A recent Instagram post from former Megadeth guitarist Kiko Loureiro has stirred conversation across the metal community after the guitarist pointed out similarities between one of his own compositions and a newly released track by Arch Enemy.
Shared on March 27, the post featured side-by-side excerpts of Loureiro’s “Talking Dreams,” taken from his 2024 solo album album Theory Of Mind, and Arch Enemy’s latest single “To The Last Breath,” which arrived on February 19. Keeping things light in tone, Loureiro captioned the clip: “Just helping promote @archenemyofficial new song… you’re welcome.”
Even with the playful wording, the comparison quickly caught fans’ attention and sparked debate online.
The post did not go unnoticed by Arch Enemy’s camp. Former vocalist and current manager Angela Gossow responded directly in the comments, writing: “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.”
Guitarist Michael Amott chimed in as well, approaching the situation with humor:
“Thank you brother @kikoloureiro – it seems I should pay more attention to your solo work! See you at @bangersopenair!”
Meanwhile, Arch Enemy are currently focused on the road, having officially launched their 2026 Asian tour on March 27 in Beijing, China. The show, held at Dongsan Live, marked the first live performance featuring the band’s new vocalist Lauren Hart, signaling the beginning of a new era for the group.
The tour continues across China before heading to Japan in April, with several major stops already lined up:
April 4, 2026 – Shenzhen, China – BO Livehouse
April 6, 2026 – Kunming, China – Modern Skylab
April 8, 2026 – Chengdu, China – CH8 Livecenter
April 10, 2026 – Shanghai, China – Mao Livehouse
April 14, 2026 – Osaka, Japan – Zepp Osaka Bayside
April 17, 2026 – Minato, Japan – Ex Theater Roppongi
April 18, 2026 – Koto, Japan – Toyosu PIT
“To The Last Breath” is the band’s first release with Hart, who stepped in following the departure of Alissa White-Gluz last November.
Despite the online back-and-forth, both sides will soon cross paths in person at Bangers Open Air. Arch Enemy are scheduled to headline on Saturday, April 25, while Loureiro will take the stage the following night with Angra.
