ARCH ENEMY / SPIRITUAL BEGGARS guitarist Michael Amott is the latest artist to be interviewed for Under The Whip. Check out the interview below:

The Whip: Do you think that I’m an idiot if I say that I see you as the death/thrash metal answer to Scott Gorham?

Michael Amott. "Ha! Well, I’m a big fan of THIN LIZZY and all the awesome guitar players they employed in '70s and '80s. So, I’d take that as a compliment for sure."

The Whip: In your humble opinion, who is the best guitarist of all time? I know, some say "that one is better on doing riffs" or "that one has better technique". Screw that, the best, in my opinion, should have an balance between them both. So, tell.....

Michael Amott; "The one that comes to mind is MICHAEL SCHENKER in his prime, his first stint with UFO and on the early MSG stuff."

The Whip: Is there any band that could offer you a slot as the new guitarist that would make you quit Arch Enemy and Spiritual Beggars?

Michael Amott: "No, I can’t imagine that happening. The reason being that I do music to express myself as a guitarist/songwriter/arranger/producer. I have to admit that I don’t enjoy playing guitar parts written by someone else to the same degree. I like being in control. I have never played covers for example, I don’t know how to play other people's music, I only really excel when I play my own stuff – because that is when I am able to put all my heart and soul into it."

The Whip: Get whipped by ULI JON ROTH or spank LADY GAGA?

Michael Amott: "I have already been whipped by Uli Jon Roth (in a musical sense) when I jammed with him on stage in California a couple of years back. So I’d be into spanking Lady Gaga…sounds fun."

The Whip: How high do you rate the CARNAGE album today if you compare to a lot of Swedish death metal albums that are released these days?

Michael Amott: "I am not a huge fan of my debut album, as I think it wasn’t as good as it could/should have been. It was a bit of rush job and that is not how I like to work. Regarding how it holds up compared to newer Death Metal albums - that’s a difficult question for me answer as I don’t listen to Death Metal and haven’t done so for maybe twenty years. Sometimes I meet fans who tell me that the Carnage album is a favourite of theirs, and of course I respect their opinion!"

In late 2012, Arch Enemy released the Astro Khaos 2012 - Official Live Bootleg (CD+DVD) in Japan.

Says the band: "At the end of our Japan tour in April 2012, we played two suddenly announced special intimate shows with setlists voted by the Japanese fans...the CD+DVD captures these very special moments…"

Astro Khaos 2012 - Official Live Bootleg tracklisting:

'Enemy Within'

'In This Shallow Grave'

'Fields Of Desolation'

'Nemesis'

'Bury Me An Angel'

'Dead Eyes See No Future'

'The Immortal'

'Bridge Of Destiny'

'Blood On Your Hands'

'Silverwing'

'Khaos Overture'

'Yesterday Is Dead And Gone'

'We Will Rise'