Canadian melodic power metal quartet UNLEASH THE ARCHERS just dropped their masterful fifth full-length concept album, Abyss, via Napalm Records last Friday, followed by a searing virtual concert performance from The Rickshaw Theatre in Vancouver, BC on Saturday!
Today, in celebration of the album’s release, the band has unveiled yet another wild music video, this time for their triumphant new burner “Faster Than Light”. In the tongue-in-cheek video, the members of UNLEASH THE ARCHERS take part in a competitive footrace, but are met with unexpected twists along the way!
Frontwoman Brittney Slayes says about “Faster Than Light”:
“Being that this song is about racing off into the far corners of space, we thought it would be a fun idea to actually race each other in the music video to see which one of us was truly ‘Faster Than Light’! Of course we had to have some fun with it though, and added a little bit of excitement into the mix. Our director mentioned an older Stephen King novel called The Long Walk as inspiration for a way to spice up the video and we all agreed it would be hilarious! Check out the plot synopsis on Wikipedia if you haven’t read it already… This track has turned into a favourite of the band and we knew it had to be a single the moment the finished product was in our hands. It’s fast, fun, and is going to be an absolute blast to play live!”
Watch the official music video for “Faster Than Light” HERE
| “Abyss” (single) named one of Loudwire’s “20 Best Metal Songs of 2020 (So Far)” “Abyss is quickly becoming one of my favorites of 2020.” – Vince Neilstein, MetalSucks, US “Like a great entry in a film franchise, [Abyss] ups the ante on its predecessor’s ideas without sacrificing its core appeal.” – Decibel Magazine, US “…a feast for friends of classic bombast-power-metal.” – Rock Hard, DE “It’s all fast, all furious and all round the best thing the band have delivered to date.” – Powerplay, UK “Really a winner in its weightclass.” – Aardschok, NL “The band shoots ten arrows and hits the mark ten times.” – Stark!Strom, AT |
Thematically, UNLEASH THE ARCHERS‘new album Abyss is the direct sequel to the band’s 2017 album Apex. Beginning with a dreamlike acoustic introduction accented by the smoky beckonings of singer Brittney Slayes, opener “Waking Dream” quickly punches into a colossal wall of sound, setting the stage for the auditory escape that is Abyss. Powerful anthems such as the immense power metal-encapsulated title track “Abyss” and metallic pop-tinged earworm “Through Stars” conjure classic elements while maintaining an entirely fresh, forward-thinking approach. Guitarists Andrew Kingsley and Grant Truesdell turn heads with wicked work on stellar tracks such as “Legacy” (fans of artists like Devin Townsend and Astronoid, take note), while Slayes showcases her incredible vocal diversity and range on mighty epics like “Return To Me” and “The Wind That Shapes The Land”. Drummer Scott Buchanan makes technical strides on burners “Soulbound” and “Faster Than Light” – setting breakneck twists and turns ablaze with his bandmates. UNLEASH THE ARCHERS rounds the edge of Abyss with throwback-hued “Carry The Flame”, and wraps up with the soaring, rewarding concept closer “Afterlife”.
Abyss was once again engineered, mixed and mastered by Jacob Hansen of Hansen Studios in Denmark (Volbeat, Delain, Amaranthe), with production by guitarist Andrew Kingsley. Additionally, transcendent closer track “Afterlife” features orchestration contributions from Francesco Ferrini of Italian symphonic death metal machine Fleshgod Apocalypse. Fans will notice that, unlike on Apex, Abyss incorporates a weighty dose of synth in the mix, and for the first time ever, all tracks were written on seven strings – adding to the massive expanse of the album’s sound as it explores the celestial realm.
Order Abyss in physical, digital and bundle formats HERE!
Abyss is available in digital and CD formats, as well as 2LP gatefold vinyl format in original black and limited edition sky blue (new, Napalm mailorder only, limited to 300 copies). Hurry, formats are going fast – the limited edition yellow and red/yellow swirl vinyl and the limited edition Deluxe Earbook are already SOLD OUT!
Abyss tracklisting:
1. Waking Dream
2. Abyss
3. Through Stars
4. Legacy
5. Return To Me
6. Soulbound
7. Faster Than Light
8. The Wind That Shapes The Land
9. Carry The Flame (feat. guitarist Andrew Kingsley on guest vocals)
10. Afterlife (feat. orchestration by Francesco Ferrini)
UNLEASH THE ARCHERS is:
Brittney Slayes – Vocals
Scott Buchanan – Drums
Grant Truesdell – Guitar, Vocals
Andrew Kingsley – Guitar, Vocals, Synth