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  UNLEASH THE ARCHERS END THEIR EUROPEAN TOUR ON AN 'APEX' HIGH
Unleash The Archers: Bannermans, Edinburgh

ian sutherland
Words: Ian Sutherland, Pictures: Mark Holloway

29th November 2017

unleash the archers



I've seen many gigs in Edinburgh's rock institution that is Bannermans. It's not always easy to get that rock and roll feeling going on a cold Monday night in the city but Canadians Unleash The Archers have drawn a big and vociferous crowd and from the start the place is buzzing.

I'm always amused by the unspoken agreement between band and fans that happens at gigs like this. The band go on stage and set up and get ready and everyone pretends not to notice, then they start the intro tape and the lights go up and there's a roar as if they'd just walked on.

That roar is totally genuine though and by the time the full on power Metal of 'Awakening' is in full flow both band and audience are synched together in sweaty Metal harmony.

unleash the archers

This is the last show of a lengthy European tour and that seemingly effortless tight band feel is present. Frontwoman Brittney Slayes shows why she gets to use that surname with a quite astonishing vocal performance.

While the band focus on getting all the little technicalities in their sound right she just launches her powerful voice over the top of it all. Few singers have ever rattled my earplugs at a gig like Brittney - if this is her at the end of a tour, she must have been blowing up PAs at the start.

unleash the archers

The crowd gets ever more into it as the evening goes on, sharing their full throated approval whether it's songs like 'Cleanse The Bloodlines' from latest album 'Apex' or older tunes such as 'General Of The Dark Army'. That connection extends to the band singing happy birthday to a fan in the audience and is returned in the mass sing along to set closer 'Tonight We Ride'.

unleash the archers

An encore was inevitable and their tour and tonight's show finished in Metal epic style with the title track from their latest album.

This may have been a gig in a club but Unleash The Archers showed tonight that their ten years of hard work is paying off. Their set was an exhilarating burst of Metal energy but it's the healthy size of the crowd and the enthusiastic reaction they generated that says to me that they have something special going on. I see much bigger venues in their future.

unleash the archers

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unleash the archers

unleash the archers

unleash the archers

unleash the archers

unleash the archers

Check out more of Ian Sutherland right here.




 
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