Khaos Legions
Encyclopedia
Khaos Legions is the eighth studio album by Swedish extreme metal band Arch Enemy. It was released on May 30, 2011 by Century Media. The record marks a return to new, original material, after releasing the Tyrants of the Rising Sun - Live in Japan
live CD/DVD (2008) and The Root of All Evil
(2009) which consisted of a selection of re-recorded songs from the band's back catalog. It is the band's ninth album counting the compilation.
Khaos Legions debuted at number 78 on the Billboard 200
, selling around 6,000 copies. This surpasses both Doomsday Machine
and Rise of the Tyrant
, making it the bands highest-charting effort so far.
The album's single is "Yesterday is Dead and Gone", and music videos have been released for "Yesterday is Dead and Gone" and "Bloodstained Cross".
. Recording sessions took place at the Sweet Spot Studio, Sweden. The mix was done by Andy Sneap
in Derbyshire, England.
Drummer Daniel Erlandsson said about the album:
In January 2011, UK’s Bonkers Entertainment caught up with the band at their headline show at the HMV Forum in London UK on November 27th, 2010. This concert was the last stop on a three year long touring cycle for the “Rise Of The Tyrant” and “The Root Of All Evil” albums and in the interview the members of Arch Enemy discussed the upcoming recording of the new studio album, the song writing process and touring plans for 2011. During the conversation, the band also divulged the title of the new album to be “Khaos Legions”.
In the band's second studio update, bassist Sharlee D'Angelo said: "Ladies and gentlemen, the low end is firmly in place! After a long day of plowing through an absolutely massive array of bass guitars, different amps and cabs, and various other electronic gadgets, the choice finally fell on my white custom shop Ibanez Iceman run through an MXR Bass D.I.+ and an Aguilar Tonehammer into an Aguilar DB751 head and a DB810 cab, complemented by a Marshall VBC 412 cab, hidden behind a veritable forest of expensive microphones on serious looking mic stands. And the result? F**king awesome, people! Our engineer Rickard Bengtsson is an audio nerd with a rock’n'roll backbone who does not give up until he finds what he’s looking for – and thank f**k for that. Cause the songs on this album really need to be presented in the best way possible. Having laid down all the bass tracks now I just can’t wait for everybody to hear the album, and to play all these songs live for you all! But we’re not quite there yet, next up are blistering leads from the depths of hell"
, it was inspired by Eugène Delacroix
's Liberty Leading the People
.
Tyrants of the Rising Sun
Tyrants of the Rising Sun is a DVD+CD set of Arch Enemy, released in Europe on November 24, 2008 and in North America on November 25, 2008 via Century Media...
live CD/DVD (2008) and The Root of All Evil
The Root of All Evil (album)
-Limited Edition bonus tracks:-Japan bonus tracks:The Japanese release of the album includes the above mentioned live tracks plus an additional two tracks.-Release Dates:* Germany / Austria / Switzerland / Italy / Benelux: September 25, 2009....
(2009) which consisted of a selection of re-recorded songs from the band's back catalog. It is the band's ninth album counting the compilation.
Khaos Legions debuted at number 78 on the Billboard 200
Billboard 200
The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists...
, selling around 6,000 copies. This surpasses both Doomsday Machine
Doomsday Machine (album)
* The end of the lyrics to "Skeleton Dance" recite the death poem of Ōta Dōkan. The beginning of "Skeleton Dance" contains backmasked messages containing the phrases "The world on his shoulders" and "Bleeding forever" among others....
and Rise of the Tyrant
Rise of the Tyrant
Rise of the Tyrant is the seventh album by the melodic death metal band Arch Enemy, produced by Fredrik Nordström, and was released on September 24, 2007.Vocalist Angela Gossow told the band's website that: Guitarist Michael Amott described it as:...
, making it the bands highest-charting effort so far.
The album's single is "Yesterday is Dead and Gone", and music videos have been released for "Yesterday is Dead and Gone" and "Bloodstained Cross".
Background and development
The album was produced by Arch Enemy and Rickard Bengtsson, who had previously worked with the band on their 2005 album Doomsday MachineDoomsday Machine
Doomsday Machine may refer to:* Doomsday device, a hypothetical weapon which could destroy all life on the Earth* The Doomsday Machine, a 1972 science-fiction film* "The Doomsday Machine" , an episode of Star Trek: The Original Series...
. Recording sessions took place at the Sweet Spot Studio, Sweden. The mix was done by Andy Sneap
Andy Sneap
Andy "Undie" Sneap is an English record producer, recording engineer, mixer, guitarist, and songwriter. He is best known for producing and mixing many acclaimed heavy metal albums.-Musician:...
in Derbyshire, England.
Drummer Daniel Erlandsson said about the album:
In January 2011, UK’s Bonkers Entertainment caught up with the band at their headline show at the HMV Forum in London UK on November 27th, 2010. This concert was the last stop on a three year long touring cycle for the “Rise Of The Tyrant” and “The Root Of All Evil” albums and in the interview the members of Arch Enemy discussed the upcoming recording of the new studio album, the song writing process and touring plans for 2011. During the conversation, the band also divulged the title of the new album to be “Khaos Legions”.
Release and concept
Behind-the-scenes footage from the recording sessions for "Khaos Legions" leaked onto the internet and can be seen at the band's YouTube channel. The CD was tracked at Sweet Spot Studio in the south of Sweden with engineer Rickard Bengtsson (who produced 2005's "Doomsday Machine") and is scheduled for a May release via Century Media Records. The band's drummer Daniel Erlandsson previously stated about the new CD, "We had a very inspiring and creative time writing this album. I think this is definitely evident when listening to the new songs. There's tons of variation in the material, ranging all the way from very melodic to extremely heavy."In the band's second studio update, bassist Sharlee D'Angelo said: "Ladies and gentlemen, the low end is firmly in place! After a long day of plowing through an absolutely massive array of bass guitars, different amps and cabs, and various other electronic gadgets, the choice finally fell on my white custom shop Ibanez Iceman run through an MXR Bass D.I.+ and an Aguilar Tonehammer into an Aguilar DB751 head and a DB810 cab, complemented by a Marshall VBC 412 cab, hidden behind a veritable forest of expensive microphones on serious looking mic stands. And the result? F**king awesome, people! Our engineer Rickard Bengtsson is an audio nerd with a rock’n'roll backbone who does not give up until he finds what he’s looking for – and thank f**k for that. Cause the songs on this album really need to be presented in the best way possible. Having laid down all the bass tracks now I just can’t wait for everybody to hear the album, and to play all these songs live for you all! But we’re not quite there yet, next up are blistering leads from the depths of hell"
Artwork
The artwork for this album was created by Brent Elliott White, and features a photo of the band cartooned in skeletons. According to Angela GossowAngela Gossow
Angela Nathalie Gossow is the lead vocalist for the Swedish melodic death metal band Arch Enemy. Her previous bands include Asmodina and Mistress. She is considered to be one of the few successful female metal singers to use growling as her primary singing style...
, it was inspired by Eugène Delacroix
Eugène Delacroix
Ferdinand Victor Eugène Delacroix was a French Romantic artist regarded from the outset of his career as the leader of the French Romantic school...
's Liberty Leading the People
Liberty Leading the People
Liberty Leading the People is a painting by Eugène Delacroix commemorating the July Revolution of 1830, which toppled Charles X of France. A woman personifying Liberty leads the people forward over the bodies of the fallen, holding the tricouleur flag of the French Revolution in one hand and...
.
Promotion
Arch Enemy has confirmed several 2011 summer dates and festivals in support of the forthcoming album, including newly added performances on Sonisphere Festivals in Sweden, UK and Spain.Track listing
Band members
- Angela GossowAngela GossowAngela Nathalie Gossow is the lead vocalist for the Swedish melodic death metal band Arch Enemy. Her previous bands include Asmodina and Mistress. She is considered to be one of the few successful female metal singers to use growling as her primary singing style...
− vocals - Michael AmottMichael AmottMichael Amott is a Swedish guitarist, songwriter, founding member of the bands Arch Enemy, Spiritual Beggars, and Carnage, as well as a member of the death metal band Carcass. He is the older brother of Christopher Amott...
− leadLead guitarLead guitar is a guitar part which plays melody lines, instrumental fill passages, guitar solos, and occasionally, some riffs within a song structure...
and rhythm guitarRhythm guitarRhythm guitar is a technique and rôle that performs a combination of two functions: to provide all or part of the rhythmic pulse in conjunction with singers or other instruments; and to provide all or part of the harmony, ie. the chords, where a chord is a group of notes played together... - Christopher AmottChristopher AmottChristopher Amott is a Swedish guitarist and vocalist, younger brother of Michael Amott and founding member of the Swedish metal bands Arch Enemy and Armageddon.-Biography:...
− lead and rhythm guitars - Sharlee D'AngeloSharlee D'AngeloSharlee D'Angelo is the bassist for Swedish melodic death metal band Arch Enemy, as well as the Swedish hard rock band Spiritual Beggars.Sharlee has also been in various bands in the past, either as a studio session player or full member. Some of these include IllWill and Mercyful Fate as well as...
− bassBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick.... - Daniel ErlandssonDaniel ErlandssonDaniel John Erlandsson is the drummer in the melodic death metal band Arch Enemy.His early work includes drumming on the In Flames album Subterranean...
− drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
- Per WibergPer WibergPer Jonas Wiberg is the former keyboardist of Swedish progressive death metal band Opeth, and a member of Michael Amott's stoner metal band Spiritual Beggars. Wiberg toured with Opeth from the 2003 Deliverance/Damnation tour onward, and joined Opeth officially in 2005. Wiberg provided backing...
− keyboardsKeyboard instrumentA keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments...
(guest) - Mikael Sandager − backing vocals (guest)
Album Charts
| Chart (2011) | Peak Position |
|---|---|
| Austrian Albums Chart Ö3 Austria Top 40 Ö3 Austria Top 40 is the name of the official Austrian singles chart, as well as the radio show which presents it, aired Fridays on Hitradio Ö3. The show presents the Austrian singles, ringtones and downloads chart. It premiered on 26 November 1968 as Disc Parade and was presented by Ernst Grissemann... |
37 |
| Dutch Albums Chart MegaCharts MegaCharts is responsible for the composition and exploitation of a broad collection of official charts in the Netherlands, of which the Mega Top 50 and the Mega Album Top 100 are the most known ones. Mega Charts also provides information to the Stichting Nederlandse Top 40, of which the Dutch Top... |
75 |
| Finnish Albums Chart | 9 |
| French Album Chart Syndicat National de l'Edition Phonographique The Syndicat national de l'édition phonographique is the inter-professional organization which protects the interests of the French record industry... |
77 |
| German Albums Chart | 15 |
| Japan Oricon Oricon , established in 1999, is the holding company at the head of a Japanese corporate group that supplies statistics and information on music and the music industry in Japan. It started as , which was founded by Sōkō Koike in November 1967 and became known for its music charts. Oricon Inc... International Chart |
3 |
| Spanish Albums Chart | 61 |
| Swiss Albums Chart | 41 |
| Swedish Albums Chart | 25 |
| UK Albums Chart UK Albums Chart The UK Albums Chart is a list of albums ranked by physical and digital sales in the United Kingdom. It is compiled every week by The Official Charts Company and broadcast on a Sunday on BBC Radio 1 , and published in Music Week magazine and on the OCC website .To qualify for the UK albums chart... |
107 |
| U.S. Billboard 200 Billboard 200 The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists... |
78 |
Release history
| Region | Date | Label | Format |
|---|---|---|---|
| Japan | May 18, 2011 | Trooper Entertainment | CD, Digital Download |
| Europe | May 30, 2011 | Century Media Records Century Media Records Century Media Records is an Independent record label with offices in the United States, Germany, Australia, France, Italy, Sweden, Finland, and the United Kingdom.- Background :... |
CD, 2-CD, 2-LP Vinyl, Digital Download |
| US | June 7, 2011 | Century Media Records Century Media Records Century Media Records is an Independent record label with offices in the United States, Germany, Australia, France, Italy, Sweden, Finland, and the United Kingdom.- Background :... |
CD, 2-CD, Digital Download |
External links
- Khaos Legions at Encyclopaedia MetallumEncyclopaedia MetallumEncyclopaedia Metallum: The Metal Archives is a website which lists bands from various forms of heavy metal music...