Photo : Tim Tronckoe

Arch Enemy

C A N A D A

That ’ s especially true for the Canadian music that has had major breakthroughs in the past few decades . Shania Twain , Celine Dion , and Alanis Morissette are among the highest selling artists of all time . Nickelback , for all their detractors , dominated rock radio for 10 years . Arcade Fire is perhaps the most

acclaimed group in the world . But despite the international success and mainstream recognition , Canadian metal bands have failed to capitalize on the success of their poppier , cleaner countrymen .

Perhaps that ’ s to be expected . Metal has always been a genre apart . ( Except for the ‘ 80s , but blame that on everyone being exceptionally high on cocaine . Nothing else explains the Vinnie Vincent Invasion ).

But in its own way , Canadian metal has made its own inroads internationally . Witness the case of Alissa White-Gluz .

White-Gluz started as just another Montrealer , dreaming of big things with her band The Agonist , which formed in 2004 . Small tours begat bigger tours and The Agonist eventually found themselves known internationally .

There were bumps along the way , including an unfortunate stint on Canadian Idol and , eventually , an acrimonious split from The Agonist last year (“ I spent more than a third of my life in that band and I still got back stabbed and had it stolen from me ,” she laments . “ When they say that the music business is a dirty business , it ’ s really true .”)

That breakup came due to another career milestone : White-Gluz had been recruited to replace the iconic Angela Gossow in Arch Enemy , a truly international act that currently includes members from Sweden , the United States , and now , Canada . ( And Gossow was German .)

Despite her international fame and the fact that her band is a veritable United Nations of headbangers , White-Gluz still considers herself a part of the Canadian metal scene , especially in Montreal , a place she brags about to her fellow musicians .

“ Quebec is one of the biggest markets for metal in North America ,” she says . “ I don ’ t know what it is , but you can ask any touring band that comes from Europe and goes on a tour in North America , ‘ What ’ s your best show going to be ?’ and the answers are always going to be Montreal , New York , and L . A . I ’ m proud that Montreal is one of those .

“ I would like to [ consider myself still a part of the scene ]. I did put a lot of work in this scene ,” she adds . “ Even before I joined Arch Enemy , I did manage to get my Canadian band to an international touring level .”

White-Gluz is successful by any definition , but even in a country that has strict laws on Canadian content being given special attention on radio and television , it ’ s likely that most people have never heard her name . ( And if they had , odds are good it ’ s because she was named the World ’ s Sexiest Vegetarian by PETA2 in 2011 , beating out Natalie Portman and Olivia Wilde .)

“ This type of music is not meant for that realm . As soon as it does get attention paid to it , I think something needs to change ,” explains Jesse Matthewson , singer and guitarist for Winnipeg-based noise

Photo : Susan Moss

Jason Rockman of Slaves on Dope

[ 44 ] • CANADIAN MUSICIAN