Unleash the Archers

Unleash the Archers is a Canadian power metal band from Victoria, BC,[1] currently signed with Napalm Records. The band plays a fusion of traditional heavy metal[2] with power metal[3][4][5][6] and melodic death metal.[5][6]

Unleash the Archers
Unleash the Archers performing in January 2020.
Background information
OriginVancouver, British Columbia
GenresHeavy metal, power metal, melodic death metal
Years active2007–present
LabelsNapalm
Websiteunleashthearchers.com
MembersBrittney Hayes (a.k.a. Brittney Slayes)
Scott Buchanan
Grant Truesdell
Andrew Kingsley
Past membersMike Selman
Zahk Hedstrom
Brad Kennedy
Brayden Dyczkowski
Kyle Sheppard
Nikko Whitworth
Nick Miller

History

Unleash the Archers was formed in late 2007 by vocalist Brittney Hayes (a.k.a. Brittney Slayes) and drummer Scott Buchanan with former member Brayden Dyczkowski on guitar, whom Scott had played with previously in an independent death metal project.[7] Former member Mike Selman was brought on after his departure from Canadian death metal band Meatlocker Seven. The position of bass player was unfilled for the first few months of Unleash The Archers' career, until Zahk Hedstrom joined in October 2007 to complete the lineup. In late 2008 the band recorded a self-titled four song demo, which featured two songs they would end up re-recording for their first studio album.

Their debut studio album was recorded with Jason Hywell Martin at Omega Mediacore Studios in Richmond, BC and was released independently in August 2009. This was the only album to feature the band's original lineup in its entirety.[8][9]

The band's second album was recorded with Nick Engwer and Stu McKillop at the Hive Soundlab in Burnaby, BC and was released independently in May 2011. This album included the first appearance of guitarist Grant Truesdell, who provided solos for their songs Battle in the Shadow (of the Mountain) and The Outlander. He would step in as the new guitar player later that same year after the departure of Mike Selman prior to the recording. The album was a concept album based on the exploits of a mercenary in space[10] and was set far into the future.[11][12]

This album was a three-song EP released solely on 7-inch vinyl. A bonus fourth track titled ‘Arise’ was given to those that pre-ordered, but was later released on the band's bandcamp page in digital format only. This record also marked the departure of original bassist Zahk Hedstrom.[13]

In February 2015 the band announced their signing with Napalm Records,[14] and soon after the title, track listing and release date for their upcoming studio album Time Stands Still were revealed. The album was released in Europe on June 26 and in North America on July 10. The album was originally slated for a late-Summer/early-Fall 2014 release, but the release was pushed back after the band was signed by Napalm Records.[15] This album was the first without Brayden Dyczkowski, who had been one of the main songwriters up until his parting with the band in late 2013; this lineup change has affected the band's sound and driven it towards a more traditional heavy metal direction with the addition of Andrew Kingsley, who is also trained in jazz, on guitar.[16]

On May 26, 2015, the band released the "Tonight We Ride" video, inspired by Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome.[17] The video was filmed in the Nevada desert, using props from the Death Guild Thunderdome camp at Burning Man.[15]

Since leaving for a tour of Europe in November 2016,[18] Unleash the Archers mentioned they would be recording a new album at the end of 2016.[18] This album would be the first to include then bassist, Nikko Whitworth. The first single, "Cleanse the Bloodlines" was released on April 8, 2017. Apex' was released on June 2, 2017 through Napalm Records. The album debuted at No. 3 on iTunes metal charts, and became their first to make Billboard charts. The album debuted at No. 9 Heatseeker, No. 29 Top Hard Music Albums, No. 29 Record Label Independent Current Albums, No. 34 Top Current Rock Albums, No. 116 Overall Digital Albums, No. 119 Top Current Albums, and No. 197 Top Albums by Strata. It also debuted at No. 12 on Canadian Top Hard Music chart. The band announced they would be touring Europe, accompanying Orden Ogan, to promote the album in the fall of 2017, with a US tour to be announced. In end of January it was announced that bassist Nikko Witworth had decided to leave the band.[19]

Brittney Hayes gave interviews and tweeted saying that they are currently working on an EP of covers with a "bit of a UTA spin" on them. [20]

On August 30, 2019, the band released the first single off of the EP Explorers, a cover of Stan Rogers' "Northwest Passage". The full EP was released October 11, 2019.

In August 2020, they released their fifth full-length album, Abyss, continuing the story of Apex. They also revealed they have plans to release a graphic novel with the story told on both albums.[21]

Band members

Current

  • Brittney Hayes (a.k.a. Brittney Slayes) – clean vocals (2007–present)[22]
  • Scott Buchanan – drums (2007–present)
  • Grant Truesdell – guitars, unclean vocals (2011–present)
  • Andrew Kingsley – guitars, unclean vocals (2014–present)

Previous

  • Mike Selman – guitars (2007–2011)
  • Zahk Hedstrom – bass (2007–2012)
  • Brad Kennedy – bass (2012–2014)
  • Brayden Dyczkowski – guitars, unclean vocals (2007–2014)
  • Kyle Sheppard – bass (2014–2016)
  • Nikko Whitworth – bass (2016–2018)
  • Nick Miller – bass (2018–2020)

Timeline

Discography

Studio albums
  • 2009: Behold the Devastation (independent)
  • 2011: Demons of the AstroWaste (independent)
  • 2015: Time Stands Still (Napalm Records)
  • 2017: Apex (Napalm Records)
  • 2020: Abyss (Napalm Records)

EPs
  • 2012: Defy the Skies (Spread the Metal Records)
  • 2019: Explorers (Napalm Records)

Demos
  • 2008: Unleash the Archers (Independent)
  • 2014: Dreamcrusher (single; Independent)

Videography/singles
  • 2011: "Dawn of Ages", taken from Demons of the AstroWaste
  • 2012: "General of the Dark Army" taken from Demons of the AstroWaste
  • 2015: "Tonight We Ride", taken from Time Stands Still
  • 2015: "Test Your Metal", taken from Time Stands Still
  • 2016: "Time Stands Still", taken from Time Stands Still
  • 2017: "Cleanse the Bloodlines", taken from Apex
  • 2017: "Awakening", taken from Apex
  • 2019: "Northwest Passage", taken from Explorers
  • 2019: "Heartless World", taken from Explorers
  • 2020: "Abyss", taken from Abyss
  • 2020: "Soulbound", taken from Abyss
  • 2020: "Faster Than Light", taken from Abyss
  • 2020: "Legacy", taken from Abyss

Awards and nominations

Voted No. 6 in Exclaim Magazine's Readers Choice Awards for Best Metal Albums 2009.[23]

Voted Best Metal Band at the Whammy Awards in Vancouver for 2015.[24]

References
  1. "Unleash The Archers". All Access Rock Music Magazine.
  2. Kam, Chee (July 5, 2011). "Unleash The Archers - "Demons Of The AstroWaste" [Album Review]". Pure Grain Audio. Retrieved March 2, 2019.
  3. Monger, James Christopher. "Unleash the Archers | Biography & History". AllMusic. Retrieved March 2, 2019.
  4. MacInnis, Allan (May 7, 2014). "Wacken Metal Battle shows genre's diversity". The Georgia Straight. Retrieved March 2, 2019.
  5. Perilla, Johnny (July 29, 2018). "Unleash the Archers confirm North American tour". Next Mosh. Retrieved March 2, 2019.
  6. Kitteringham, Sarah (November 24, 2014). "Vancouver power metallers Unleash the Archers (wo)man the ramparts". BeatRoute. Retrieved March 2, 2019.
  7. "UNLEASH THE ARCHERS Interview with Brittney Hayes of Unleash The Archers". metalmasterkingdom.com. September 9, 2013.
  8. "Vampster Album Review 2009". vampster.com.
  9. Dawes, Laina (May 11, 2010). "Unleash the Archers Behold the Devastation". exclaim.ca.
  10. Walschots, Natalie Zina (May 18, 2011). "Unleash the Archers: Demons of the Astrowaste". exclaim.ca.
  11. "BC Death metal band launches concept album (interview)". mondaymag.com.
  12. "Unleash The Archers – Demons of the AstroWaste", Hellbound.ca
  13. "Sonic Cathedral WebZine - Unleash the Archers - Defy the Skies". soniccathedral.com. Archived from the original on November 15, 2012.
  14. "Canada's UNLEASH THE ARCHERS Sign With Napalm Records". bravewords.com.
  15. "Sonic Cathedral WebZine - Face-Off Challenge: Cradle of Filth & Unleash The Archers". www.soniccathedral.com. Archived from the original on September 24, 2015. Retrieved July 16, 2015.
  16. "Unleash The Archers (Wo)man the Ramparts (Interview)". beatroute.ca.
  17. "Singled Out: Unleash The Archers' Tonight We Ride". antiMusic. July 9, 2015. Retrieved July 20, 2015.
  18. "Interview With Brittney Slayes". metalpit.ca.
  19. Unleash the Archers: Nikko Whitworth lascia la band.
  20. chuchocrdoba (March 21, 2019). ""We are writing and recording a new full-length album this year, and will hopefully be releasing it early 2020": Brittney Slayes". Metal to the Bone (in Spanish). Retrieved May 31, 2019.
  21. Balazs, Nick (August 17, 2020). "UNLEASH THE ARCHERS – Seasons In The Abyss". Brave Words & Bloody Knuckles. Retrieved September 12, 2020.
  22. "Show Review – “Unleashing the Omega Kingdom of Scythia” Vandala Magazine. July 4, 2013
  23. "Exclaim Magazine Readers Choice 2009". exclaim.ca.
  24. "Whammy Awards Vancouver 2015". whammys.ca.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.