Arch Enemy has been out on the road for the majority of 2019, meaning there hasn't been much writing getting done.
Band drummer Daniel Erlandsson said in a recent interview with LA Metal Media that Arch Enemy doesn't like writing records on the road, and that he hopes they can all set aside some time in 2020 to write and maybe record a new one.
"We don't write that much on the road, because it's not the right setting for us. Somebody might hum a melody into his iPhone, but we don't do much more than that. We have to consciously take time in the schedule when we plan ahead — 'Okay, these three months, we're going to work on new music. No shows then — we're going to stay off the road.' We have to plan, because nowadays, it feels like a year can disappear really quickly, especially when you're on the road and you're repeating a pattern. [When] you play shows every night, time just flies away, so you have to plan ahead… There will be [a new album] eventually, one day. We have done a little bit of writing, but I think we're still in the early stages of that. First of all, we need to get through this year. We have another tour in Europe with Amon Amarth and Hypocrisy, and that's going to take us up to about Christmas. But next year, we plan to get serious about new music and hopefully record a new album."
We also know that new Arch Enemy may feature seven-string writing contributions from guitarist Jeff Loomis (ex-Nevermore), who joined the band in 2014 and did not contribute to the band's 2017 record Will To Power. For what it's worth, Arch Enemy guitarist Michael Amott also wants some Loomis riffs on the next record.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FCnYQHYcnn
[via Blabbermouth]