Apex

The road that is Unleash The Archers' career has had many twists and turns.
Starting as a melodic death metal band, they took a sharp left turn with 2015's Time stands still. The album was essentially an interesting but at times uneasy stand-off between power metal, their death metal past, and something resembling a modern Manowar (I'm looking at you, Test your metal).

And then the road went straight up.

All of a sudden everything just clicked into place.

Right from the start, it is obvious that Apex is something special.
It opens with Awakening, a song that blows your hair back and sets the bar impossibly high.It is also a blueprint of a new, consolidated sound - the sound of a band on fire. For those who haven't heard the band before, the one element that really hits you is Brittany Slayes' turbo-charged voice. She soars over the music with such power and passion that you feel like you've been knocked over by a freight train - and loved it.

As the album progresses the influence of Iron Maiden becomes apparent, with harmonizing guitars, catchy melodic choruses and tasteful soloing, evident in tracks such as Shadow Guide and The Matriach. Many of the songs fly along at a quick pace, occasionally doubling up into a helloween-like sprint, but not so frequently that it becomes predictable.

One exception to this is Cleanse the Bloodlines; a brilliant, slow burning piece that pulls you deep into the story of The Immortal and The Matriach. As a concept album, there is plenty of time to flesh out the characters of this fantasy world, and this track does just that.

The production of the album is clear and polished, and it has enough overdubs to give a full, layered sound without making it too busy. The only possible weak point is that the bass is fairly low in the mix. Steve Harris would never let that happen.

Scott Buchanon's drumming is an important factor that pulls the tracks together. He manages that tightrope of producing skill and speed, without becoming overly technical and losing the feel of the song. Interestingly, while there is plenty of double kick to be heard, this is the first UTA album not to feature any blast beats. This omission may be part of the band's vision for a more mature sound, or maybe it just wasn't warranted. In any case there are still enough growled vocals here and there to keep the old fans happy.

On most albums, the best tracks are lined up on or near the start of the album, to lure the listener in. But that's not the case on Apex. If anything, the album gets even better in the second half. False Walls is as much rock as it is metal, with it's moderate pace and hooky chorus, and the slight variation in style gives Brittany a chance to show another side to her voice.

The only problem with having such a powerhouse vocalist is that the other band members can - through no fault of their own - fall under some listeners radars. This is unfortunate, especially in the case of guitarists Grant Truesdell and Andrew Kingsley. Both are talented soloists, but more importantly, talented songwriters. Take for example, Ten Thousand Against One.
This gem of a song easily changes gears from a stomping, fist in the air battle-march chorus to a twelve-eight classic metal verse and back again without ever sounding forced.

At some point you realise, listening to Apex, that there hasn't been any filler yet, and you start to wonder when they are going to drop the ball.

But they don't. Not even once.

And as if they know what you are thinking, the Archers laugh scornfully and unleash the best for last.

Call Me Immortal is a glorious foot-to-the-floor gallop that will have you screaming the chorus out your car window for days, and the epic title track is a finale for the ages. Hard as it is to pick a highlight in an album full of highlights, this song is probably it.

Not since the heady days of Number of the Beast and Piece of Mind have I heard such an utter masterpiece. It encapsulates all the freedom and exhilaration that makes heavy metal so brilliant, and so unique from all other forms of music,

Before hearing Apex, I was a little scared to listen to Unleash the Archers; I'd heard many a horror story about the cheesiness of their previous albums, and the 48% average score for the previous album was off-putting to say the least. And then I heard Apex.

As soon as the first riff in "Awakening" kicked in, all preconceived notions of Unleash the Archers being a cheesier Fairyland were thrown aside. The riffs on this album truly pummel you, perhaps not in a death metal fashion, but in a way that compliments Brittney Slayes' powerful alto and creates a driving epic feel - see "Ten Thousand Against One" for the perfect example. Make no mistake, there's plenty of power metal elements, with guitar harmonies, noodling and massive choruses, but, in a lesson that some could learn, they're balanced with the heavier components; no song feels unbalanced. There's even smatterings of harsh vocals, in a way that reminds me of Epica's "Beyond the Matrix", although the technique is far more Gothenburg than metalcore.

The album does feel a tad long however; although no particular song feels dragged out, the album itself threatens to become stale by the last tracks; luckily, album closer "Apex" is one of the stronger tracks on the album, making sure that you finish the experience with big, epic feelings. The kick drum also really annoys me for some reason; not enough bass, not enough click. Unfortunately, when you're growing a little bored during the last quarter of the album, that kick drum does stand out as a point of irritation.

When adding everything up however, Apex ranks amongst some of the best releases of 2017 in my humble opinion. After gaining what was certainly a bad reputation in certain metal circles, this album should make the masses reconsider, and places Unleash the Archers on a firm upward trajectory towards further successes.

Up until signing with Napalm Records, Unleash the Archers had been bubbling along in their home of Canada for half a decade before gathering worldwide attention with their 3rd album, ‘Time Stands Still’ in 2015. Although reception to ‘Time Stands Still’ was lukewarm to generally positive, it did not deter Unleash the Archers and after touring in support of ‘Time Stands Still’, Unleash the Archers returned to the studio to begin writing their follow up. The album in question would become ‘Apex’ and for it, Unleash the Archers would take their brand of power metal and crank up the musicianship, song writing and delivery that in essence, truly eclipses their former albums.

The only change that has occurred between the releases of ‘Time Stands Still’ and ‘Apex’ is the departure of Kyle Sheppard, who has left his position of bassist to return to his true passion as a drummer, picking up the drum stool in Canadian black metal band; Finite as well as Canadian thrash band; Terrifer. Sheppard has been replaced by Nikko Whitworth who, no detriment to Sheppard, brings a more solid backbone to the band with his Steve Harris-esque gallop.

In your stereotypical power metal style, ‘Apex’ begins with a sampled synthesiser intro which serves as the introduction to ‘Awakening’. Unleash the Archers head out on tour soon in support of ‘Apex’ and it would be no doubt that ‘Awakening’ will be the opening song. The slow burning ambiguous opening makes way for the opening notes of ‘Awakening’, a rapid fire beat that explodes through the speakers that would appeal to fans of 3 Inches of Blood before taking on the form of a power metal charge worthy of Helloween, Gamma Ray or Edguy. From this very moment, ‘Apex’ pulls you in, ‘Awakening’ is memorable and fun to listen to, with vocalist Brittany Slayes’ voice soaring high and low, leaving you hanging on every word. Slayes’ voice is perfectly complimented by guitarist, Grant Truesdell with a growl that adds a totally different aspect to Unleash the Archers’ work. This growl throws a curveball into the mix, showing that Unleash the Archers are not your average power metal band, instead, it brings a melodic death metal element to the band. This melodic death metal isn’t your standard Gothenburg sound, the high bouncing rhythms coupled with Slayes’ powerful voice has more akin to fellow Canadian bands; 3 Inches of Blood, Crimson Shadows and Into Eternity than the likes of At The Gates, In Flames and Dark Tranquillity.

Each song on ‘Apex’ is beautifully crafted, dripping with hooks and infectious melodies that will have you humming along with tracks such as ‘Shadow Guide’, ‘The Matriarch’ ‘The Coward’s Way’, and in particular, the brilliant acoustic intro to ‘Earth and Ashes’, but the accolade for the best ‘shorter’ song on ‘Apex’ goes to the marching ‘Ten Thousand Against One’, little have a band given that rousing battle cry against the odds since Manowar or Sabaton with its fist in the air chanting chorus built entirely for the live environment begs the question, why has ‘Ten Thousand Against One’ been overlooked for a music video/single is beyond thought, as it is easily one of the best songs on the album.

However, it is the longer, more epic songs in which Unleash the Archers excel on ‘Apex’. ‘Awakening’ will powerfully bore its way into your skull, but ‘False Walls’ and the title track will hit the home run. ‘False Walls’ changes the pace of the album and smoulders away, building up and up to a chorus that really shows off the different dynamics in Slayes’ voice. ‘False Walls’ shows that Slayes is not just a one trick pony, able to wail over a power metal riff, but it does confirm that the band are able to write a different style of song with Slayes’ bringing Unleash the Archers to sounding a little more towards Huntress or even the Queen of heavy metal; Doro. But, the emphasis should not be all on Slayes, guitarists Grant Truesdell and Andrew Kingsley, both play fantastic arpeggiated patterns, particularly in the outro to ‘False Walls’, in which the pair manage to play a slow, but bright burning outro that goes out with a bang rather than peters out. The skill of Unleash the Archers returns for one final epic in the title track. ‘Apex’ begins with an intro that alludes to ‘Crusader’ by Saxon and at this point, you know you’re in for a treat. ‘Apex’ builds you up through a familiar narrative with Slayes hitting the notes that are best reserved for the Wilson sisters of Heart, completing the album with a memorable chorus that will implant itself into your head immediately as you realise that Unleash the Archers have outdone themselves.

Clocking in at just over an hour, ‘Apex’ is easily Unleash the Archers’ best work to date, each song has been meticulously crafted and not only have the band taken in their influences, they have ran with it and created a brilliant album. With a tour already lined up supporting ‘Apex’, 2017 has yet to see more of Unleash of Archers.

Officially the most metal band name in history, Unleash The Archers have made quite a stir amongst their cult fanbase throughout the 2010s. Four full-length albums into their career, the Canadians have fine-tuned their blend of North American power metal, European melodeath and classic NWOBHM to the point where they absolutely own the sound. After some line-up mixtures around 2013, the quintet returned fully formed and ready to melt faces with 2015's glorious Time Stands Still. But here in 2017, the archers' bow strings are taut once again, ready to launch a volley of power metal fury right into our unworthy faces. Apex is the newest effort from Vancouver's finest, and it may just be their most impressive yet.

Starting from the exterior: the artwork adorning the cover is phenomenal - one of the best I've seen this year. Whether it fits the style of Apex or if it would be better suited to an atmospheric black metal band like Caladan's Brood is up for debate. But when combined with song titles like "Call Me Immortal" and "Ten Thousand Against One", it fires the listener up for a truly impactful experience. Opener "Awakening" totally justifies this anticipation with its explosive riff and soaring chorus. It's over seven minutes long but doesn't at all feel that way as it gallops from section to section, displaying the talents of each band member perfectly. Scott's drum performance is top-tier and full of both ferocity and control; Andrew and Grant's flamboyant guitar lines wind around each other in complimentary fashion; Grant's screams are still present and make the correct antithesis to Brittney's glorious melodic power. Even Nikko's bass work shines towards the end of this track as he's granted space to show off his skills.

Apex works both as a continuous journey and as a collection of individual masterpieces. Listening to each track separately carries its own rewards as every song contains so many points of interest, but hearing the entire affair takes the listener on a voyage of consistent quality. Every track possesses a different quality, but they all belong to the same world of heavy metal worship. The more expansive gems like the title-track may contrast in tempo to straightforward blasts like "Call Me Immortal", but they definitely exist in harmony on Apex. These shorter, more direct numbers are where the Maiden influences show, such as the one-two smack of "Shadow Guide" and "The Matriarch" - the latter packing a particularly powerful punch. "The Coward's Way" and "False Walls" also have this focused idea, but expand slightly with extended melody lines.

The true masterworks of this record are the broader songs that pass by in an instant due to sheer enjoyment. The emotive impact behind the epic "Cleanse The Bloodlines" is irresistible, and Brittney absolutely shines in the heavenly chorus. Similarly, "Ten Thousand Against One" may be lengthy, but the addictive shout-along hook line and ultra-headbangable mid-section will have you returning to it again and again. I could call out every track for having something special, but that only proves how much you should own the entire LP. Recommended for anyone looking for a rockin' good time with some hooky heavy metal, but also recommended for anyone looking to dig into some power metal with true substance. Unleash The Archers continue to grow with their cult fanbase, but here's hoping they can reach their sprawling tentacles into the far reaches of the world - heaven knows they deserve it.

Cleanse the bloodlines!
Free me from the clutch of death incarnate.
My reign must never end.