Arch Enemy, return to the Eventim Apollo in London on the most Metal night of the year with an impressive battalion of support, Amorphis, Eluveitie and Gatecreeper, in tow.
Arch Enemy – Amorphis – Eluveitie – Gatecreeper
Eventim Apollo, Hammersmith – 1 November 2025
Words: Dany Jones
Photography: Robert Sutton
It is Halloween weekend, that time when the ghouls and the ghosts of riffs past come out to play, so it is only fitting that perennial Metal juggernauts Arch Enemy would roll back into the Eventim Apollo.
Sealing another album cycle, fresh from their 12th release, Blood Dynasty, last March, the formidable quintet are taking their tour all over Europe.
A multigenerational congregation has descended to celebrate the witching hour and partake in this sabbath of unadulterated Metal of multiple guises.
The iconic venue plays host to a four-band bill with Gatecreeper, Eluveitie, and Amorphis slotted in as support, this way offering an eclectic mix and diverse flavours of Metal that cater to everyone’s taste.
Gatecreeper
First to take to the stage are American death purists Gatecreeper. Their music is a no frills, no fuss, just sheer groove, grit and unrelenting weight.
With coarse, crushing riffs, guttural scrapes and an enthusiastic crowd yearning to be baptised in distortion, they offer a full-on revival of that dark, raw energy that saw a good part of the ’90s with bands of the likes of Crowbar, but with the addition of a modern twist. 
Dead Star is immediately received with open arms, and a sea of fists lifts in the air when incited by the singer. Unstoppable hair swaying and impassioned headbanging are seen in a pit still yet to fill up with the mid-paced Caught In The Treads, while The Black Curtain follows simply anthemic.
This band strip Death Metal back to its essentials in its pure, undiluted aggression. They are that very testament that short, sharp and primal are still and will always be very much alive.
On the closing Flamethrower, they have pulled all the tricks in the bag, including the iconic old-school signature twin lead guitars, this way exiting the stage on a true climax.
Gatecreeper have brought us into a thirty-minute-long beautiful immersion into the realms of pure, punishing riff-driven malevolence, and indeed we did love it.
As the final rumble of distortion fades and the green hue lifts, the stage begins to assume a very different form.
Eluveitie
The crowd buzzes with anticipation as Eluveitie’s Celtic symbols flicker to life across the backdrop depicting a horned woodland spirit watching over the stage like a Celtic guardian.
The skulls and shadows of Death Metal have made way for a set dressed in ancient folklore with wooden tones and rustic textures, and an array of instruments that would rather be found at the celebration of Solstice in Stonehenge. Harp, violin, flutes, bagpipe and even a hurdy-gurdy all sit comfortably alongside the electric guitars.
Eluveitie are an eight-piece music commune hailing from picturesque Switzerland. True to their roots, they execute with precision and flair, maintaining that perfect balance between the modern and the traditional that gives their music both muscle and mystique.
Cinematic folklore at its finest and indeed very well received by an enraptured audience simply absorbing in sheer awe, Eluveitie move effortlessly from devilishly heavy passages to folk-Metal jigs and reels.
Their latest addition, their new violinist, offers a performance nothing short of captivating and utterly entertaining, while the singer’s ethereal vocals, juxtaposed with her peers’ guttural growls, fill the room, refracting from every angle. 
As the final bow from Eluveitie’s front line is met with thunderous applause, there is a brief stillness. The stage lights dim to a dusky blue, and the folk instruments are whisked away to be replaced by a bank of keyboards.
Amorphis
The mood promptly shifts from pastoral mysticism to psychedelic melancholy while Amorphis emerge standing tall. Armed with their new album Borderland, the Finnish veterans open with their song Bones. 
Amorphis’ presence tonight receives general consensus, with a more mature and incredibly civilised audience strictly following etiquette. Mirroring the poise and elegance of the band, they politely applaud and nod in unanimity. One would think of being at the opera instead of a Heavy Metal concert.
Vocalist Tomi Joutsen commands the stage with confidence, effortlessly switching between harsh growls and wholesome, clean vocals.
Sounding incredibly cohesive, Amorphis are masters of that contrast between heavy and melodic, dark yet uplifting. Their stage set-up reflects a similar atmosphere, with a hazy backdrop, black spotlights and their silhouettes lost in the twilight.
Add to that a sheer masterclass in musicianship, touching upon the different eras of Metal and evoking distinctive nuances of progressive psychedelia.
Guitarist Esa Holopainen draws indeed from the school of David Gilmour, while the modular keyboards skilfully finish that off.
Older tracks like Black Winter Day and House of Sleep remind everyone why Amorphis have been on a steady stride for the good part of three decades, while The Bee closes their set in a haze of light and understated harmony, leaving a sense of emotive bliss.
Arch Enemy
The tension tightens in a sudden shift. There is one final act and, in the wait for Arch Enemy to take the stage, all bets are off.
A tasteful dedication to the late Ozzy Osbourne with Bark A The Moon utilised as the intro, reminds us that the memory of the Prince of Darkness is still vivid and that his spirit shall forever live on.
The monolithic Arch Enemy banner reads Pure Fucking Metal while the first notes titillate, sending the crowd into a frenzy.
Arch Enemy are about to make their grand, furious entrance along to the notes of their already legendary Deceivers, Deceivers.
The song detonates in all of its magnificent fury with the band remaining behind the drapes as dark shadows, until the chorus erupts into a White-Glutz lifting in her signature mid-air kick in tandem with the backdrop reveal, and the pit turns into sheer chaos.
The Halloween theme could not have been more fitting, for Arch Enemy have come to exorcise London.
This is a band at their absolute peak. They have perfected the art of fine precision over years of craftsmanship and sheer dedication, turning into a machine of melody, rage and immaculate showmanship.
The singer is tireless, pounding every inch of the stage with animalistic intensity, coaxing the crowd and engaging with her team, but between songs, she is warm, charismatic and genuinely involved. 
Dream Stealer hits with arena-sized heft, while War Eternal unleash a nostalgic surge for the earlier adepts. Michael Amott’s guitar work here remains sublime, with his pure tone and tasteful solos. His liquid leads blend seamlessly with Joey Concepcion’s ponderous riffs until they exchange their call and response.
While it is undeniable that the inflammable chemistry with former guitarist Jeff Loomis still lingers hollow in his absence, the notable axe wizards have indeed found a beautiful synchronicity.
Blood Dynasty widens horizons and sees a fresh take on the vocals. On the album, White-Glutz showcases her already established skill as a versatile, powerful melodic singer, belting out an impressive, clean tone.
The title track unfolds haunting and monumental, greeting us with a newly unfurled banner depicting a spectral congregation of medieval kings. Their faces emaciated and darkened, evoke ancient tales of King Arthur and his knights of the Round Table in the eternal pursuit of the Holy Grail.
Blood Dynasty has already inscribed its name in the book of anthems.
Holding the torch high from her remarkable predecessor, Angela Gossow, who very much remains involved as the band’s manager, Alyssa’s rendition of My Apocalypse sends the Eventim Apollo into true delirium.
The iconic Sunset Over The Empire marks a truly special moment of exchange with the audience, where the singer conducts a choir of oh-ohs along the entire perimeter.
The onslaught is relentless. Erlandsson staggers as leader of rhythm, offering a thunderous drum barrage and locking in with D’Angelo’s animated groove with razor-sharp precision.
The crowd is feral, adjoined in a dance of communal euphoria.
But it is time for the first farewell. Perhaps the oldest trick in the book, it is at this stage that the audience still falls into a state of confusion. Is it really the end?
However, the band emerge once again to deliver the final strike with a colossal rendition of Nemesis.
Pyros, sparks and a game of lasers set the stage aflame, while giant balloons fall from the sky and begin playfully being passed around. Exiting on a bow amongst the loud cheers, the ardent consensus seals the reaffirmation that this Swedish / Canadian outfit have once again dazzled.
Unapologetically transcending boundaries, Arch Enemy have indeed proven that they remain at the peak of their supremacy.
