Canadian metal force Alissa White-Gluz has officially opened the next phase of her career with the release of her debut solo single The Room Where She Died, available now through Napalm Records. The track marks her first global solo release after years of creating material privately for her Patreon community. It also confirms the direction she hinted at when she departed Arch Enemy in November 2025, the band she fronted for more than a decade.
White-Gluz has long stood as one of the most identifiable voices in extreme music, recognised for her blend of melodic phrasing, commanding presence, and an ability to shift between clean vocals and full growls with technical precision. Her decision to step forward as a solo artist reflects an evolution that has been unfolding quietly while she toured some of the world’s biggest stages.
The Room Where She Died is shaped in collaboration with Oliver Palotai from Kamelot, a musician whose connection with White-Gluz stretches back across multiple recording and touring cycles. The pair have worked together often, and their creative synergy is at the core of this single’s sound.
The composition signals a deliberate step away from the style she delivered in recent Arch Enemy releases. The arrangement opens with orchestral drama, moves into taut and melodic riffing, and features a brief jazz-leaning diversion that underscores her interest in broad musical vocabulary. Her vocal delivery moves between clarity and aggression, a duality that has defined her work since her earliest recordings. One single is enough to demonstrate the sharpened intent of her solo direction, which she describes as the outcome of a renewed creative surge.
White-Gluz describes The Room Where She Died as the spark for a long-planned new era. She wrote and recorded all vocal parts herself and directed the video. She even created the single’s artwork, adding another dimension to her work as a multidisciplinary artist. She says the process returned her to the core reasons she pursued music, reminding her of the purpose behind the art she has shaped for more than twenty years.
The response to the single within the metal community has already been considerable. White-Gluz has expressed gratitude for the support and enthusiasm that has arrived from fans and peers alike, noting that this release represents only the first step in a larger body of work.
White-Gluz was born in Montreal in 1985 and grew up in a household that valued artistic expression and social consciousness. Her grandparents survived concentration camps during World War II, an element of her family history that later informed the Arch Enemy track First Day In Hell. Her sister Jasamine White-Gluz fronts the band No Joy, underscoring the creative legacy shared across the family.
She began her career in 2004 when she co-founded The Agonist, originally known as Tempest. Across three studio albums and one EP, she developed her distinctive style, blending metalcore and melodic death metal phrasing with a range of vocal techniques. Her departure from the band in 2014 coincided with her appointment as the new lead vocalist of Arch Enemy, following the exit of Angela Gossow. Despite her wish to continue in both groups, The Agonist removed her before her transition to Arch Enemy was made public.
Her arrival at Arch Enemy began a significant period of international visibility. Across four studio albums and multiple live releases, she solidified her standing as one of the most recognisable frontwomen in heavy music. The albums War Eternal, Will To Power, Deceivers and Blood Dynasty all carried her vocal imprint, and her tenure saw the band headline festivals, expand global touring footprints and bring melodic death metal to new audiences.
Her exit from Arch Enemy in 2025 closed one of the most prominent chapters of her career and immediately set the stage for her dedicated solo work.
Beyond her primary bands, White-Gluz has maintained a broad presence as a guest vocalist, appearing with Kamelot, Delain, Angra, Carnifex, Soilwork, Doyle, Blackguard, Powerwolf, Nightwish and more. These collaborations reveal her versatility, as she shifts fluidly between genres including power metal, symphonic metal and deathcore. She has also contributed to soundtrack projects, visual media and documentary productions.
A long-time vegan and advocate for animal rights, White-Gluz has integrated activism into her public work, including campaigns with PETA and appearances in social-cause documentary films. Musically, she draws from classical influences as well as the raw aesthetic of 1990s rock, citing Nirvana and Soundgarden as important reference points. Her interest in punk and hardcore aligns with her values, reinforcing her history of outspoken engagement with social issues.
The launch of The Room Where She Died marks the beginning of a fully formed solo identity. With her first album under the name ALISSA on the way, she enters this era with clarity, experience and a renewed creative pulse.
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