Unleash the Archers

Early Years

Unleash The Archers was formed in late 2007 by vocalist Brittney Hayes (a.k.a. Brittney Slayes) and drummer Scott Buchanan with former member Brayden Dyczkowski on guitar, whom Scott had played with previously in an independent death metal project.^[4] Former member Mike Selman was brought on after his departure from Canadian death metal band Meatlocker Seven. The position of bass player was unfilled for the first few months of Unleash The Archers' career, until Zahk Hedstrom joined in October 2007 to complete the lineup. In late 2008 the band recorded a self-titled four song demo, which featured two songs they would end up re-recording for their first studio album.

Behold The Devastation

Their debut studio album was recorded with Jason Hywell Martin at Omega Mediacore Studios in Richmond, BC and was released independently in August 2009. This was the only album to feature the band’s original lineup in its entirety.^[5][6]

Demons Of The AstroWaste

The band's second album was recorded with Nick Engwer and Stu McKillop at the Hive Soundlab in Burnaby, BC and was released independently in May 2011. This album features two solos from Grant Truesdell, who would step in as the new guitar player later that same year after the departure of Mike Selman prior to the recording. The album was a concept album based on the exploits of a mercenary in space^[7] and was set far into the future.^[8][9]

Defy The Skies

This album was a three song EP released solely on 7" vinyl. A bonus fourth track titled ‘Arise’ was given to those that pre-ordered, but was later released on the band’s bandcamp page in digital format only. This record also marked the departure of original bassist Zahk Hedstrom.^[10]

Time Stands Still

In February 2015 the band announced their signing with Napalm Records,^[11] and soon after the title, track listing and release date for their upcoming studio album Time Stands Still were revealed. The album was released in Europe on June 26 and in North America on July 10. The album was originally slated for a late-Summer/early-Fall 2014 release, but the release was pushed back after the band was signed by Napalm Records.^[12] This album was the first without Brayden Dyczkowski, who had been one of the main songwriters up until his parting with the band in late 2013; this lineup change has affected the band's sound and driven it towards a more traditional heavy metal direction with the addition of Andrew Kingsley, who is also trained in jazz, on guitar.^[13]

On May 26, 2015, the band released the "Tonight We Ride" video, inspired by Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome.^[14] The video was filmed in the Nevada desert, using props from the Death Guild Thunderdome camp at Burning Man.^[12]

Apex

Since leaving for a tour of Europe in November 2016,^[15] Unleash the Archers mentioned they would be recording a new album at the end of 2016.^[15] This album would be the first to include current bassist, Nikko Whitworth. The first single, "Cleanse the Bloodlines" was released on April 8, 2017. Apex was released on June 2, 2017 through Napalm Records. The album debuted at #3 on iTunes metal charts, and became their first to make Billboard charts. The album debuted at #9 Heatseeker, #29 Top Hard Music Albums, #29 Record Label Independent Current Albums, #34 Top Current Rock Albums, #116 Overall Digital Albums, #119 Top Current Albums, and #197 Top Albums by Strata. It also debuted at #12 on Canadian Top Hard Music chart. The band announced they would be touring Europe, accompanying Orden Ogan, to promote the album in the fall of 2017, with a US tour to be announced. In end of January it was announced that bassist Nikko Witworth had decided to leave the band. ^[16]

Current members

• Brittney Hayes (a.k.a. Brittney Slayes) – clean vocals (2007–present)^[17]
• Scott Buchanan – drums (2007–present)
• Grant Truesdell – guitar, unclean vocals (2011–present)
• Andrew Kingsley – guitar, unclean vocals (2013–present)

Previous members

• Mike Selman – guitar (2007–2011)
• Zahk Hedstrom – bass (2007–2012)
• Brad Kennedy – bass (2012–2013)
• Brayden Dyczkowski – guitar, unclean vocals (2007–2013)
• Kyle Sheppard – bass (2014–2016)
• Nikko Whitworth – bass (2016–2018)

Timeline

Studio albums

• 2009: Behold the Devastation (Independent)
• 2011: Demons of the AstroWaste (Independent)
• 2015: Time Stands Still (Napalm Records)
• 2017: Apex (Napalm Records)

EPs

• 2012: Defy the Skies (Spread the Metal Records)

Demos

• 2008: Unleash the Archers (Independent)
• 2014: Dreamcrusher (Independent)

Videography/singles

• 2011: "Dawn of Ages", taken from Demons of the AstroWaste
• 2012: "General of fhe Dark Army" taken from Demons of the AstroWaste
• 2015: "Tonight We Ride", taken from Time Stands Still
• 2015: "Test Your Metal", taken from Time Stands Still
• 2016: "Time Stands Still", taken from Time Stands Still
• 2017: "Cleanse the Bloodlines", taken from Apex
• 2017: "Awakening", taken from Apex