GIG REVIEW: Unleash the Archers + Firestorm + Thraxas! at the Manning Bar, Sydney.

Live review: Unleash the Archers, Firestorm and Thraxas! at the Manning Bar, Sydney, Monday, June 9 2024

By PAUL SOUTHWELL

CANADIAN power metal band Unleash the Archers have been steadily gaining ground in the metal scene as the band to watch. Fronted by powerhouse vocalist Brittney Hayes [aka Brittney Slayes], backed by a sensational progressive metal band, and with a strong discography of albums that are immersed in concepts and impressive storytelling, they look set to make themselves known on the world stage with their latest release Phantoma. If Abyss was their statement of musical intent, then Phantoma is a claim to the power metal throne, with impeccable harmonies, jaw dropping musicianship, and an interesting take on AI developments, peppered with an unashamedly pop sensibility. For their first ever tour here, it was virtually sold out, rewarding their hard work in crafting some of the best power metal in the last decade.

To start things off, Hawkesbury area groove metal band Thraxas! took to the stage. While not as melodic as one might first expect, their guitar solos certainly had elements of virtuoso guitar from both vocalist Chris Woods and lead guitarist Aleks Radmanovich. The rhythm section of drummer Izak Easterbrook and bassist Dan Andrews were intent on bolting down the proceedings as their shirtless, heavily inked band leader unleashed a tirade of expletives-drenched Aussie vernacular. 

First song was “Ecophagy” from Planetary Terrorism and the initially slow driving track swiftly changed gears into double time rhythm figures against traded solos of sweeping lead work before reprising a half time figure. “Glass Shadows” was tight, changing speeds, and employed rolling trills, chromatics against scalar soloing. “Warchief” continued the onslaught but with a lower, sludgy riffing, before heavier parts for Slayer-styled soloing. The rolling groove and heavy riffing of the Sepultura sounding “Seven-Sided Strike” saw some headbanging, with both guitarists trading melodic solos. To finish off their set, “Cthulhu Rising” was delivered with passion. After a small rhythmic interlude, thrash-inspired soloing ensued, with Woods encouraging the audience with their ‘last chance to get nutty’ with the song concluding on a high with a burst of scale-based guitar soloing of the tremolo picked variety.

Sabbath over the PA was a good mood settler before Broken Hill band Firestorm set their broad heavy metal stylings across the Manning Bar to good effect. Polished with a no-nonsense set, amiable frontman Bilyara Bates took to his vocals and lead guitar work with obvious passion, oblivious to current tastes – and rightly so. Backed by drummer Ash Meadows and bassist Jake Beavan, both Bates and co-lead guitarist Tomo Jovanovic had no difficulty in delivering a whip-smart eight song set of heavy metal. 

“Into the Void” let their heavy groove metal, full of drumming prowess enhance the falsetto vocals, with some fluid finger tapping from Bates, with riffage to boot. The wah-filtered “Sands of Time” let guitar lines sing over changing rhythm parts. Their single “Darkness Calls” morphed into barrelling thrash but amongst the riffing, their control of speed and execution of guitar soloing skills were demonstrable of their worthiness of being included on such a bill. Lighting took on an array of colours as the two guitarists traded soloing and rhythm figures. Even when Meadows broke a drum trigger, he enlisted a spare, showing their preparation to demolish with “Control, Demise” that employed everything in heavy metal sans the kitchen sink to deliver a melodic, heavy track, as Beavan continued to play with a towel thrown over his head by another band mate.

“Bundle Up My Bones” was heartfelt, a song Bates described as ‘from my grandmother’s country about traditionally preparing the body to be carried back home to be rested in their final resting place’ after which he announced his would also wish to one day go ‘back to the red dust’, before the bouncing fast thrash metal soon took hold. Again, their ability to change timing paces whilst retaining a groove were soon embellished.

The mood altered with ‘songs about swords and shields, and ancient prophecies; the treasured one’ as represented by the somewhat power metal rhythm figure- based “Saviour Of Man”. As the harmonies faded into the howling feedback, a cover of Manowar’s “Outlaw” let them go off, delving into fast-paced riffing, unison bends, chordal stabs and soloing trills that ended with stinging guitar lines. Nice work, and one band worth catching on the live front, should they venture from the bush again.

As the simple backdrop was lit up, an introduction of electronica filled the room, as house lights dimmed. It was an extended interlude of bouncy keyboards, synthesiser phrases and beats in line with the feel of latest album Phantoma, and slightly hypnotic. As the band took up their stage positions, they soon launched into an opening salvo of four tracks from the trilogy concluding epic, masterpiece album Abyss. 

Starting with the title track, sustained chords and heavy sounds were delivered by seven string guitarists Grant Truesdell and Andrew Kingsley Saunders, in sync with six string bassist Nick Miller. The top-notch vocal gymnastics set the tone, with frontwoman Brittney Hayes singing with utmost power. The galloping guitar figures continued against backing track keyboard figures that floated over the precise drumming from Scott Buchanan.

“Through Stars” continued the power, much like on the album. A melodic chorus reprise took the harmony lines into third track “Soulbound”, after some welcoming banter from Hayes. Guitar soloing was full of pull offs, high vibrato, scalar slides, and speed runs returning to the main riff, with a slight Celtic vibe.

An almost neoclassical feel, with a swift gallop ensued with “Faster Than Light”, using dynamics of heavier verses against more pop-oriented choruses. By this point Unleash the Archers had established an unbreakable rapport with the audience.

A couple of tracks from slightly earlier album Apex took the material in heavier territory, starting with “The Matriarch” which adopts the approach of call and response works in choruses. “Awakening” followed and saw a conviction of musical delivery from the band. After some harmonised twin guitar sweep picking work, a half time musical interlude was heavier allowing for traversing of scales before resuming speed with fast, galloping power metal and additional twin guitar work.

It was time for new album material, offering an explanation to those unaware of Hayes’ AI robot-inspired body suit and cape. After saying ‘I can’t wait to tell Melbourne how much better you guys were’, she kicked off the fantastic newer song “Green & Glass”. A harmonised twin guitar part fed into interspersed trade-offs after which a melodic bridge returned the song to the chorus, enhanced with a deftly executed key change, ending into dreamy doo wop vocal ‘oohs’ as the band edged out, and vocals completed the song. It is something they had tampered with on “Legacy” on the last album, but now perfected.

“Tonight We Ride” saw Hayes and crew launch into superb high energy power metal, with twin guitar harmonies, cymbals crashing and impressive falsetto vocal screams. A dash of growled vocals gave the power metal vibe some edge as did fast guitar soloing that climbed octaves, somehow all leading to an audience singalong, with the song’s end having Hayes demonstrating her vocal range prowess.

Closing their main set, the title track from the Apex album took their penchant for syncopated riffs and twin guitar parts into clean, arpeggiated guitar sections interplay. The increasing pace took the track into Maiden-styled territory, galloping as snare drums cracked and chordal figures resolved musical tension in phrases. The chorus, with backing vocals, took on vocal line repeats, almost in an in-the-round technique, followed by traded solos, with fluid guitar runs. Even the outro twin guitar harmonies were very Maidenesque, but with Unleash the Archers’ own stamp on it.

 As the inevitable encore eventuated, the last two tracks from Abyss were used to conclude the show. “Carry the Flame” supplied musical dynamics and sonic variations, including clean and heavy, distorted guitar sounds, melodic choruses and duel clean vocals between Hayes and Kingsley Saunders. Guitar solo trade-offs, at different paces and intensities led back to the chorus, with some floating keyboard figures for added spice.

The last track of the night, again with a substantial nod to Iron Maiden, was “Afterlife”. The half time feel of the chorus, but with higher vocals from Hayes allowed for audience singalongs, with guitars played the melody lines.

As the third verse hit, some more melodic death metal ferocity was employed to great effect, followed by more trading guitar solo parts as the chorus repeated to the end. The song morphed magically into a more vocal driven enterprise, winding up with a keyboard-based outro, and expanded track arrangements that were orchestral, with flutes, and stringed instrument swells. 

What a treat it was to see Unleash The Archers live, finally, after the pandemic scuppered prior tour plans. As expected, they were sensational, well-rehearsed, musically proficient and highly entertaining. Hopefully they will tour our wide brown land again and they might even include “The Wind That Shapes the Land” in their next set. Truly, they are one international band that are well worth seeing in a live environment. Fantastic work from the wonderful Canadians.