In a recent interview with Brazilian music journalist Igor Miranda, Arch Enemy drummer Daniel Erlandsson spoke extensively about the band’s current transition. He addressed the addition of former Once Human vocalist Lauren Hart and the subsequent departure of long-time frontwoman Alissa White-Gluz.
Discussing the fan reaction to their newest member, the drummer expressed his pleasant surprise at the positive reception.
“I think the response has been overwhelming. I could not expect that it would go that well, actually. It seems like the fans, they see something in Lauren that they really like, and it kind of connects a little bit to Angela [Gossow]. Her style is kind of similar to that of an Angela. The response has been overwhelmingly good. And now we’re playing the first few shows [with Lauren] as well, and you can tell that the vibe inside of the room or the atmosphere inside of the room is electric. And it’s really cool. It’s almost like we’re starting a new era of the band now, which is kind of funny because we’ve been playing for — what is it? — 30 years or something.”
When asked whether the lineup change represents a completely fresh start or simply a continuation of their recent era, he emphasized a forward-looking perspective focused on live performances and creative growth.
“I think that we’re looking forward now into the future. And we are imagining what kind of songs we can have, and the next album and so on. I think we’re looking forward, if anything, and everybody’s very excited about it. And since the interest in this has been so good, I think we’re looking forward to touring a lot, first of all and just showing that we are a strong live band still, and if not even better. So that’s the priority right now.”
Addressing the split with Alissa White-Gluz, Daniel Erlandsson noted that the conclusion of their long-running partnership was a mutual and organic progression.
“The story that was official was that, like she said, she left to do her solo stuff. Now I think she has started her own band instead. We had a long, lasting relationship together, and I guess you could say that it came to an end naturally. It was good and it worked out really well — until it didn’t anymore. That’s all I can say about that. Some fans take that [the hard way] — it’s kind of a difficult thing to accept. I know what it’s like when your favorite singer quits, but there’s no reason that you can’t like both sides. You can still be a fan of Arch Enemy and Alissa, if that’s the case. So I think it’s all gonna work out for the best for everyone.”
Questioned on whether he was caught off guard by the lineup change, he admitted the signs were present well before the official separation.
“It’s kind of difficult to say, because I think it was something that you could feel it was leading up to a point. Everything was leading up to a point, and once it finally happened, it was not a surprise.”
He then highlighted the renewed energy Lauren Hart has brought to the group, noting her deep personal connection to the band’s catalog.
“Right now she’s joining her favorite band. She told us that Wages Of Sin was a very important album for her, and that’s the album that made her want to become a vocalist. And we were lucky that she was not in a band… She still had a band called Once Human, but as it turns out, they hadn’t been very active for a number of years, and she was just ready to join when we got in touch with her.”
He continued: “We as a band have been going for a long time, and we toured the world many times, but now when she’s coming in, she’s doing these shows with us, and you kind of get to see the whole experience through her eyes, if that makes sense. Everything is a little bit new and fresh, and it brings a certain freshness and positivity to the band as well.”
Regarding future releases following their recent single “To The Last Breath“, he confirmed that a new full-length record is a major priority.
“Oh, yeah, absolutely. Like I said, everything happened really fast when she joined. We were lucky to be able to squeeze out ‘To The Last Breath‘, that song. And now we have these tours in front of us. But the priority is gonna be working on more music and release an album definitely at some point, hopefully even next year.”
Finally, Daniel Erlandsson touched upon the viral internet rumors that Angela Gossow was returning to the microphone. The speculation began after a cryptic teaser video was posted by the band and their manager, prompting a massive wave of nostalgic excitement.
“I can totally relate to the fans, ’cause in that whole process online, a lot of fans believed that she was actually coming back. And I can relate to that because I’m a fan of other bands as well, and you wanna see your heroes back in the bands. But the thing is that she got really tired of touring and she decided to do what she likes even more, and that’s being a manager. And that’s still the case. I don’t think she would actually enjoy the touring life anymore. And as us bandmembers, we already know this, we know that she wouldn’t be happy touring. So it’s kind of strange to imagine that fans imagine that she’s coming back when we know that it wouldn’t work. But I agree — it would be super cool to see her back on the stage… It kind of blew up on social media when fans were suspecting that she might be coming back and she received an incredible amount of love from fans all over around the world. And that’s why I think she actually seriously considered it.”
Arch Enemy officially debuted their new lineup during a seven-date Chinese tour that began on March 27 in Beijing. They also announced an upcoming European club run titled “Back To The Root Of All Evil” scheduled for the summer of 2026. Following the initial teaser hype, Angela Gossow herself took to social media to dispel the reunion rumors and express her ongoing support for the band’s new era.
“It’s not ME! But thank you for all the love! I am really excited to be involved in this new chapter as the manager This is gonna CRUSH!” she wrote at the time.
“Back To The Root Of All Evil” 2026 Tour Dates:
- 19 Jul – Germany – Berlin, Bi Nuu
- 21 Jul – Denmark – Copenhagen, Pumpehuset
- 22 Jul – Sweden – Stockholm, Kollektivet Livet
- 24 Jul – Finland – Helsinki, Tavastia
- 25 Jul – Estonia – Tallinn, Helitehas
- 27 Jul – Poland – Krakow, Hype Park
- 02 Aug – Germany – Cologne, Club Volta
- 03 Aug – France – Paris, Maroquinerie
- 05 Aug – Spain – Vitoria, Jimmy Jazz
- 09 Aug – Netherlands – Utrecht, Tivoli Pandora
- 10 Aug – England – London, The Underworld
- 11 Aug – England – Manchester, Rebellion
China And Japan Tour Dates:
- Apr. 4 – Shenzhen, China @ BO Livehouse
- Apr. 6 – Kunming, China @ Modern Skylab
- Apr. 8 – Chengdu, China @ CH8 Livecenter
- Apr. 10 – Shanghai, China @ Mao Livehouse
Apr. 14 – Osaka, Japan @ Zepp Osaka Bayside
Apr. 17 – Minato, Japan @ Ex Theater Roppongi
Apr. 18 – Koto, Japan @ Toyosu PIT
