Unleash The Archers
Phantoma – Napalm Records
Vancouver’s Unleash The Archers have always been at the cutting edge of power metal, so it
seems natural that their latest offering should be a concept album built around artificial
intelligence and its impending grip on humanity. Utilising AI software in the writing process has
resulted in the band’s darkest album yet, but it’s an aesthetic that perfectly suits the dystopian
story that stitches the album together. Sometimes concept albums can be too clever for their
own good, especially when artists lose themselves in the story when they should be concerned
with songs. Phantoma works because the band set their sights on the latter and serve up ten
soaring anthems that are weaved together by dizzying guitar solos, vocal gymnastics and dark
electronica. It means that Phantoma flows like an old school album and it should be treated as
such; while it is perfectly feasible to dip in and out, enjoying each track individually, it’s best to
set an hour aside to fully appreciate its ebb and flow as the band lead the listener through a
neon-lit, futuristic Blade Runner cityscape which will make the best sixty minutes you’ll spend all
year. The future’s never sounded so good.
Unleash The Archers – Facebook
Review by Peter Dennis