...SIŁA I PIĘKNO MUZYKI TKWIĄ W JEJ RÓŻNORODNOŚCI



..::OPIS::..

Potężna energia, chwytliwe power metalowe melodie , gustowny growl i potężne cleany.
Mnóstwo mocy!



Incredible.

It’s the only word that can describe this new Unleash the Archers album. I’ve been a fan of theirs since first hearing “General of the Dark Army” way back when, and they’ve been steadily getting better and more refined. Even knowing that, I wasn’t prepared for Abyss to blow me away like it did. This is hands-down one of the best albums I’ve heard all year, and I’d argue it’s the best in the band’s catalog by a long shot.

Abyss picks up thousands of years after the end of Apex with The Immortal awakening to a changed world under the control of The Matriarch, the previous album’s antagonist. Finding himself removed from his Apex- his mountain sanctuary- and aboard a starship or space station of some sort, he sets off to explore and eventually face down his old foe. In keeping with this new sci-fi setting, the band has massively updated their sound and in doing so have crafted their most powerful and compelling album to date.

Elements of science fantasy has always been present in the band’s lyrics (seriously, just take a look at their album covers), but Abyss marks the first time they’re truly reflected in the music itself. This is most obvious with the addition of retrowave synths, but moreover, there’s a sense of wonder and breathless anticipation in the music that’s inherent to idea of adventuring into the unknown. I can already hear some of you groaning at the prospect of facing Gloryhammer levels of power metal cheese, but trust me when I say Unleash the Archers sells it in a way that few bands can. The Immortal’s journey is played straight and serious, and for all its starry-eyed adventurous trappings, they instill each song with the gravity that’s needed to make such a concept work. There’s a melancholy undercurrent throughout that reflects the protagonist’s sense of isolation and loneliness that’s masterfully interwoven with upbeat melodies and soaring choruses. Abyss is an inversion of Apex in that regard (as well as in name and story progression), and the generally more positive tone and lack of a total downer ending makes it much easier to get into in my opinion.

This very particular atmosphere, combined with some exploration of musical ideas well outside the band’s comfort zone and general smarter songwriting, elevate this album to heights even its predecessor didn’t achieve. The title track shows off the band’s newfound penchant for the unexpected, going down when you expect them to go up, taking a major turn when you expect them to go somewhere darker, perfectly reflected in that opening synth melody. Their fondness for big arena anthems is ever intact, but “Through Stars” is the first time they’ve done it where I’ve felt it wasn’t at all clunky or shoehorned in; it always felt a little hamfisted on their older albums (even the better uses of it like on “Tonight We Ride“), but it feels natural this time. Their metalcore-tinged roots still show as well, and they’re also better integrated than ever, as the one real breakdown comes partway through “Faster Than Light” to make room for a stellar guitar melody. Perhaps the biggest departure comes in “Legacy,” which is built around a massive, bright, blackgazey chord progression and features some beautiful call and response vocals. It’s not until six tracks in with to-the-point headbanger “Soulbound” that the band truly feels like they’re back in familiar territory, and even then it’s much stronger than anything from their preceding output.

On top of the album’s flawless pacing and song-to-song variety, the performances are nigh-flawless. Brittney Slayes may not engage in as many piercing wails as she once did, but this allows for a much more nuanced and dynamic delivery that can’t be done when belting everything. The screams, previously a weak point in the band’s music, are much more robust than ever before, a far cry from the thin and frail rasp on older albums. The instrumental work is all incredibly tight, and the guitar solos in particular are clean and flashy as all hell; compare it to 2015’s Time Stands Still, and the difference is night and day. These guys have leveled up so much in the past five years it’s unreal.

At risk of sounding like I’m just jerking the band off at this point, Abyss also has some of the best production I’ve ever heard on a metal album. I’m talking less about the mix and master here (though that’s also excellent) than the actual production elements, the icing on the musical cake so to speak. The subtle touches of synth in certain places gives it a lot of texture, and that aforementioned call and response vocal line in “Legacy” was truly inspired. Everything, every additional layer of vocal harmonies or guitar leads, lend itself to making this album feel huge and cinematic, to drawing you into the world and tale that the band has created.

Every listen of Abyss has brought me goosebumps; whenever the final notes of “Afterlife” roll around, I have to sit back and bask in what I just witnessed. Unleash the Archers have crafted something truly special with this album- it is a masterpiece through and through, and one of the finest metal albums I’ve had the pleasure of experiencing.

shiningspear


Unleash The Archers have been solidifying a remarkable reputation over the last couple of years, since the release of their majestic previous output “Apex”. The new record “Abyss” is not only a musical follow up but also a sequel to the story line of its predecessor, and hence it had to live up to the same prestigious standard. The Canadians show no difficulty tackling this mission, delivering yet another captivating album full of memorable tracks, while also renewing and staying diverse in their delivery. So far, the band hasn’t offered any detailed explanations of the story as was the case for “Apex”, but if you know the events of that record, you can put together by yourself a lot of what happens on “Abyss”. What’s certain is that the bitter end of the last chapter in the tale is now followed by a turn of events that will see the protagonist known as The Immortal shed his curse and defeat the evil Matriarch. It’s still unclear to me exactly how the narrative evolves, but it is a bit more abstract and focuses more on the inner conflict of the protagonist and his connection with a new character who is key in turning around the course of events. If you’re a geek about metal stories look into the Apex - Abyss lore because it’s a really cool piece of fiction. But on to the music.

The positive shift of the narrative dictates for a different sound and vibe compared to the previous record. “Abyss” sounds more glorious, adventurous and hopeful as opposed to the martial and somewhat bitter tone of its baby brother. The sound isn’t quite as raw and gritty offering instead a more polished and clean approach with a sci-fi retro aesthetic (see the cover art) and what I felt were even some Japanese flavors (Soulbound, Afterlife). This means that the guitar tones are less harsh, there is a little bit less screaming, and there are tons of optimistic sounding melodies both in guitars and vocals. The mix is brilliant, offering a penetrating depth to the bass and drums, and well refined textures to the guitars and surrounding samples. The actual composition keeps a structural identity very similar to what UtA have been doing to date, relying on songs with straightforward structures and memorable choruses and themes, this time pushing their penchant for hooks and anthemic melodies as far as it’s ever been. The band excels at creating an immersive and captivating almost movie like atmosphere, further feeding you songs that will become glued to you and haunt you through the day with a sweet long lasting aftertaste.

One thing I always liked about UtA that I don’t often find in power metal is just how well executed their drum section is. Scott has fast driven double kicks and snare patterns used frequently, but they are efficiently spiced up with cool transitions and a sense of groove that breaks the dynamic, not allowing the songs to become stale, and giving us a bunch of tasty hammering headbang parts in return. The two guitars work together with great effect, riffing eloquently and consistently through both faster galloped muted sections and the aforementioned bangers that allow for a more meaty sound. However it’s the stellar quality of the leads that allows the guitars to shine as Grant Truesdell and Andrew Kingsley love dueling with two part solos that seem to always build up to either a climax or a break in the songs. The bass is more of a functional instrument, delivering the low end alongside the guitars not flashing out much. Since the departure of Nikko Whitworth, the band doesn’t currently have a bassist in the line-up which probably led to this simpler approach. And on top of the instrumental, Brittney Slayes slayes the vocal lines, with her patented consistent belting of lengthy notes and smooth vibratos. You can also expect a couple of high notes reminiscent of Tonight We Ride at some points in the record. Yet it’s the clever structure of the lyrics, offering a cohesive flow to the vocal lines as well as great wordplay that really makes her performance shine.

With all this in mind, you may find that hurtling through space at hyperspeed, and listening to UtA are somewhat similar experiences, and since hurtling through space seems to actually occur in the story (see “Faster than Light”), that stands as a testament to how successful the band was with this record. But with the overall vibe of the music working wonders, they actually still kept focus on making different songs that will stand out on their own. After a gradual build-up in “Waking Dream”, you have the classic power metal runners like the title track, “Soulbound” or “Faster than Light”, a couple of classic rock tinged slower tracks in “Through Stars” and “Carry The Flame” and an epic anthem in closing track “Afterlife” that reminds a bit of the band’s 2019 cover of “Northwest Passage”. The epic multifaceted “The Wind That Shapes the Land” is a stand-out among stand-outs and, the angry “Return to Me” is more similar to “Apex” tracks, depicting The Matriarch throwing a hissy fit, and probably the most special track on the record is “Legacy”. This one is a total tribute to Devin Townsend with the blasting drums, the choir effect of layered vocals and a general massive wall of sound, offering the best surprise for yours truly and his prog affinity. It’s safe to say that this album has exceeded my expectations and probably did the same for many others so if you feel like diving into the “Abyss”, check it out at Napalm Records and Bandcamp.

Enjoy!

Livingwave17



..::TRACK-LIST::..

1. Waking Dream 03:45
2. Abyss 06:44
3. Through Stars 05:34
4. Legacy 05:26
5. Return to Me 05:34
6. Soulbound 03:54
7. Faster Than Light 05:11
8. The Wind that Shapes the Land 08:36
9. Carry the Flame 04:42
10. Afterlife 07:30



..::OBSADA::..

Brittney Slayes - clean vocals
Andrew Kingsley - guitars, clean vocals on 'Carry the Flame', synthesizer, production
Grant Truesdell - guitars, unclean vocals
Scott Buchanan - drums

Session members and guests:
Benjamin Arscott - bass
Francesco Ferrini (Fleshgod Apocalypse) - orchestrations on 'Afterlife'




https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1bGmjnkDTTI



SEED 15:00-22:00.
POLECAM!!!