To say UNLEASH THE ARCHERS are a growing presence on the scene would be a huge understatement. They have stormed in with their powerful sound and after hearing their upcoming album Abyss, there will be new fans queuing to join the band on their epic adventures. This is the hugely anticipated follow up to Apex and judging from the impeccable sounds of Abyss, it’s safe to say it was worth the wait.
The adventure begins with the track Waking Dream. It is as the title suggests, it’s dreamy yet wakes you up. If this album were a movie, this would be the part the adventurers get given their mission from their leader. Within Brittney Slayes’ powerful vocals, the soaring riffs and the suspension created within the drum patterns, you can hear a great amount of determination and willingness. It gives you a taste on what’s to come, you can tell many great things and exciting chapters are about to be bestowed upon us.
One thing I have noticed with UNLEASH THE ARCHERS is consistency. Throughout their albums, they have been able to demonstrate incredible talent and their sound has been consistently powerful. Abyss treats you to an incredible adventure that is able to showcase that signature sound they have crafted for themselves. It is also able to achieve that sound of vastness to match the theme of the album. This combination works well, below are just a few examples of what I mean.
The first thing I notice about the track Legacy is that there is an interesting fusion melodies and styles; these would not be out of place on an Alternative Rock song or Black Metal track. Either way, it’s a fusion that UNLEASH THE ARCHERS have been able to prove it can work well. Like I have mentioned before, they have captured the vastness of space whilst keeping to their signature power. Due to the grand sounds of this track matching the grand title, this is easily one of my personal favourite tracks on the record.
ORDEN OGAN’s Gunman comes to mind when I hear the opening riff of Return To Me. They both have some similar sounding melodies, not so similar that you can tell them apart. Like Gunman, Return To Me gives off a great amount of power that makes you feel as if you can conquer anything that comes your way. Expect some finger blistering guitar solos that make the fingers of air guitarists sore. It’s best to be prepared for brutality in this already powerful track, this comes in the form of dominant guttural growls.
In these times of uncertainty, we all need an anthem that gives us hope and feels us with happiness. This is exactly Carry The Flame does. The soaring melody is filled with empowerment that is carried through beautifully. The duet between Brittney’s and Andrew Kingsley’s vocal work is a marvellous fusion, you can hear the power of unity through their perfectly harmonised duet. This power of unity and staying together can also be heard through lyrics such as “I am with you, wherever you are, Your guiding light, shining bright”. The amount of love for yourself and positivity in this track makes this another personal favourite.
It ends with the grand finale Afterlife. Being a fan of Symphonic Metal, I was excited to hear the orchestration within this track. Lord Of The Rings came to mind when it was just this symphonic melody alone, particularly the parts in the Shire. This would make sense as that’s where the hobbits returned to when they finished their quest. I won’t reveal too much about what happens in the last chapter as that would just be revealing spoilers. What I will say is that it gives you one last blast of the power before drawing to a close and leave you hankering for more.
Abyss proves to be a mighty follow up to Apex. It is further proof that UNLEASH THE ARCHERS are not ones to mess with. Long-time fans will rejoice at the sounds of Abyss. It will entice new warriors to join the adventures.
Rating: 10/10
Words: Lotty Whittingham
Abyss is out tomorrow via Napalm Records.
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