Arch Enemy

Before Arch Enemy became a fixture of the melodic death metal scene, its line-up read like a map of extreme metal, with players who had also served in Carcass, Mercyful Fate, Spiritual Beggars and Nevermore. Formed in Halmstad in 1995 as a supergroup, the Swedish outfit was started by Carcass guitarist Michael Amott and singer Johan Liiva, both originally from Carnage. Its debut, Black Earth, was recorded over nine days at Studio Fredman and issued in 1996 by Wrong Again Records, a label that has since closed.

Stigmata, released in 1998, was the first Arch Enemy album to come out worldwide and gave the band a wider following in Europe and America. Angela Gossow replaced Liiva in 2000, after he was dismissed during the Wages of Sin sessions. Doomsday Machine, Rise of the Tyrant and The Root of All Evil followed, with Rise of the Tyrant debuting at number 84 on the Billboard 200. Gossow left in March 2014 to manage the group, Alissa White-Gluz took over, and she departed at the end of 2025 before Lauren Hart was announced as frontwoman on 19 February 2026.