Unleash The Archers – Phantoma
Release Date: 10th May 2024
Label: Napalm Records
Bandcamp
Genre: Power Metal, Prog Metal, Heavy Metal, Melodic Death Metal.
FFO: Symphony X, Dragonforce, Seven Kingdoms, Kobra and the Lotus, Battle Beast.
Review By: Rick Farley
Unleash The Archers, British Columbia, Canada’s premier power metal band returns with album number six, Phantoma, being released via Napalm Records on May 10th, 2024. A concept album focusing on AI gaining sentience on a dystopian, near future planet earth. Main protagonist Ph4/NTOmA, a Phase 4 / Network Tier 0 Unit – model A, yearns to be part of humankind and must endure the trials and tribulations of what those entail. Set to a backdrop of sci-fi, the story intrinsically matches the futuristic elements the band utilized in the making of this record. Embracing and employing AI elements as additional tools to bring their high-tech vision to life.
Beginning life in 2007, Unleash The Archers have been on a steady meteoric rise to the top of the metal world with their proggy fusion of power metal, traditional heavy metal, and melodic death metal. Infectious melodies, frenetic metallic guitars, intense drums, and the remarkable voice of Brittney Slayes combined with phenomenal songwriting, insane musicianship and engaging storytelling all make Unleash The Archers a band that is hard to dislike.
Phantoma kicks things off with the slow building Human Era. A delightfully contagious, big chorused, ultra-modern take on power metal that just feels incredibly satisfying to the ears. Although slightly different stylistically for the band, the catchy guitar riff to energetic drum groove at the very beginning immediately lets you know this song is going to be special and immediately memorable. Bright, sleek, and cosmic, Human Era is littered with the bands mystical feel, but evolves their sound one step further into the future.
Title track, Phantoma, is classic Unleash The Archers to a tee, fast double bass from Scott Buchanan, melodic crunchy guitar riffs, blistering virtuosic leads over proggy undertones and Slayes unbelievable acrobatic vocal range all coming together as one flawless powerhouse of a song. A masterwork of duelling guitar solos between Grant Truesdell and Andrew Kingsley ramps up the songs cool factor. As with the other nine tracks here, electronic and synthwave elements effectively highlight the cosmic feel of the record by enhancing the striking power metal with polished synths.
The Collective is where things take a turn for a bleaker dose of heavy metal and guitarist Grant Truesdell’s raspy goblin like growls. Bassist Nick Miller holds down the low end, adding heavy depth to the faster riffs. The contrast of harsh growls and stunning cleans coming together in story form with the juxtaposition of blisteringly fast power metal and catchy pop melodies is something that Unleash The Archers does better than just about everyone. As the kids would say, this song is a banger.
Mixed and mastered by Jacob Hansen, and with guitarist Andrew Kingsley at the helm as both principal songwriter and producer, Phantoma will stand as one of the bands most artistically diverse and complete works to date. Expertly produced, written, and executed, this album should exceed expectations of any long-time fan and will bring in droves of new ones.
Fans will notice Phantoma seems more commercially accessible, not that the band was ever not accessible, but do not be fooled into thinking it is any less dark, fast, or heavy. In certain parts of the record the guitars are less up in your face but become noticeably layered the more you listen to the album. Everything is mixed in a way that matches the effortless flow of the brilliant songwriting. Aesthetically, it correlates the futuristic aura of the record and becomes ever more intensely impactful. Big hooks, speedy riffs, soaring vocals and great songs, it has it all.
Truth be told; power metal or heavy metal, this is going to be a tough album to beat. Unleash The Archers knocks it out of the park again.
(5 / 5)
