ALBUM REVIEW: Phantoma – Unleash The Archers
Power metal is no stranger to the concept album, and Canadian powerhouse UNLEASH THE ARCHERS certainly love themselves a sci-fi epic. Their last two albums, Apex and Abyss, told a galaxy-spanning tale of resistance, betrayal and freedom, while their latest album Phantoma instead looks much closer to home for its central tale, one that shrouds social commentary about how we relate to the world and each other through a canny tale of an AI gone rogue, seeking its own humanity. Crucially, they not only nail the concept (despite initial quibbles about the use of AI in the work) but do so while delivering another batch of rousing power metal anthems.
Opener Human Era is heralded by the screech of an eagle – how very power metal – before the band lock in a stadium rock groove; it’s immediately clear Phantoma is taking a different tack from its predecessors. The title track Ph4NT0-mA immediately dials the tempo back up though, vocalist Brittany Slayes wailing two “yeahs” for good measure. It’s a tough first act to get through with the two songs hitting a combined 11 minutes, but one that also shows how comfortable UNLEASH THE ARCHERS are working either from a restrained mid-pace or a barreling, fist-pumping double kick workout.
In fact, towards the end of Ph4NT0-mA is where we see Slayes introduce her higher register layered atop the main chorus, sounding every bit as forceful as she does in lower ranges. She’s ultimately their best weapon, with bags of charisma and the ability both to belt out huge hooks and softer moments from glass-shattering highs all the way down. Not to say the other members are slouches at all; guitarists Grant Truesdell and Andrew Kingsley duel across Buried In Code’s frantic chorus, and really let their prog flag fly on closer Blood Empress.
Of course, UNLEASH THE ARCHERS know they have to throw in at least one ballad as the power metal rulebook says, and Give It Up Or Give It All delivers on all fronts. Overblown, cheesy, it even opens with a piano, for goodness’ sake. It’s a power metal ballad alright, but crucially, it’s really damn good, with “woahs” throughout and a rallying cry to self-belief and forging on through hardships. The classic rock influence is strong, and there’s more than a few moments where it feels very JOURNEY.
Conceptually, the album is focused around the titular Ph4NT0-mA, an AI who gains sentience and wants to be human; having observed the best of humanity, it comes to live among them and realises that they’re just as capable of great cruelty. While the band have, indeed, used AI tools during its creation, the most important point to note here is that none of them were in the writing of the music, and only one song features snippets of AI-generated lyrics, as if spoken by its main character. In other words, it’s a deeply human album, one that reckons with not only the place of technology in the world and our attitude to it, but with critiques of social media and how we present only our best selves, how we interact with each other through it.
All of this is to say, Phantoma isn’t as immediate as Apex or Abyss, but it doesn’t feel like it’s trying to be. Instead, UNLEASH THE ARCHERS have written an album that branches out into prog, modern metal, stadium rock and more across its ten tracks. It takes a little longer to sink its hooks in, but make no mistake – those hooks will stay put. By the time the conceptual triptych of Ghosts In The Mist, Seeking Vengeance and Blood Empress conclude the near-hour long record, it’s abundantly clear UNLEASH THE ARCHERS are on a creative hot streak and one of modern power metal’s best bands.
Rating: 8/10
Phantoma is set for release on May 10th via Napalm Records.
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