When Unleash The Archers last left off in Denver in March of 2020, it was to be their last show for almost 18 months. Fast forward to last Saturday night, Unleash The Archers finally returned to Denver, and to their legend that has only grown since.
By Bryan Ahearn
A singular, terrestrial planet, with diverse lands and people separated by ocean chasms deep and ideals even deeper, found itself adrift in the year 2020, waiting for its moment of transcendence. That singular moment, when fleeting hope would meet its match in renewed awakening.
The pandemic, if anything, has been an awakening.
Rock metal fans in Denver, Colorado were finally able to experience their awakening on Saturday night, thanks to a stunning and ethereal performance by Canadian melodic metal quartet Unleash The Archers at the sold out Marquis Theater. And it was the performance fans around the region had been holding their breath for.
Fresh off the heels of their critically acclaimed and JUNO (Canada’s version of a Grammy) award-winning Rock/Metal Album Of The Year “Abyss,” Unleash The Archers stopped in Denver amidst a 20+ date headlining tour, frequently selling out multiple dates. And with good reason.
Taking the stage to the Abyss-opening track “Waking Dream,” a delicately triumphant requiem, the band emerged slowly, like a vapored mist from the shadowed backstage hallway, before launching into the exhilarating opener “Abyss,” sending fans into a shrieking frenzy as the stage lit to reveal the band all were waiting so breathlessly to receive.
And the deliriously talented front woman Brittney Slayes and her ultra-talented band mates were equally and authentically ready to receive them.
From the onset, Brittney flashed her trademark smile throughout the show—assuredly and confidently—as 1,000+ concert-goers reveled in her complex, four octave mezzo range, set to a backdrop of soaring song arrangements of exhilarating metal and cinema-equse, synth-infused power ballads.
Translation: Brittney Slayes is massively, massively talented, and one of the best vocalists on planet Earth right now—and possibly any planet, anywhere.
Carry me on the winds of a storm
Show me the power of the universe
Give me the strength of wing to soar
Show me the power of the universe
—“Through Stars”
Following “Abyss,” the band led into “Through Stars” and when Brittney sang “Show me the power of the universe,” I couldn’t help but look around as she interacted intricately with both fans and band members—happily air-guitaring with guitarists Grant Truesdell and Andrew Kingsley, leaning back-to-back with bassist Nick Miller—and even air drumming furiously along with drum phenom Scott Buchanan.
Brittney even took time to engage in a (plastic!) lightsaber fight with audience members who had gotten the souvenir as part of the band’s meet and greet.
The power of the universe was right there, in front of me—all around me. In the making, and, in the moment.
The sing-a-long atmosphere continued with “Legacy” and especially “Soulbound,” where Brittney’s high-gloss verses were offset by the playfully demonic growls by guitarist Grant Truesdell—a rare break in motion for his flailing blonde locks that spent much of the night charging across the stage and over to Andrew Kingsley for a bout of guitar wizardry.
And wizardry it was, as Andrew effortlessly and quietly annihilated his fret board with fate’s precision, during favorites “The Matriarch” and “Cleanse The Bloodlines,” as his atmospherically arranged solos were crafted expertly between Grant’s powerful, guitar stroke and Nick Miller’s thunderous six-string bass.
The song “Awakening” bore particularly rousing sentiments, it was as if drummer Scott Buchannan made exploring every rhythm possible (within the first 30 seconds of the song) his personal conquest in all its beautiful aggression, before taking the requisite pause during the mystically beautiful intro of “Apex”—before re-igniting the cosmic firestorm of an outro.
And if those song titles seem unique—that’s because they are—as their lyrics rely on almost exclusively fantastical and mythical, space adventure motifs—a welcome reprieve from the last 18 months—or, an odd parallel to them.
I am the wind that shapes the land
Old as time and twice as strong
Oceans arise at my command
I alone can carry on
—“The Wind That Shapes The Land”
With 2020’s Abyss playing sequel to 2017’s Apex, both concept albums, fans continue to follow the saga between The Matriarch and The Immortal—which turns out to be every bit as ensnaring as Star Wars, but every bit as real and present as rock music and as real as punk.
But what sets Unleash The Archers apart, is their capacity to connect with the fans. Whether it was the hour plus, socially distanced (reminder, 2021) pre-show meet and greet with fans, the constant and sincere eye contact from each band member to almost any fan who looked on stage—in all of its inter-planetary fantasy—this band truly gets the importance of connecting during the here and the now.
Whether it’s the hundreds of Twitch streams (@granttuesdellUTA) has been streaming almost all of the UTA concerts), or their UTA-specific Discord group, this band—especially in light of the last 18 months—realizes the importance of connecting with fans—and, having fans connect with each other—as Brittney spoke from stage to the fans about their Unleash The Archers Discord group:
“For those of you not part of it, you should totally come hang out! Discord is like a chat room with a bunch of metalheads like you that love sports, and books and D & D. It’s a crew of really great people and you just might meet your best friend, you never know.”
Brittney Slayes, Unleash The Archers
In that moment, I knew it. Brittney, and this band. They weren’t merely a band—they were also leaders. They know and promote the importance of connection amongst themselves and their fans.
While outside, admist the sunswept downtown streets of bustling millennials, Denver was simultaneously playing host to its annual Oktoberfest celebration—a confluence of dirndls, lederhosen, aviator sunglasses, pink jean shorts and sudsy beer steins.
Yet somehow, the several hundred Unleash The Archers fans gathered inside, and lining the sidewalk for hours in front of the Marquis Theater before—many clad in black, with various forms of patches, metal studs and beard adornments (some with necklaces that even looked like midevil hammers)—seemed to fit right in with it all.
Togetherness. Belonging. Unity.
This was something that Brittney lead all of us in that night, backed by the rousing delivery of insterstellar metal rhythms by some of the finest musicians I’ve ever heard.
As the evening’s camera of our mind’s eye panned outward, nestled at the base of the Rocky Mountains, lies Denver, Colorado—an upstart, western metropolis of 2.8 million citizens benefiting from its history as a gold mining town, and its future as gateway to some of North America’s best skiing.
On Saturday night, however, Denver also became the gateway to some of the best music anywhere in North America, when Canada’s Unleash The Archers made their triumphant return to the Mile High City.
And it felt like no place on planet Earth.
Rating: 5/5 – One of the best concerts ever.
Tour Dates: https://unleashthearchers.com/#tourdates-section
Setlist – Denver – 09/18/21
- Abyss
- Through Stars
- Legacy
- Soulbound
- Faster Than The Light
- The Matriarch
- Cleanse The Bloodlines
- Tonight We Ride
- Awakening
- Apex
- The Wind That Shapes The Land
- Afterlife
- Carry The Flame (encore)
MavStar 