Exclusive Interview with Nick Cordle from Arch Enemy

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This week we received some time to have Nick Cordle from Arch Enemy answer some questions about their lastest line up changes, new album and their upcoming tour. Some exciting news from Nick is that Arch Enemy will be touring the United States and will be annoucing the details soon.

I want to thank Nick for taking this time to sit down and do this interview with us.

No prob!

There has been a lot of excitement circling Arch Enemy in the last couple of months. Let’s get the most talked about topic out of the way. How was the transition with Angela leaving the band and Alissa coming in?

Obviously it was a very nervous time for all of us when Angela made her decision. But once we got Alissa in the room and actually got to work, it went pretty easily! The whole reason any of us are here at all is just to make good metal songs. There was so much music already written … Michael and I had already done the first round of demos and basically half the album was already in place. So the goal was already defined, in a way. We already knew what we had to do musically. From that point forward, it helps that Alissa really knows what she's doing. We all have total confidence in her! I can't wait for everyone to hear what we've made!

You probably have an idea how these transitions take place, with you experiencing the same process from leaving the band Arsis to Arch Enemy. Tell us a little about your experience there?

My experience was really quick and easy. From my point of view, it was a move away from a band that I was a bit of a misfit in, to a band I feel very comfortable in. It's mostly just about the level of self-scrutiny and perfectionism when working on new music. I like to obsessively tear apart every little detail. Everybody in Arch Enemy sees these things the way I do, so I felt at home very quickly.

What are some bands that have influenced you?

I was a very extreme thrash kid. Megadeth, Kreator, Slayer, Exodus … this was some of the first stuff I heard that really connected to me. It's life-altering music for me. Whatever else I've gotten into over the years, that stuff is still home base. I still get a unique thrill out of that level of aggression. I'll never get over it!

Arch Enemy is booked solid for the rest of the year on tour throughout Europe, kicking off at the end of this month. What is a ritual you do before you go on live?

I have to get myself into a very specific mentality before we go on. It's almost childlike … I have to set aside whatever crazy nonsense has happened that day and just think … “Now I'm gonna go play music.” Simplest thought ever. But it's surprisingly hard to get there! I like to find a corner and just play Neil Young tunes for a little while. That has never failed.

What is your favorite song(s) to play live?

"Bloodstained Cross", "The Immortal", "In This Shallow Grave" … The live set is all about which songs the audience is connected to. When we do really intense club gigs and people connect to the really brutal songs, I'm in my favorite place ever.

Does Arch Enemy have any plans to tour the United States in the near future?

Yes! It's already being booked, and it's happening this year! Stay tuned, we're gonna announce it as soon as we can.

The band’s new album 'War Eternal' is set to be released next month on June 10th. You have released the songs "War Eternal" and "As The Pages Burn", which were fantastic. What else can we expect from the album?

Glad you liked the new songs! Can't wait for you to hear "Never Forgive, Never Forget" and "No More Regrets" … The thing I'm most proud of is that we never compromised on the intensity and the sense of urgency. We kept a very high level of intensity across the entire album.

What was the main focus or inspiration behind the new album?

Inspiration is a very individual thing! For me it's been very simple. I can't go out and buy the metal album that I want to hear! Nobody's making it. I could probably make a list of things that approach it in various ways, but the bottom line is that I want to make something that hasn't been made yet.

What other music/bands have you been currently listening to?

I'm on my normal dosage of very traditional metal, and my very high dosage of live jazz! Lots of Riot, Priest, Crimson Glory, Vicious Rumors, Queensr?che … and then the local jazz music around where I live. John D'earth, Mike Rosensky, Charles Owens … I'm very lucky. In my town (Charlottesville, VA) I can go out two or three nights a week and hear feats of musical might and badassery.

What is some advice that you would give new musicians trying to make it?

Learn to live simply and focus on your work. Buy some cookbooks, because you're probably going to be broke and on your own for a very long time, and your quality of life will be a lot better if you can at least make yourself something decent to eat. The most important thing is just to follow your own ears. Shut out all other opinions when you hear new music, and just go where your own ears lead you.


A lot of great things are happening with Arch Enemy and their new album is going to be solid.  The new album 'War Eternal' will be out in stores on June 10, 2014 by Century Media Records.  Hopefully we will hear "Never Forgive, Never Forget" or "No More Regrets" before then.

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Writer and Developer for Metal CallOut.  Favorite sub genre of heavy metal includes Melodic Death, Thrash and Traditional. Sparks can be found at @SparksFury or at Google+.

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