Unleash the Archers + Firestorm & Thraxas!
Thursday, the 6th of June 2024
Manning Bar, Sydney University
Rating: Five skulls.
Canadian power metal band Unleash the Archers have been steadily gaining ground in the metal scene as the band to watch. Fronted by powerhouse vocalist Brittney Hayes [aka Brittney Slayes], backed by a sensational progressive metal band, and with a strong discography of albums that are immersed in concepts, and impressive storytelling, they look set to make themselves known on the world stage with their latest release Phantoma. If Abyss was their statement of musical intent, then Phantoma is a claim to the power metal throne, with impeccable harmonies, jaw dropping musicianship, and an interesting take on AI developments, peppered with an unashamedly pop sensibility. For their first ever tour here, it was virtually sold out, rewarding their hard work in crafting some of the best power metal in the last decade.
To start things off, NSW Hawkesbury area-based groove metal band Thraxas! took to the stage. Whilst not as melodic as one might first expect, their guitar solos certainly had elements of virtuoso guitar playing from both vocalist Chris Woods and amplifier sponsored lead guitarist Aleks Radmanovich. The rhythm section of drummer Izak Easterbrook and the amusingly named bassist Dan Andrews, were intent on bolting down the proceedings as their shirtless, heavily inked band leader unleashed a tirade of expletives drenched Aussie vernacular.
First song was “Ecophagy” from Planetary Terrorism, and the initially slow driving track swiftly changed gears into double time rhythms figures against traded solos of sweeping lead work before reprising a half time figure. The next track, “Glass Shadows” was tight, changing speeds, and employed rolling trills, chromatics against scalar soloing. “Warchief” continued the onslaught but with a lower, sludgy riffing, before heavier parts for Slayer-esque styled soloing, hard cymbal hits, and a smattering of finger-tapping on bass.
The rolling groove and heavy riffing of the Sepultura sounding “Seven-Sided Strike” saw some headbanging, with both guitarists trading melodic solos, facing each other, as their rehearsed skills took effect, returning to the riff. To finish off their set, “Cthulhu Rising” was delivered with passion; cymbal clamps, to wide cymbal smashes worked with a pedalled, yet slower riff, with some pinched harmonics and more accents on snare drums hits.
After a small rhythmic interlude, thrash inspired soloing ensued, with Woods encouraging the audience with their ‘last chance to get nutty’ with the song concluding on a high with a burst of scale-based guitar soloing of the tremolo picked variety.
Sabbath over the PA was a good mood settler before NSW outback based [Broken Hill] band Firestorm set their broad heavy metal stylings across the Manning Bar to get effect. Polished with a no-nonsense set, amiable frontman Bilyara Bates took to his vocals and lead guitar work with obvious passion, oblivious to current tastes, and rightly so. Backed by drummer Ash Meadows and bassist Jake Beavan, both Bates and co-lead guitarist Tomo Jovanovic had no difficulty in delivering a whip smart eight song set of heavy metal.
“Into the Void” let their heavy groove metal, full of drumming prowess enhance the falsetto vocals, with some fluid finger tapping from Bates on his Jackon Soloist guitar, and with riffage to boot. Similarly, the wah pedal filtered “Sands of Time” alongside sustained chords, let guitar lines sing over changing rhythm parts. Amusingly stating, ‘we’re just dags from the bush that like to play metal’ it was time for the double kick drum triggers filled “Call to the Beast” which got a groove metal bounce happening on a red lit stage. Some time changes, guitar sound dynamics and breakdown sections led to an outro harmony part.
Their single, “Darkness Calls” morphed into barrelling thrash, but amongst the riffing, their control of speed and execution of guitar soloing skills were demonstrable of their worthiness of being included on such a bill. Stage lighting took on an array of colours as the two guitarists traded soloing and rhythm figures. Even after Meadows broke a drum trigger, he enlisted a spare, showing their preparation to demolish with “Control, Demise” which employed everything in heavy metal sans the kitchen sink to deliver a melodic, heavy track, as Beavan continued to play with a towel thrown over his head by another band mate.
“Bundle Up My Bones” was heartfelt, as a song Bates described as ‘from my grandmother’s country about traditionally preparing the body to be carried back home to be rested in their final resting place’ after which he announced his would also wish to one day go ‘back to the red dust’, as the bouncing fast thrash metal soon took hold. Again, their ability to change timing paces whilst retaining a groove were soon embellished with wah pedal infused soloing full of vibrato, speed, and squealing notes before a resumption of riffing.
The mood altered with ‘songs about swords and shields, and ancient prophecies; the treasured one’ as represented by the somewhat power metal rhythm figure based “Saviour of Man”, with the odd hand wave from the red lit stage. As the harmonies faded into the howling feedback, a Manowar cover of “Outlaw” from 1996 release Louder Than Hell let them go off, delving into fast paced riffing, unison bends, chordal stabs and soloing trills that ended with stinging guitar lines. Nice work, and one band worth catching on the live front, should they venture from the bush again.
As the simple backdrop of largely black on white Unleash the Archers was lit up an introduction of electronica styled music filled the room, as house lights dimmed. It was an extended interlude of bouncy keyboards, synthesiser phrases and beats; in line with the feel of latest album Phantoma, and slightly hypnotic. As the band took up their stage positions, the band soon launched into an opening salvo of four tracks from the trilogy concluding epic, masterpiece album Abyss.
Starting with the title track, sustained chords and heavy sounds were delivered by seven string guitarists Grant Truesdell and Andrew Kingsley Saunders, in sync with six string bassist Nick Miller. The top-notch vocal gymnastics set the tone, with front woman Brittney Hayes [aka Brittney Slayes] singing loudly in key, with utmost power. The galloping guitar figures continued against backing track keyboard figures that floated over the precise drumming from Scott Buchanan.
“Through Stars” continued the power, much like on the album, with muted guitar rhythms, cymbals smashes, and slower expressive guitar parts that melded into heavier chordal work. A melodic chorus reprise took the harmony lines into third track “Soulbound”, after some welcoming banter from Hayes. Harmonics, borderline blast beats, swirling bass lines and vocals rising pitch into consistently strong projection soon ushered in audience singalongs. Guitar soloing was full of pull offs, high vibrato, scalar slides, and speed runs returning to the main riff, with a slight Celtic vibe.
An almost neoclassical feel, with a swift gallop ensued with “Faster Than Light”, using dynamics of heavier verses against more pop-oriented choruses. Plentiful soloing, cymbal work and phrasing variations bolstered higher register vocals. By this point Unleash the Archers had established an unbreakable rapport with the audience.
A couple of tracks from slightly earlier album Apex took the material in heavier territory, starting with “The Matriarch” which adopts a very early Queensrÿche approach of call and response works in choruses, referencing the song title. Awakening followed and saw crowd chants, and fast rhythm figures, and a conviction of musical delivery from the band. After some harmonised twin guitar sweep picking work, a half time musical interlude was heavier allowing for traversing of scales before resuming speed with fast, galloping power metal and additional twin guitar work.
It was time for new album material, offering an explanation to those unaware of Hayes’ AI robot inspired body suit and cape. After saying, ‘I can’t wait to tell Melbourne how much better you guys were,’ she kicked off the fantastic newer song “Green & Glass”. As the muted rhythm feel progressed, Miller’s bass work was very clear, along with Hayes’ vocal, driving the track as the guitar rhythms pulsed before snare drum blasts and some unclean vocals from Truesdell. A harmonised twin guitar part fed into interspersed trade-offs after which a melodic bridge returned the song to the chorus, enhanced with a deftly executed key change, ending into dreamy doo wop vocal ‘oohs’ as the band edged out, and vocals completed the song. It is something they had tampered with on “Legacy” on the last album, but now perfected.
Two more tracks from Phantoma were next, with “Ghosts in the Mist” mixing keyboard track figures and gritty, scratchy, abrasive down tuned riffs against hard hitting floor toms. As the song moved from verse to chorus, with embellishing twin guitar harmonies and post chorus riffs, their skills were evident. Some unclean vocals and a slight diversion into melodic death metal territory both vocally and sonically, took the track back to a swift middle eight solo figure, to then repeat the chorus with varied guitar fills. It was an example of the band’s overall mastery of song structure.
A swift pitch jumping keyboard track figure introduced “Seeking Vengeance” before it again delved in melodic death metal rhythm figures. As drum works used snares and cymbals as accents, the chorus of sustained higher vocals took on a climactic sensibility. Guitar soloing with whammy bar dips, sweeps, tremolo picking, and Vai-isms subsided as a keyboard figure alongside arpeggiated guitar completed the song.
The heaviness was not over though as Time Stands Still track “Tonight We Ride” saw Hayes and bands launch into superb high energy power metal, was twin guitar harmonies, cymbals crashing and impressive falsetto vocal screams. A dash of unclean vocals gave the power metal vibe some edge as did fast guitar soloing that climbed octaves, somehow all leading to an audience singalong, with the song’s end having Hayes demonstrating her vocal range prowess.
Closing their main set, the final, and title track from the Apex album took their penchant for syncopated riffs and twin guitar parts into clean, arpeggiated guitar sections interplay. The increasing pace took the track into very Iron Maiden styled territory, galloping as snare drums cracked and chordal figures resolved musical tension in phrases. The chorus, with backing vocals, took on vocal line repeats, almost in an in-the-round technique, followed by traded solos, with fluid guitar runs. Even the outro twin guitar harmonies were very Maidenesque, but with Unleash the Archers’ own stamp on it.
As the inevitable encore eventuated, the last two tracks from the fantastic Abyss album were used to conclude the show. “Carry the Flame” supplied musical dynamics and sonic variations, including clean and heavy, distorted guitar sounds, melodic choruses and duel clean vocals between Hayes and Kingsley Saunders. Guitar solo trade-offs, at different paces and intensities led back to the chorus, with some floating keyboard figures for added spice.
The last track of the night, again with a substantial nod to Iron Maiden, was “Afterlife”, as fast galloping rhythms and suitable vocals led to trades between clean and unclean vocal parts from the relevant band members. The half time feel of the chorus, but with higher vocals from Hayes allowed for audience singalongs, whilst guitars played the melody lines.
As the third verse hit, some more melodic death metal ferocity was employed to great effect, followed by more trading guitar solo parts as the chorus repeated to the end. The song morphed magically into a more vocal driven enterprise, winding up with a keyboard-based outro, and expanded track arrangements that were orchestral, with flutes, and stringed instrument swells.
What a treat it was to see Unleash the Archers live, finally, after the pandemic scuppered prior tour plans. As expected, they were sensational, well-rehearsed, musically proficient, and highly entertaining. Hopefully they will tour our wide brown land again, and they might even include “The Wind That Shapes the Land” in their next set. Truly, they are one international band that are well worth seeing in a live environment. Fantastic work from the wonderful Canadians.
Set List:
Abyss
Through Stars
Soulbound
Faster than Light
The Matriarch
Awakening
Green & Glass
Ghosts in the Mist
Seeking Vengeance
Tonight we Ride
Apex
Encore:
Carry the Flame
Afterlife.
