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. 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.
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.
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 and was set far into the future.
This album was a three-song EP released solely on 7-inch 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.
In February 2015 the band announced their signing with Napalm Records, 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. 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.
On May 26, 2015, the band released the "Tonight We Ride" video, inspired by Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome. The video was filmed in the Nevada desert, using props from the Death Guild Thunderdome camp at Burning Man.
Since leaving for a tour of Europe in November 2016, Unleash the Archers mentioned they would be recording a new album at the end of 2016. 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 No. 3 on iTunes metal charts, and became their first to make Billboard charts. The album debuted at No. 9 Heatseeker, No. 29 Top Hard Music Albums, No. 29 Record Label Independent Current Albums, No. 34 Top Current Rock Albums, No. 116 Overall Digital Albums, No. 119 Top Current Albums, and No. 197 Top Albums by Strata. It also debuted at No. 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.
Brittney Hayes gave interviews and tweeted saying that they are currently working on an EP of covers with a "bit of a UTA spin" on them. They are also writing and recording a full-length album as a follow up to 2017's Apex to be released some time in 2020.
On August 30, 2019, the band released the first single off of the EP Explorers, a cover of Stan Rogers' "Northwest Passage". The full EP was released October 11, 2019.
Apex
Unleash the Archers Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Child of your womb
I return from a perilous place
To the warmth of your hollow
Embrace me
Steady giant, monolith
Lend me your heart
I am weakened again, tired
As your power, it sinks into me
Your roots take their hold
My body as one with the earth
My blood as the stone
The mountain, my home
Heavy walls enclose me cover me in endless warmth
And now the dreams will come
Lucid freedom takes me, to a world no longer run by the laws of relativity
Fly out beyond the stars, where the wind takes me
Away and leads me through the dark, defying gravity
CHORUS:
Can you follow me? Follow me to apex
Through a meadow running, feel the sun upon my face
And the air in intoxicates
Rushing like a river, toward a waterfall that takes me out beyond reality
Away, you lead me through the dark, defying gravity
CHORUS x 2
Brother mountain, now we sleep
For a thousand years
I will see you again
Something is coming
Coming for me
"
The lyrics to Unleash the Archers’ song “Apex” are about returning home to a giant mountain after a perilous journey. The singer is asking the mountain for comfort and to mend their scars. The power of the mountain and its environment are described as sinking into the singer, helping them become one with the earth. The warmth of the mountain surrounds them, making them feel safe and protected, encouraging them to dream of a world beyond reality and defy gravity. The chorus references the idea of reaching the apex, the highest point, and asks if the listener can follow the singer to this point. The song concludes with a reference to something coming for the singer, hinting at the danger and challenges yet to come.
Line by Line Meaning
Hello mountain, remember me
The singer is addressing the mountain, acknowledging their connection.
Child of your womb
The singer sees themselves as being born from the mountain, implying a deep spiritual connection.
I return from a perilous place
The singer has gone through a difficult journey and is seeking refuge in the mountain.
To the warmth of your hollow
The artist is seeking comfort and shelter in the mountain, which they see as a home.
Embrace me
The artist desires to be embraced by the mountain, both figuratively and perhaps literally.
Steady giant, monolith
The mountain is being described as being a constant, unchanging presence.
Lend me your heart
The singer sees the mountain's strength as coming from its heart, and is asking for that strength to be shared with them.
I am weakened again, tired
The artist is admitting to being in a vulnerable state, and is seeking strength and support from the mountain.
Mend my scars
The artist is asking for healing from whatever wounds they have suffered.
As your power, it sinks into me
The artist is feeling themselves being infused with the strength and power of the mountain.
Your roots take their hold
The singer is using imagery of the mountain's roots to describe their own groundedness and connection to the earth.
My body as one with the earth
The artist is expressing a sense of unity with the natural world around them.
My blood as the stone
The singer is seeing themselves as being made of the same solid, enduring material as the mountain itself.
The mountain, my home
The singer feels a deep sense of belonging and comfort in the mountain's presence.
Heavy walls enclose me cover me in endless warmth
The singer is describing a feeling of being protected and surrounded by the mountain's strength and warmth.
And now the dreams will come
The artist is anticipating a new phase of their life, one where they can dream and explore freely.
Lucid freedom takes me, to a world no longer run by the laws of relativity
The artist is describing a sense of liberation and exploration that goes beyond the constraints of everyday reality.
Fly out beyond the stars, where the wind takes me
The singer is expressing a longing to explore new places and experiences, going beyond the limits of what they know.
Away and leads me through the dark, defying gravity
The singer is describing a sense of being guided and led by something beyond themselves, something that defies the laws of physics and rationality.
Can you follow me? Follow me to apex
The artist is issuing a call to adventure to anyone who wishes to join them on this journey of exploration and discovery.
Through a meadow running, feel the sun upon my face
The artist is describing a sense of joy and freedom in their exploration of the natural world around them.
And the air in intoxicates
The artist is finding a sense of euphoria in their exploration of new places and experiences.
Rushing like a river, toward a waterfall that takes me out beyond reality
The singer is describing a sense of excitement and energy in their journey, something that takes them beyond the limits of what they know and understand.
Brother mountain, now we sleep
The artist is acknowledging the mountain as a companion and fellow traveler on their journey.
For a thousand years I will see you again
The singer is expressing a sense of continuity and connection that transcends time and space.
Something is coming, coming for me
The singer senses a new challenge or adventure on the horizon, and is embracing it with excitement and anticipation.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: ANDREW SAUNDERS, BRITTNEY HAYES, GRANT TRUESDELL, NIKKO WHITWORTH, SCOTT BUCHANAN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@AsifKhan-bz1of
Hello mountain, remember me
Child of your womb
I return from a perilous place
To the warmth of your hollow
Embrace me
Steady giant, monolith
Lend me your heart
I am weakened again, tired
Mend my scars
As your power, it sinks into me
Your roots take their hold
My body as one with the earth
My blood as the stone
The mountain, my home
Heavy walls enclose me
Cover me in endless warmth
And now the dreams will come
Lucid freedom takes me
To a world no longer run by the laws of relativity
Fly out beyond the stars
Where the wind takes me away
And leads me through the dark
Defying gravity
Can you follow me?
Follow me to apex
Can you follow me?
Follow me to apex
Through a meadow running
Feel the sun upon my face
And the air in intoxicates
Rushing like a river
Toward a waterfall that takes me out beyond reality
Away, you lead me through dark
Defying gravity
Can you follow me?
Follow me to apex
Can you follow me?
Follow me to apex
Can you follow me?
Follow me to apex
Can you follow me?
Follow me to apex
Can you follow me?
Follow me to apex
Can you follow me?
Follow me to apex
Brother mountain
Now we sleep
For a thousand years
I will see you again
Something is coming
Coming for me
@raifsevrence
I think the answer to that question lies in the nature of the average metal fan of the current era.
I have heard a lot of negative opinions directed at this band.
I have heard them called cheese metal and stuff like that.
It blows my mind really.
Apex is a masterful album imo. It tells a contiguous story across the span of the album.
I really dig that.
My favorite metal band of all time is 3 Inches of Blood.
When they broke up, I had nobody to call my favorite active metal band.
I only found UTA last year, but the first time I heard them I knew I had found the one to fill that spot.
@Grorl
After all these years, this song remains insanely amazing. It's actually been my daughter's lullaby since she was 6 months old (she's 3 now.), and I sang it for her. Puts her to sleep every time.
@DrZombieMoogle
Aaw. Wholesome
@slidestudios
* Screaming in your daughter's face * FOLLOW ME TO APEX!!!!!
No i'm just kidding, I assume you probably sing it softer than Brittney does.
@xDPx-zh7vr
It's amazing the songs that children find soothing. Realizing you probably weren't serenading her with a full band with a Marshall stack blowing out the windows 😜. My son was "Dead Eyes See No Future" by Arch Enemy (full band version believe it or not) and my daughter was "The Fire Never Dies" by Killwhitneydead/Line of Fire. I guess having metalhead parents helps.
@barryvanbeek8868
Insanely amazing is indeed the way to describe it. 🤘
@dt1056
Used to nap with my 3 months old son listening to Pantera... 🙂
he's now an adult - Wow time flies!
@RiccoDaniiDev
This is my FAVORITE song nearly fucking ever! I absolutely love these guys with a passion and I'm on the edge of my seat waiting for this next album!
@jimmyvandrunen5960
i listened to several powermetal bands but this lady's vocals... she makes the tones that give goosebumps
@occhams1
The 'gallop' at the end reminds me of old school Iron Maiden. Hallowed be the Archers. Well done.
@isaiahwelch8066
You, sir, win the internets.
Best comment I've read about UtA. 🤘👍