The mighty Arch Enemy is cranking up the power chords for a new chapter, as longtime guitarist Jeff Loomis amicably bids farewell to the band. After a ripping nine-year stint that saw them conquer stages and slay audiences worldwide, Loomis is ready to explore fresh sonic landscapes.
“It’s been a joy having Jeff play with Arch Enemy for close to a decade, we truly had a blast touring around the world together!” says Arch Enemy founder Michael Amott. “We were friends long before we played music together and we remain even closer buddies now, which feels great. We respect that he’s in a place and time in life where he needs to step out of Arch Enemy and we all wish him nothing but the best moving forward.”
But fret not, Arch Enemy isn’t about to silence their thunder. They’ve already recruited a new shredder to fill the void: the phenomenal Joey Concepcion. This isn’t Concepcion‘s first taste of Arch Enemy magic – he previously filled in for Loomis at European festivals in 2018, proving his chops and earning the band’s trust.
“The only constant is change, and this is one of those moments where things had to change a little to move forward in a satisfactory way for everyone involved. With all that said, we are extremely pleased to announce that we have recruited Joey Concepcion as our new guitarist! Joey‘s a phenomenal talent and has been a friend of the band for a long time, he even filled in for Jeff on a couple of European festival shows back in 2018. We have touring and a myriad of other exciting things coming up on the horizon with Arch Enemy for 2024 and beyond and are thrilled to move forward, creating the next chapter and keeping the metal flowing!”
Loomis echoes the sentiment, expressing his gratitude to the band and his excitement for what lies ahead: “My time in Arch Enemy has come to an end. I have had a great time (9 years!) playing and touring with them, but now it’s time to enter a new chapter in my life. I wish Alissa, Michael, Sharlee and Daniel the very best and consider them all lifelong friends. I’d also like to thank the crew that have always been nothing but kind to me. Their hard work and dedication towards the band is incredible, and we wouldn’t be able to put on great shows without them. Thank you again for all your support over the years and Happy New Year.”
Concepcion, meanwhile, is buzzing with anticipation: “It’s an honor and a privilege to be working with Arch Enemy and I’m very much looking forward to shredding stages across the globe together, playing for and meeting all the fans!”
Check out Concepcion performing a headline set with Arch Enemy at Germany’s Summer Breeze Open Air festival in 2018.
