It is not often that I decide to attend a concert to watch a band I do not know much about, but my relatively last-minute decision to go check out Unleash the Archers at Manning Bar a few hours ago paid off immensely. As a big Power Metal fan of course I have heard of the band, and I know they have been around for a good 15+ years, I have listened to some of their singles, but before today I have never really taken the time to delve into their extended discography with full attention. If anything this concert left me with a big smile wanting to check out their whole 6 albums in detail.
With a well populated but not full Manning Bar on a cold and rainy Thursday night, local band Thraxas! warmed up the stage and the audience with relative ease at exactly 7.25 pm. I have seen Thraxas! play countless times in local gigs, as they are one of the hardest-working local Metal bands in Sydney, and while they always sound tight, I believe that the oomph that an International support spot like this one can give a band is absolutely real, as they played an excellent 30-odd minute long set tonight, and showed everyone attending that local talent is a force to be reckoned with. Led by the always charismatic guitarist/singer Bull and a very solid rhythmic base (Izak’s kicks were sounding brutal) and great dual guitar-work, they gave everyone present a taste of their own brand of homegrown Groove/Thrash Metal. I have watched Thraxas! play several times in the last 5 years or so, and it is awesome to see the evolution of their sound and songwriting, and come to the conclusion that this is a great band that is always pushing forward. One of my favourite things about their set was the very healthy balance between riff and breakdown, something that is getting harder to find. It is always good to see local bands given opportunities like this one, because this is precisely how a Metal scene thrives, by pushing its talent to spots where they will be exposed to a wider audience. Awesome set by the guys and gal.
After a pretty swift change-over, Broken Hill’s prodigal sons Firestorm appeared onstage and owned the show for a good 40 minutes. These lads have very literally taken the Aussie scene by storm, and that is no exaggeration. With a relatively short career they have managed to reach a very well-respected status and name among concert-goers around the country, and when you see them play live it is easy to see why. This is not their first International support gig, and you can tell by how confidently they glide through the stage as they deliver anthemic song after anthemic song in their more-aggressive-than-normal Power Metal style that reminds me of great bands like Mystic Prophecy or Persuader. Singer/guitarist Bilyara is a fantastic frontman, always with a smile on his face and leading the charge in a band that sounds as professional as many of the acts they have opened for. Thundering drums throughout, catchy-as-hell choruses and Thrashy riffs form the equation that this band seems to improve with every new show they play. I am happy to report that Aussie Power Metal is in good hands, and having witnessed this set from Firestorm makes me feel genuinely curious and excited for what adventures the future holds for these Outback lads.
After 2 excellent support acts, it was time for a few beers while the stage was being set for Unleash the Archers. These Canadians have truly become one of the biggest names in Power Metal during the last 5 years or so. I don’t really know why I never bothered to have a deeper listen to their songs, but that also means that I arrived to this concert with quasi-virgin ears, which is exciting in its own way. One thing I do know though, is that frontwoman Brittney Slayes has one of the best voices in the genre right now, and having recently watched Ayreon’s new live videos with her on main vocals in some of them, made me extremely excited to finally listen to her and her band in a live setting.
At exactly 9.20 pm the lights went out and the first notes of Unleash the Archers’ intro track were heard, creating a sense of expectation among the fans. The Electro-infused intro track lasted a few minutes as the band members slowly appeared onstage, only to kick off the madness with their awesome song ‘Abyss’. As soon as Brittney Slayes emerged from the shadows, everybody cheered in unison, and soon enough we witnessed the power of her gifted vocal chords. ‘Abyss’ was a perfect choice for an opening song, as it is a great display of everything the band has to offer: lightning-fast riffs, sing along sections, energetic vocal lines and face-melting guitar solos. After being treated to a perfect start, the anthemic ‘Through Stars’ was played to calm things down a bit, and also to give way to a wave of communal headbanging. It was only the 2nd song and I could already tell that these Canadians know their stuff and are absolute professionals. The always smiling Brittney constantly moves through the stage, and she had the people in the palm of her hand since the beginning. And while guitarists Andrew Kingsley and Grant Truesdell keep a more stoic profile while masterfully nailing every note in their axes, it is bass player Nick Miller who jumps around the stage with an infectious energy that makes you think he is having the best night of his life.
Songs like ‘Soulbound’ and ‘The Matriarch’ brought back the speed and the energy of the first notes of the night, and this was also the moment when the first moshpit appeared. Everyone was having fun and you could tell as soon as you entered the venue, making this one of the most moshpit-laden Power Metal gigs I have attended in a long time. I believe that this energy even took the band by surprise, especially when the circle pits kept coming one after the other, song after song, with even some small crowd surfing action taking place at some point. During this point in the concert the energy was at its maximum, and the band capitalised on this by playing what I believe to be the best song of the night, ‘Faster than Light’. Like its name shamelessly declares, this song is a Euro-Power Metal relentless attack of speed and virtuosity from all angles. This song makes me extremely happy to realise that Power Metal is alive and well, and has no signs of dying anytime soon. After this barrage of energy from the last 3 songs, the band played some of the newer tracks from their latest album ‘Phantoma’. The few songs that I have listened from it are really good, but in my personal opinion they are not as energetic as some of their previous material, but they were still very well received by the fans.
Another absolute highlight of the night came when fan-favourite ‘Tonight We Ride’ was played. This song literally sent everyone into a frenzied madness, and it was a perfect example of the band at its best in every aspect. Some of the high notes in this song are absolutely impressive, just like watching Brittney reach them with such apparent ease. ‘Apex’ was announced as the last song of the night, and while the long ballad-like intro of the song definitely broke a bit the energy that the previous song left among the fans, it quickly became an anthemic song that everybody welcomed. The band left the stage for a couple minute, and if I am completely honest this was one of the most awkward encores I have witnessed. The band came back and seemed a little bit confused about what song they were going to play next, but ‘Carry the Flame’ was chosen. Personally I would have loved another high-energy song or two as closers, given the energy of the room during the whole set. I felt ‘Carry the Flame’ a little anticlimactic as an encore song, but that all disappeared when the first notes of ‘Afterlife’ started. One of the best songs in their catalogue was chosen as a closer and it was a great way to finish an extremely fun night.
I have been a Power Metal fan for more than 20 years now, and while I can see that the genre is changing in many ways, some better than others, it is extremely heartwarming to see that there are still bands like Unleash the Archers that are keeping its flame alive and well. Power Metal is a genre that is often ridiculed or cast aside by other Metal fans for being too cheesy, or even not heavy and brutal enough, but being a longtime fan of it I can say that it is a genre that – like its name suggests – is excellent at empowering the listener, to make him feel a shot of raw energy through its body, and yes, why not, sport a massive smile on his or her face while jumping and singing Metal’s catchiest anthems ever at maximum lung capacity. Tonight, Unleash the Archers gave a masterclass in (old-school-infused) modern Power Metal and left everyone with that massive smile on their faces.
Written by Roman Ibarra
written by Roman Ibarra & photos by Michael Lueders
Unleash The Archers:
Firestorm:
Thraxas!:
