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Canada’s most exciting metal band, power metal powerhouse Unleash The Archers, recently announced the upcoming release of their game-changing sixth studio album, Phantoma, out 10th May (Napalm Records).
Today, the band release their second single from Phantoma, the addictive, synth-infused ‘Ghosts In The Mist’. Blending modern guitar stylings with 80s arena rock vibes, the track boasts one of the album’s most sing-along worthy choruses and heaviest breakdowns.
Pre-order Phantoma here: https://lnk.to/UTA-Phantoma/napalmrecords
Unleash The Archers on ‘Ghosts In The Mist’: “If you saw us at any of the shows we played last year then you might recognize this track! We filmed the music video at Mad With Power Fest, ProgPower USA, and at our show in Montreal, Canada, and it is full of so many friends and familiar faces! We love including these particular festivals in the video because they have both been supporters of ours for a very long time, and we hope we will get to play them again and again as the years go on. The track is one of the more synth heavy songs on the album, but it’s also got some rad death vocals from Grant that you can bang your head to, so we hope there will be a little something for everyone to enjoy here!”
On the stunning conceptual album, listeners join the AI protagonist Phantoma, a Ph /Network Tier 0 unit – model A, on an inspiring yet harrowing journey as she traverses the new age of AI on a dystopian, near-future planet Earth.
Phantoma follows the band’s 2020 breakout album, Abyss, which won the JUNO Award for Metal/Hard Music Album of the Year after debuting at #1 on the US Current Hard Music and Top New Artist charts, and was dubbed by Bandcamp as “a mandatory listen” upon release.
Intertwining reality with imagination, Unleash The Archers were inspired to utilise elements of AI during the creation of Phantoma, in keeping with its future-facing theme. Frontwoman and lyricist Brittney Slayes conjured the album’s concept in 2021; before the swarm of pressing commentary surrounding AI began to reach an all-time high. With the band’s one-of-a-kind blend of power metal, traditional heavy metal, modern prog and pop sensibilities, Unleash The Archers spin a web of sharp musicality, high sci-fi concept and important social commentary about discovering the brutal truths behind the manufactured sheen of social media posturing.
The band weaved electronic and synthwave elements throughout the album’s 10 colossal anthems, which – in line with its theme – prove much darker and heavier in comparison to the bright positivity of Abyss. Album opener ‘Human Era’ sets the tone with imagery of a bleak, windswept futurescape that crescendoes headlong into the breakneck pace of power metal bastion ‘Ph4/NT0mA’ – a masterwork of duelling guitar solos and vocal acrobatics. Trad-metal influenced ‘Buried In Code’ lights the way with pummelling rhythms before the album’s path turns dark on heavy metal hardened ‘The Collective’, with Brittney Slayes’ warm tones inviting the listener to ‘join or stand aside’! Hair-raising first single ‘Green & Glass’ unveils the truth before the upbeat 80s-flavoured ‘Gods In Decay’ and the extraordinary balladic anthem ‘Give It Up Or Give It All’ showcase the varied songwriting prowess of Unleash The Archers’ modern era. A trifecta of concept closers begins with the moody ‘Ghosts In The Mist’, leading into the soaring yet menacing ‘Seeking Vengeance’ before closing with the bittersweet tale of ‘Blood Empress’.
Mixed and mastered by Jacob Hansen, and with lead guitarist Andrew Kingsley at the helm as both principal songwriter and producer, Phantoma is an exciting advancement in Unleash The Archers’ songwriting and storytelling mastery, and a giant leap forward in their towering musical trajectory.
Unleash The Archers are:
Brittney Slayes – Vocals
Scott Buchanan – Drums
Grant Truesdell – Guitar, Vocals
Andrew Kingsley – Guitar, Vocals
Nick Miller – Bass
Unleash The Archers online:
WEBSITE
FACEBOOK
TWITTER
INSTAGRAM
NAPALM RECORDS
Phantoma track listing:
1. Human Era
2. Ph4/NT0mA
3. Buried In Code
4. The Collective
5. Green & Glass
6. Gods In Decay
7. Give It Up Or Give It All
8. Ghosts In The Mist
9. Seeking Vengeance
10. Blood Empress
UNLEASH THE ARCHERS will tour across the globe in 2024, with dates already announced in North America, Europe, the UK, Australia and New Zealand. See below for all currently booked tour dates!
UNLEASH THE ARCHERS on tour:
Legions of Metal Festival:
05.03.24 US – IL, Chicago / Reggies
Australia and New Zealand Headliners:
06.05.24 AU – Canberra / Basement
06.06.24 AU – Sydney / Manning
06.07.24 AU – Melbourne / Croxton
06.08.24 AU – Brisbane / The Zoo
06.09.24 AU – Adelaide / Lion Arts
13.06.24 NZ – Auckland / Galatos
14.06.24 NZ – Wellington / Valhalla
European Festivals:
05.07.24 DE – Ballenstedt / Rock Harz
06.07.24 SE – Knislinge / Time To Rock
12.07.24 CZ – Visovice / Masters Of Rock
19.07.24 FI – Laukaa / John Smith Fest
21.07.24 RO – Baile Figa / Celtic Transylvania
02.08.24 DE – Wacken / Wacken Open Air
09.08.24 ES – Villena / Leyendas Del Rock
10.08.24 UK – Walton-On-Trent / Bloodstock
Supporting POWERWOLF in North America:
29.08.24 US – CA, Los Angeles / The Hollywood Palladium
31.08.24 US – CO, Denver / The Ogden Theatre
03.09.24 US – IL, Chicago / The Riviera Theatre
04.09.24 US – OH, Cleveland / The Agora Theatre
05.09.24 US – MD, Silver Spring / The Fillmore
07.09.24 US – FL, Tampa / Jannus Landing
08.09.24 US – GA, Atlanta / The Masquerade
09.09.24 US – NC, Charlotte / The Fillmore
12.09.24 US – PA, Philadelphia / The Fillmore
13.09.24 US – MA, Worcester / The Palladium
14.09.24 US – NY, New York City / Brooklyn Paramount
15.09.24 CA – QC, Laval / Place Bell
photo credit: Shimon Karmel
