Welcome to The Saw’s Butcher Shop! Ya girl has a quick Single Review for you, today, Butcher Crew. Arch Enemy has dropped a single (and video) for “Sunset Over the Empire” from their upcoming full-length release, Deceivers, due August 12, 2022 via Century Media. I’ve reported many times on New Arch Enemy Albums, previous Single Reviews, and a Show Review from their sold-out show in Atlanta a few years ago. So, I’ll get straight to this newest single, “Sunset Over the Empire.”

Obviously, Deceivers is shaping up to be quite an eclectic record. “Handshake with Hell” has the familiar guitar harmony we’ve come to know and love from Arch Enemy, but with a heavy dose of clean vocals from White-Gluz. “House of Mirrors” has a more straight-up Arch Enemy sound, but still with a couple surprises added. And “Deceivers, Deceivers” is a banging, galloping track with quick cadenced vocals, riffs, and the overall timing and composure is crushing.

“Sunset Over the Empire” is a return to the early days of Arch Enemy. It contains more of a thrash feel and sound, which is transposed to a very catchy hook; harmonious riffs, all capped off with two solos – the first from Amott, and the second, by Loomis, that has a trademark squeal to it. Awesome! White-Gluz’s vocals are pure gutteral, here, without a clean in sight. The rhythm section, consisting of Erlandsson and D’Angelo, are (of course) on point and solid; these are two great musicians! The lyrical content of “Sunset Over the Empire” is a (now) all-too-familiar commentary on world events, governments, and our straining social structures as a whole. It’s a dark track with a gloomy sense to it. But the lyrics insist that, once the Empire collapses, “a new day will dawn.”

The Saw will have a New Album Review on Deceivers when it drops, so heads-up for that!

Stay Metal,

THE SAW