Former Arch Enemy vocalist Alissa White-Gluz, who recently kicked off her solo career, has shared the following message via social media:
“I’ve been doing this for over 20 years. I started out working in theatre as a set designer, building and painting huge, realistic scenery. As a teenager, I went to so many underground metal and punk shows, I figured I would try my hand at stage managing local bands. I ended up meeting a band that needed a singer, and since I went to so many shows and knew everyone in the scene, they asked me for my help. I was sure I could find someone for them but it ended up being harder than I had initially thought. Not wanting to go back empty-handed, my best friend (still best friend to this day) recorded me singing ‘Crazy Train’ karaoke on her Boss 8 track in her basement and we quickly burnt a cd of it.
The next day I went to show the band the ‘new singer’ I had found for them. ‘Is it okay if it’s a girl?’ I had to ask, since there were none in the scene. They listened to the demo, loved it and asked who it was. I smiled and told them it was me.
From that point on I started hand-drawing and designing merch, booking venues, composing music and lyrics, driving the van and trailer across the continent, sleeping in the van in the deep freeze of winter and the boiling heat of summer squished in with four dudes, showering in a Walmart sink, getting changed for the show in the trailer using a car battery my dad rigged up to a light so I could see what I was doing in there even with the door closed for privacy, selling the merch, sending in the Soundscans, settling up with promoters, loading gear, engineering songs and then getting home and picking up odd jobs just to pay for the next tour.
I gave more than half of my life to music so far, and yet somehow it feels like I am only now really getting started. I’m so thankful for the amazing team of people I have had around me for years, including my crew, peers, industry connections, friends, family and fans. Want to hear more about how it all began?”
Canadian powerhouse, Alissa White-Gluz, has started her long-awaited solo career with her new single, “The Room Where She Died”, out now everywhere via Napalm Records.
For years, Alissa has been releasing original music and self-directed music videos exclusively for her Patreon community. Now, the multi-faceted artist is ready to share her latest single with the world at large. Having performed on the world’s biggest stages as one of death metal’s most recognizable voices and enchanting the world as a leading woman of the scene, Alissa teams up with Oliver Palotai of power metal virtuosos Kamelot, with whom she has performed and co-written multiple times before.
“The Room Where She Died” moves away from the style she has been known for in recent years: making use of her impressive range in both clean vocals and fierce growls, she embellishes the sophisticated composition with an orchestral intro, catchy riffs, and even a jazzy interlude. Equally heavy and catchy, the charismatic singer ignites a new spark. One single is all it takes for Alissa to captivate the metal world and show everyone that this icon is here to stay.
Alissa: “‘The Room Where She Died” marks the beginning of a new chapter for me, born from a place of deep creativity and renewed fire. It’s the first step into a world I’ve been building quietly for years, and one of many collaborations I have with Oliver Palotai, my Kamelot bandmate with whom I’ve found a great creative flow. Making this music, writing the video and even painting the single artwork myself has reinvigorated me in ways I didn’t expect, reminding me exactly why I love making art. I have been honing my skills as a performer, vocalist and songwriter over many years now, and I feel like I am finally at a place where I can let my work stand on its own. I poured every ounce of passion, pain, and purpose into this, and I’ve never felt more inspired. I hope you can feel that spark too, because this is only the beginning! I’m endlessly grateful for the overwhelming response to ‘The Room Where She Died’, and the love and encouragement I’ve already received from my peers, fans, and the metal community overall. Thank you!”
Check out the official music video for “The Room Where She Died”:
Photo by Tim Tronckoe
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