The ongoing public dispute between Arch Enemy and former Megadeth guitarist Kiko Loureiro has taken another turn. Following the band’s release of early demo footage to disprove recent plagiarism allegations, Arch Enemy manager and former vocalist Angela Gossow has stepped forward to clarify the exact timeline of the escalating conflict.
Setting the record straight regarding her initial reaction to the drama, Angela Gossow revealed that Kiko Loureiro had already initiated formal legal action before she ever made her first public comment on his Instagram page.
“Just to correct the overall narrative here: We got Kiko‘s lawyer letter demanding compensation for copyright infringement the moment he posted his story.. way before I even made a comment,” Gossow responded to a Metal Injection Instagram post. “I am pretty chill, considering how silly and unnecessary this whole situation is.. could have easily been discussed in a calm, private conversation. I am cool with a lot of strangers not liking me for whatever reason, but I am the last one who wants to involve lawyers. They make money, everyone else loses, in one way or another. Yeah, chill would be great, respect would be great, talking before acting would be great.”
The controversy officially began on March 27 when Kiko Loureiro uploaded an Instagram video comparing a guitar melody from his 2024 solo track “Talking Dreams” (featured on the album Theory Of Mind) to the lead riff in Arch Enemy‘s brand-new single, “To The Last Breath“. He captioned the comparison video: “Just helping promote @archenemyofficial new song… you’re welcome.”
At the time, before the public was aware of the behind-the-scenes legal demands, Angela Gossow responded directly in his comment section:
“Never heard Kikos song before tbh. So 3 notes are the same? Well, I guess that happens quite often in music. I have heard a lot of Arch Enemy notes in other songs but would never accuse the other band of plagiarism.. more the contrary, I would probably feel honoured to inspire others. So sad to read a post like this from a guitar player we all respected. What is this good for? If you really feel you got a case, get in touch and discuss professionally, not make such a post. Respectfully, the management who is used to tread carefully with such allegations and prefers to handle things with care.”
Arch Enemy guitarist and founding member Michael Amott initially brushed the post off with a seemingly lighthearted comment: “Thank you brother @kikoloureiro – it seems I should pay more attention to your solo work! See you at @bangersopenair!”
However, as the copyright infringement threats from Kiko Loureiro‘s legal team intensified, the band took decisive action. Arch Enemy released a formal public statement alongside undeniable video evidence of early 2022 studio sessions, proving they had written the melody for “To The Last Breath” two full years before Kiko Loureiro released his song.
“In light of a recent copyright infringement accusation against Arch Enemy made by Brazilian YouTuber/guitarist Kiko Loureiro and his lawyer, we feel it best to present clear evidence proving this to be a false claim. In this video you can see and hear the early demos in 2022 which led to becoming ‘To The Last Breath‘.”
“Anyone familiar with our creative process knows that we document extensively. Demos, drafts, and iterations are part of how we build our sound, and in this case, that documentation unquestionably establishes the timeline.”
Accompanying the evidence, Michael Amott delivered a much sharper, final message to his fellow guitarist: “Hey Kiko, sorry to disappoint you and your lawyer, but as you can see and hear, I had the melody back in 2022 already, 2 years before you released your song. Any similarities are purely coincidental. Enjoy the video and good luck with your music, I will continue to not listen to it. Cheers!”
Despite the intense online legal drama, Arch Enemy is currently focused on the road. The group launched their 2026 Asian tour on March 27 in Beijing, China, introducing fans to their new lead vocalist, Lauren Hart. “To The Last Breath” serves as the band’s first official release with Lauren since she stepped in to replace longtime singer Alissa White-Gluz last November.
The two feuding parties are set for a potentially tense in-person encounter later this month at the Bangers Open Air festival in Brazil. Arch Enemy will headline the event on Saturday, April 25, while Kiko Loureiro is scheduled to perform the following night with Angra.
