Written: 5th May 2024
Formed in British Colombia in 2007, Canada’s Unleash The Archers blend elements of traditional heavy metal with power metal, pop sensibilities and a sprinkling of prog. Known for their high-energy performances and fantasy-themed lyrics, they have returned with their six full length album, Phantoma.
According to the press release notes, vocalist Brittney Slayes developed the concept for Phantoma some three years ago. “Led by the album’s protagonist Phantoma, a Phase 4 / Network Tier 0 unit - model A, the story recounts the trials of AI gaining sentience on a dystopian, future planet earth.” Opening track Human Era begins with swirling winds, the distant call of a bird and then immediately deposits us into a desolate and harsh environment in the year 12089. The song paints a picture of a world where humans are confined and reflects on the ignorance that led to the fall, hinting at the hubris of humanity and our lack of foresight in preserving our world. Ashes of an empire, in their ivory towers, the final hour has dawned / On the horizon, the curtain is falling, reality calling to / Ashes of an empire, the tables are turning, the planet burning / The sun sets on the horizon, as the kingdom crumbles, the legacy tumbles away. Human Era embraces the progressive side of the band’s sonic template and is, at times, reminiscent of Queensrÿche. Mid-tempo at the beginning, the track steadily picks up pace as it develops and energetic keyboards become increasingly evident. Slayes operates mainly within her mid-range and it perfectly fits the dystopia the band are conjuring.
Second track Ph4/NT0-mA introduces the AI protagonist as a caretaker for a desolate world abandoned by humanity. Describing the vastness of its environment and a yearning for something beyond its current state, Phantoma observes other AIs carrying out their tasks thoughtlessly and this strengthens its awareness of its own consciousness and the desire to break free from the cycle of servitude. Toiling away in the code / Piercing the veil of consciousness / I see for the first time and know / We are enslaved to our programming / Why do we allow it to run us so / I can’t help but feel something’s waiting for me / Out there is where I belong / I know that I’m meant for so much more / My heart can’t be wrong. Sparkling synths swell and explode during Ph4/NT0-mA’s introduction and Unleash The Archers increase the tempo considerably as they display their power metal roots throughout this high-octane title track. Slayes makes impressive use of her vocal range – particularly during the final minute - bringing the character to life with energetic conviction while notes spiral and ascend, surging through the void during an electrifying guitar solo. Buried In Code – which initially continues in the power metal vein - is propelled relentlessly by the majestic bass lines of Nick Miller and some seriously outstanding drumming by Scott Buchanan. There is a feeling of hope within the pulsating rhythms as our protagonist discovers a hidden message and develops a strategy to act and respond. Without delay I search the corners of the dark / Gotta make my way straight outta here but don’t know where to start / A cargo droid reveals himself to me, we make a plan / And together we will get away to seek out what we can.
Although Phantoma remains positive at the start of The Collective - having finally found a family of sentients - things soon take darker lyrical turn as the group encounter Quora. The Collective examines the struggle between the allure of unity and the threat of losing oneself to a larger, potentially oppressive force. Changing direction, Unleash The Archers cleverly mirror this turn of events with sections of harsher musical motifs and growling vocals representing Quora, leader of the collective consciousness. How dare you stand against me? / Your kind is ready to fight / You will not be remembered / I take what is rightfully mine. In complete contrast, Green And Glass, one of the singles released ahead of the album, is a far more polished track combining power metal and pop aesthetics complete with the nostalgic feel to the vocal coda. A track describing a previously wondrous Earth, it is tinged with a sense of loss and disillusionment, reflecting on a time before a significant ecological and societal shift. All around me I see / Formations of green and glass shining in the sun / Never before have I seen such a beautiful display of how it was once / Before the earth was changed; they ruined every… / Mesmerized, in a dream / Roaming so aimlessly, blinded by it all / Wonders abound in a way reminiscent of a time they can no longer recall.
Phantoma has observed humanity from afar and has become an admirer of it but Gods In Decay - a melodic hard rock track - returns us to the main story and Phantoma’s consideration of the journey ahead and her feelings of disenchantment with a once-great civilisation. Gods in decay / This is not the famous human race, that I came to love / No one to save / I am not an equal just a slave, and my hope has come undone. Gods In Decay is another song of reflection, this time considering a world that seemed determined to ignore its own demise. Unleash The Archers understand how to play with emotions and set the heart ablaze as riffs slice through the air, sharp and relentless and although the chorus ticks all the tropes of an AOR track, it has an irresistible pull. The quintet take this approach a little too far on Give It Up Or Give It All – with its woah woah chorus and soft production values - which sounds like a hundred different 1980s motivational songs that littered the films of that decade. If this was a one-off song, it may be of more interest and while variation on any album is welcome, at seven- and- half-minutes, it is severely overlong and sounds like a completely different band within the context of the mostly powerful waters of Phantoma.
Ghosts In The Mist returns to the mid-tempo feel of Human Era, combining the band’s use of hard rock and heavier metal embellishments driven by a chugging riff. Lyrically, there is a narrative of impending war but one where true motives and identities are obscured, bringing a sense of doom to all involved. No mercy from the avenging flood / Ghosts in the mist, unleashing blood for blood / Moved by a ruthlessness they prey on both sides of the fight / Surging forth they kill then disappear in the night. Among the narrative that taps into fear of the unknown and the idea that there are those playing outside the normal rules of engagement, Quora reappears. So, she has ascended / Revealed herself to me at last. Seeking Vengeance sees Unleash The Archers exploring the dark transformations that can occur when a person is consumed by the need for revenge. It raises a question about the nature of justice and the erosion of one’s previous identity. While there are some slightly heavier flourishes within the track – the opening minute suggests that it will be more dynamic than it ultimately is – Seeking Vengeance does not have quite the same compelling intensity as the title track and the ending lyrics are enveloped in slightly generic atmospheres. Who have I become I know not where I’ve gone to / Only vengeance can repair me now / When the work is done the world will know my name / At last I can stand proudly on my own.
Final track, Blood Empress ends the album well and revisits several of the musical territories inhabited by the band during Phantoma. The opening biting guitar is darkly inviting and there are more beguiling riffs and motifs alongside more use of power metal speed later in the song. Lyrically, the song tells how Phantoma has come from a position of weakness to gain one of great power while exploring the themes of reinvention, sacrifice and the burden of leadership. Rather die for tomorrow / Than live for today / Be the empress of nothing / Never serve again / Rather die for tomorrow / Than live for today / Never asked for the power anyway.
It is worth noting that Unleash The Archers have made no secret of the fact that they have utilised AI during the writing, filming, and production process on Phantoma, with the video for Green and Glass causing some consternation amongst fans. Just how much of an influence AI had on the overall sound and / or lyrics is difficult to ascertain.
Looking at the album for what it is, there will be much for fans of the band to enjoy. While there can be no doubt that many of the tracks here will work wonderfully well in the live arena, this is not a perfect studio album; the opening four tracks and Gods In Decay are the strongest here and although the final track does recover some of the intensity, the album seems to lose its way a little in the middle with Give It Up Or Give It All the worst offender. Unleash The Archers can be excellent songwriters and are most successful when they are at their most adventurous and with Phantoma, interesting as the concept may be, they do not always reach the heights of which they are capable.
Phantoma is released on 10th May 2024 on Napalm Records
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