see cover below). "We'll do the vocals in a third studio, and the mix and mastering will done by Jens Bogren at Fascination Street."

He adds: "It's all going according to plan; it's been running very smoothly. Vocals and [a] few guitar solos left to do, and the mix, of course."

As was the case with 2011's "Khaos Legions", the ARCH ENEMY members are producing the new album themselves.

"We have a clear vision of what we want to sound like, and we can achieve it without outside producers and input, so this works for us," Amott explains.

Regarding the musical direction of ARCH ENEMY's upcoming CD, Amott tells Decibel: "This album is actually very different from 'Khaos Legions'. All of our albums have had their own vibe, and this one will be its own entity as well. Lyrically, it's a much more personal record, and musically, I feel the songs have more dynamics and depth than ever before. There's certainly very heavy and aggressive metal taking place, but there's also another level of melody that excites me. There's a wide spectrum of variety in the material; they're all unique to me and I'm excited about all of them at this point. A couple of the songs feature real strings, and it'll be interesting how our fans will take to that. I am pretty sure they'll love it!"

Three years after the release of "Khaos Legions," Arch Enemy has started mixing a 9th studio album with Jens Bogren at Fascination Street in Sweden.

Michael Amott (guitar) comments: "We've been producing ourselves, as we did on 'Khaos Legions'. We have a clear vision of what we want Arch Enemy to sound like, and we can actually achieve it without the help of outside producers. We also have the advantage of having two talented sound engineers among our ranks in Daniel Erlandsson (drums) and Nick Cordle (guitar).

"We've been tracking at a few different studios here in Sweden, the drums at Fascination Street Studio and guitars and bass in another room. We just finished vocals in a third studio with engineer Staffan Karlsson ('Khaos Legions') and the mix and mastering will done by Jens Bogren at his Fascination Street mixing facility.

"Musically, this album is going a few places we haven't visited before. As our fans have come expect, our albums have all had their own vibe and 'War Eternal' will leave its own mark. Lyrically it's a much more personal record, and I feel the songs have more dynamics and depth than ever before. The songs are loaded with strong and vicious metal, drenched in tons of melody and emotion. All the trademarks of Arch Enemy are present, just more in your face and turned up to 11."

The new album will be titled "War Eternal," and Michael explains: "A lot of times life is a struggle, a war against what I like to call 'mental chains' in society that try to prevent you from living life the way you want, that try to stop you from making your dreams come true. I have always resented that and I always will. The title sums up our collective attitude a band as well; stages will be destroyed, eardrums will bleed. There will be no choice. This, ladies and gentlemen, is 'War Eternal'..."

Angela Gossow, who revealed earlier this week that she was stepping down as frontwoman of ARCH ENEMY and was being replaced by former THE AGONIST vocalist Alissa White-Gluz, has released the following message via her official Facebook page:

"Thank you for all your kind words, your support, your understanding. I am sorry some of you are really sad 
So am I, in many ways.

"It's really hard to say goodbye.

"I have had a lot of time to reflect on my life in 2013.. I had to turn a page. We all get to this point in our life sometime. I do embrace this change, I hope you do too.

"I am very busy with [my continued role as the business manager for] ARCH ENEMY right now, as you can imagine. They got a lot of things lined up.

"The music [on the forthcoming ARCH ENEMY album, 'War Eternal'] is still 100% ARCH ENEMY, trust me.

"Thank you for the last 13 years; they have been truly wonderful. I enjoyed playing live for many of you, meeting you, interacting with you.

"I am not sure yet what I'll do with this page, I will most likely use it to keep you up to date with all things ARCH ENEMY, my band management business and whatever else my busy little brain comes across… thoughts, inspirations, things that make me laugh.

"Be well, take good care of yourselves and enjoy life. It's too short to look back."