Like all big bands, Arch Enemy once started small in intimate venues, and this time, it was their turn to pay tribute to their past as a sold-out Rebellion turned into a riot zone on a sweltering Tuesday night. With no support bands, the Swedish melodic death metal group had the whole room to themselves and, for over 90 minutes, sent tremors around Manchester to end their run of non-festival gigs on this tour with a bang.

For those who turned away from Arch Enemy since Angela’s departure, maybe now it’s time to give them another chance. Guitarist Michael Amott himself admitted that this would be a new chapter and, if anything, current singer Lauren Hart couldn’t be a better pick to kick-start it. After years of being away from the spotlight since Once Human broke up, she’s back with a point to prove. Hibernation only made the beast inside her stronger. She’s very much got Angela vibes, both in her growling technique and her stage presence, making her the highlight of the evening. When it comes to musical delivery, it’s hard not to be blown away by how versatile she can be. In an interview with earMUSIC back in 2018, she mentioned how Arch Enemy inspired her to scream and her inability to do fry techniques, but fast-forward eight years and she’s absolutely nailed it, not to mention getting to front her idols.

While metal had already started becoming more inclusive to women thanks to the likes of Girlschool and Doro, Arch Enemy was a gateway when it came to harsh vocals. Until the arrival of Angela, the thought of having a woman screaming was unthinkable, but thanks to her, countless other bands have followed her lead and paved the way for the genre’s evolution, as well as giving women a voice in music. Aside from the singing itself, Lauren’s stage presence puts many to shame. The way she confidently orchestrated the crowd was exemplary, and her charisma is what kept fans engaged throughout. Pointing the mic at us, refusing to drop her guard and looking out for the audience’s welfare due to how hot it was indoors is a lesson worth learning for those wanting to win people over.

Singers may often be the biggest talking point when reviewing a gig, but Michael on guitar is just as worth commenting on. It’s his group and he carries them on his back like Superman. Having played for Carcass before founding Arch Enemy, who wouldn’t want to form a band alongside someone with such an impressive musical CV? In their 31 years of existence, he’s been the undefeated final boss of the melodeath scene and, rightly so, has been ranked in the top 100 metal guitarists of all time by Guitar World. The display he put on in Manchester was concrete proof of that. Every riff he played from the older days in particular was met with roars of excitement from fans who craved classics missing from setists, including the all-too-familiar tapped and shredded solos that never disappoint.

Keeping him company was Joey Concepcion, who also had his fair share of fun with some solos and harmonies of his own. Replacing someone as decorated as Jeff Loomis was never going to be an easy task, but Arch Enemy just seem to have a knack for finding the right people. Joey may no longer exactly be the new guy, but he sounds like he was made for Arch Enemy from day one. Drummer Daniel Erlandsson’s stamina needs to be studied because, in a stifling place with indoor temperatures climbing to at least 40°C, he kept his composure and played as if it were just like any other show. From heel-toe double-kick patterns and a variety of blast beats to unpredictable tempo changes, it was a vintage showing of the highest order from an accomplished veteran who’s been in the game for so long that anything is a walk in the park at this point.

Retracing one’s roots after becoming big can, in many instances, feel close to impossible after getting so used to filling out huge places with thousands of people, but Arch Enemy did what far too many bands at that level don’t do enough: be humble, bring fans together and shine a light on how important it is to acknowledge that we all start somewhere, no matter how big we eventually become. In addition, if it wasn’t for grassroots venues, these guys wouldn’t be where they are now, so let this be a strong reminder of just how important it is to keep places like Rebellion open to nurture upcoming talent.