Unleash The Archers – Apex

Canada’s Unleash The Archers is a power metal band that always seems to be hard at work. Whether it is rigorous touring, or another full-length, the band often seems to be of interest. And despite their metalcore-ish name, they offer something far better: power metal of the European variety. “Apex” is their fourth album, and picks up exactly where “Time Stands Still” left off. This record, however, feels much more focused. The songs tend to work better as an album than the previous release, which was a little all over the place stylistically (though still full of individual highlights).

Most of the tracks on “Apex” are fairly upbeat, with the primary emphasis being on Brittney Slayes’ lead vocals. She has a wide range, which is as much of a weakness as it is an asset. In the past, she sometimes went a little overboard with the wailing, but on “Apex”, she controls her voice more successfully. On many songs, she tends to be a bit tamer in the verses, and then unleashes her full power in the chorus. The end result is effective, as it makes the choruses the most memorable and worthwhile parts of each song.

Complementing Slayes’ vocals are plenty of solos and leads. Though Unleash The Archers wield some excellent riffs, they are at their best when shredding or playing melodies. Their brand of power metal can tend to get somewhat generic when it relies solely on riffing, but fortunately, Unleash The Archers manages to avoid that by allowing the guitars more freedom. A section towards the end of the title track, “Apex”, is perhaps the best example, as the rhythm section gallops away while the guitars offer killer harmonies. Even the riffs can often get the job done. The opening riff to “Shadow Guide” is just one of those perfectly written riffs that sets the scene for an absurdly catchy song.

And catchy really is the name of the game for Unleash The Archers. The two strongest efforts, “The Matriarch” and “Ten Thousand Against One” are both notable for their memorable, sing-along choruses. The latter track shows a bit of diversity for the band, as it is more rhythm driven, and features Slayes using a lower range in the chorus. Nonetheless, it manages to be one of the standout tracks because of its uniqueness.

Relative to “Time Stands Still”, “Apex” falls a little bit short. It’s still a good record, and the band didn’t fly off the handle the way they did on their last release, but sometimes it was that absurdity that made the prior record so enjoyable. Whether it was the chanting in the title track, the poppy chorus of “No More Heroes”, or the metal anthem “Test Your Metal”, “Time Stands Still” felt like the definitive career release for Unleash The Archers. By contrast, “Apex” is simply a worthy successor that shows the band continuing their excellent brand of power metal.

Be sure to check out and like Unleash The Archers on Facebook!

Highlights

"Shadow Guide"

"The Matriarch"

"Ten Thousand Against One"

Final Rating

4.1/5 or 82%. 

Written by Scott

Unleash The Archers – Time Stands Still

Unleash The Archers is a power metal band from Canada’s West coast that infuses death metal elements into their sound. I’ve known about these guys for a lot time, but for some reason never checked them out until their newest album, “Time Stands Still” (even though I saw them in 2009). Evidently, that was a mistake because this album rages. The band is led by frontwoman Brittney Slayes, who has an incredible voice. Her singing has a ton of power, and she lets you know that with the opening scream of “Frozen Steel”, the first full-length track on the record. This track also displays her wicked range, as she hits some seriously high notes in the chorus.

Complementing Slayes’ singing is some much harsher growling. I’m of the opinion that mixing growling and clean singing is a dangerous proposition. For 90% of bands, it does work. Usually this is because either the growling sounds like metalcore screamers, or because the singing sounds like metalcore whining. Fortunately, Unleash The Archers fits into the 10% that does this well. As mentioned, Slayes is definitely an archetypical power metal singer, and the growling is likewise right in line with its death and black metal heritage. Unleash The Archers also makes extensive use of gang and backing vocals. Often times this is done to amp up the intensity of the music, but it is also done to make things even more epic, such as on the title track.

The band’s music typically stays in the power/heavy metal range. The guitar playing is both virtuosic and melodic, often times harmonizing for greater effect (best exemplified in the beginning of “Tonight We Ride”). Occasionally the group gets more experimental, such as on “Crypt”, which opens as a full-on death metal song, complete with blastbeats and riffs of pure evil. On the whole though, this album is most likely to appeal to power metal fans. The rhythm section gets the job done, as the drumming is up to par with any of the elite drumming out there, and the bass is easy to hear.

From a songwriting perspective, “Time Stands Still” does a great job maintaining the listener’s interest. Put simply, 55 minutes is too long for this style and this album, but the really good tracks are spread all throughout the album, meaning that there are few, if any, dull moments. Unfortunately the 9-minute song “Dreamcrusher” is really not all that special, and could easily be cut, as both “No More Heroes” and “Time Stands Still” surpass it in grandiosity. The best song on this record, however, is “Test Your Metal”. While the stereotypical metal track has been done by an uncountable number of bands before, it doesn’t matter so long as it’s good, and Unleash The Archers have made a fantastic metal anthem. This song is definitely the best display of Slayes’ vocal prowess, but it is also an excellent example of the band’s general sound and talent.

On the whole, “Time Stands Still” is an impressive record. This is definitely one band I was wrong about; I was incredibly concerned they’d be a boring modern metal band, and while there are certainly modernisms present on this record, it is ultimately a solid power metal album. As long as you still enjoy some fun in your metal, “Time Stands Still” is going to appeal to you.

Be sure to check out and like Unleash The Archers on Facebook!

Highlights

"Frozen Steel"

"Test Your Metal"

"No More Heroes"

"Time Stands Still"

Final Rating

4.4/5 or 88%. 

Written by Scott