Arch Enemy has officially responded to the plagiarism accusation involving the song "To the Last Breath." According to Kiko Loureiro, the track bears similarities to "Talking Dreams," from his solo career.
Through an Instagram post made last Friday, the 3rd, the Swedish band posted a video stating that the song "To the Last Breath" began to be composed in 2022 – two years before the composition of "Talking Dreams," from Kiko Loureiro's album Theory Of Mind (2024). Read the statement below:
“In light of a recent copyright infringement claim against Arch Enemy, made by Brazilian YouTuber/guitarist Kiko Loureiro and his lawyer, we felt it best to present clear evidence that this allegation is false. In this video, you can see and hear the initial demos from 2022 that eventually gave rise to “To The Last Breath”. Anyone familiar with our creative process knows that we document everything extensively. Drafts, demos, and different versions are part of how we build our sound. And, in this case, this documentation unequivocally establishes the timeline.”.
In response to the post, Arch Enemy guitarist and founder Michael Amottleft a statement: “Hi Kiko. Sorry to disappoint you and your lawyer. But, as you can see and hear, I already had this melody in 2022, two years before you released your song. Any resemblance is purely coincidental. Enjoy the video and good luck with your music, I'll continue not listening to it. Cheers!”
The artists will perform at the Bangers Open Air, which takes place in São Paulo. Arch Enemy is the headliner on Saturday, April 25th, while Kiko Loureiro performs with Angraas the headliner on Sunday, April 26th.
What did Angela Gossow say?
In the comments section of a post by the website Metal Injection, former vocalist and current manager of Arch Enemy, Angela Gossow, provided an update on the incident, stating that Kiko Loureiro's lawyer had contacted the band:
"Just to correct the overall narrative here: We received the letter from Kiko's lawyer demanding compensation for copyright infringement at the time he published his story. Long before I even made a comment. I'm quite calm, considering how silly and unnecessary this whole situation is. It could have easily been discussed in a calm, private conversation. I don't care about strangers who dislike me for whatever reason, but I'm the last person who wants to involve lawyers. They make money, everyone else loses, one way or another. Yes, it would be great to remain calm, respect would be great, and talking before acting would be great.".
Previously, Angela commented on Kiko Loureiro's post, made on March 23rd, pointing out the similarities between the songs:
“To be honest, I’d never heard Kiko’s music before. So, three notes are the same? Well, I guess that happens quite often in music. I’ve heard many Arch Enemy notes in other songs, but I would never accuse the other band of plagiarism… On the contrary, I would probably feel honored to inspire others. It’s sad to read a post like this from a guitarist we all respected. What’s the point of it? If you really think you have a case, get in touch and discuss it professionally, don’t make a post like this. Respectfully, the management team, who are used to dealing with this type of allegation and prefer to handle things carefully.”.
READ ALSO: Arch Enemy drummer refutes plagiarism accusation against Kiko Loureiro
