DEVIL'S ISLAND featuring Unleash The Archers.
Welcome to this weeks edition of Devil's Island! Every week we maroon a band or artist on the island and see what they get up to, how they cope with being all alone on a small island in the middle of the ocean. It's not your average desert island and we'll see just how each person copes with the extreme conditions.
This week when we arrived at Devil's Island we found a Canadian metal quartet Unleash The Archers sat on the beach. This is far from their Canadian home! We hadn't seen them since their appearance at the European metal Festival Alliance, we thought they were in isolation but it seems they've been shipwrecked!
How did they cope with life on Devil's Island? Find out now...
Welcome to The Razors'e Edge and our somewhat lovely, warm desert island. Don't worry about it's name I'm sure it's not as bad as that would suggest.
So you're marooned here on this island, but before you ended up shipwrecked you chose one album that you couldn't live without. Which album did you each chose and why?
Brittney: I chose to bring Mana by Idle Hands. It’s got heavy tracks and lighter tracks, it’s great for singing along, it’s pretty accessible so it won’t annoy anyone, and it’s good for quiet moments of reflection as well as party time moments. It’s a super versatile record!
Andrew: This is a bit tough, but I’d have to go with Angra’s Temple Of Shadows, as it had a profound effect on me and my playing when I was younger.
Scott: It’d have to be pretty chill if it’s gonna be the ONLY thing I get to listen to until I get off this island. I don’t know, maybe the new Charley Crockett album “Welcome to Hard Times”. I’ve been listening to that a lot lately.
Grant: Seeing how Andrew already managed to salvage Temple of Shadows onto Devil's Island I think my shredding needs will be met if he decides to share. The album I managed to bring on is an album that I know I will never get sick off. It’s Elton John - The Greatest Hits 1970-2002.
Just behind that palm tree is a shack for each of you to stay in, with enough space for you to put up a poster on the wall of one album cover. What album cover do you each chose?
Brittney: I would put up the cover of Brave New World by Iron Maiden. I’ve always loved that cover, so much to look at and daydream to ☺
Andrew: The Black Album by Metallica. It’s just so deep, ya know? But seriously the cover of Bell Witch’s “Mirror Reaper” is one that grabbed me recently. I’m not even super into that style of metal but that cover is beautiful.
Scott: That Bell Witch art is killer. Probs one of my fav album covers of late was “The Immortal Wars” by Ex Deo. I don’t know what it is about that soldier and the dead elephant, but it really invites you to just think of all the context up to that point. A real deep think with a “what have we done” kind of vibe.
Grant: My first addition to the shack would be the artwork from Powerslave by Iron Maiden. Ancient cultures, Egyptian imagery, monoliths! It would serve as a reminder how far we’ve come as a civilization and bring hope to our survival on Devil’s Island.
There's also a bar on this here island. But alas each of you only get to chose one drink for the entirety of your stay. What's your tipple of choice?
Brittney: Oh man this one is way too hard! I can’t even drink one thing in a single night let alone our whole stay on a deserted island! I guess if I absolutely had to choose it would be Prosecco 😉
Andrew: Since it’s presumably quite warm on this island, I’ll have to go with a refreshing lager ala corona or MGD.
Scott: I’ve been all over the TigerShark Citra pale ale from Phillips Brewing Company lately. Would have to go with that.
Grant: Vodka soda for this guy! Add some fresh lime in that bad boy and you’ll be drinking and staying hydrated all day!
Your suitcases were lost when your ship sank, but you each managed to salvage one item of band merch. Whats the merch and for what band?
Brittney: If I could only salvage one piece of merch it would have to be my Iced Earth artbook + 10” record for Incorruptible. It’s not my favourite album of theirs but there are def some rad songs and the book will give me something to do 😉
Andrew: The only shirt anyone ever sees me wearing, my brothers band AMNESIAN’S old cut up faded shirt.
Scott: My buddy is in this band called Little Sprout and I always jokingly call it “The Sproutz” as though I'm too oblivious to learn the actual name. Then we had this gift exchange at work where he was my secret santa and he got me their album-cover-shirt but instead of “Little Sprout” it had “The Sproutz” for the logo. So yeah, probs that shirt haha.
Grant: I’m going to go practical here and go with a nice warm hoodie. It’s going to get cold at night after-all. I would like to support some newer American power metal bands, either Aether Realm or Paladin.
You're sat on the island thinking "I'm stuck here on this island with my bandmates for eternity"... who would you rather have been shipwrecked with?
Brittney: Well at least I know I can hang out with these guys in close quarters for weeks on end and not want to kill them so, it’s not so bad haha, but if I had to choose anyone else I guess it would be Bruce Dickinson. I could pick his brain about absolutely everything including music, history, warfare, tanks, planes… You name it he’s a pro! Plus he can teach me how to fence ☺
Andrew: Well, considering I have been stuck in close quarters with everyone in the band, I feel like I could deal with it. I’d pick my partner if I had to choose though haha!
Scott: My cat.
Grant: My wife and kids!
There's a walkman in your pocket, on the tape inside is the recording of the one live show that stands out for you. It could be any show, from any band, anywhere in the world. What show is on that walkman?
Brittney: This is an easy one! When Luca Turilli’s Rhapsody came through Vancouver with Alessandro Conti on vocals. That was the greatest most uplifting concert ever, plus all the band members were on point and played absolutely perfectly!
Andrew: The first time I saw Iron Maiden in 2007, I cried when they started playing Aces High.
Scott: I remember one time Liturgy came to Vancouver and I wanted to go but it was raining and it had been a long day at work and I was tired and stuff haha so I bailed. Then the venue they were playing at shut down and I don’t think they have toured here since. I regret missing that show and being at like one of the last shows at the venue, so it would probably be that one. The one that got away.
Grant: Yeah I’m going to pick the same show as Andrew. Our first time seeing Iron Maiden. Many tears were shed that night.
You're getting desperate, you decide the only course of action is to put a message in a bottle and hope someone finds it. Your message could be to any member of any band, but should be the one musician most suitable for a rescue attempt. Who is it?
Brittney: I’m going to have to go with Bruce Dickinson again because he could hop in the captain’s chair of the Maiden jet and come grab us!
Andrew: I’m with Britt on this one!
Scott: Yup, that sounds like the safe play.
Grant: The only other band I can think of would be Alestorm. They’re pirates right?
You've been stuck here for a while and food supplies are running low. There's only one thing for it... which fellow band member gets sacrificed to help the others survive?
Brittney: Well I am a vegetarian so there’s no way I’m eating the boys, I guess I’d have to sacrifice myself! HA!
Andrew: Hmmm Grant has the most muscle but I feel like I would make better bacon hehe!
Scott: Yeah probs not eating any of them haha I’ve seen where they’ve been.
Grant: Mmm, bacon...
Finally, when the ship sank you each managed to save one person from the wreckage. That person is the one musician that has influenced your career the most, shaped your way of thinking and your outlook on life. Who did you save?
Brittney: Obviously I saved Daniel Heiman from Lost Horizon! Without him I never would have found my voice and UTA would probably sound very different today!
Andrew: Mister Devin Townsend, he has influenced not only my playing, but becoming a musician capable of the entire process from the ground up ie. playing/writing/producing/singing etc.
Scott: Would save four people. The whole Danzig 87-94 lineup.
Grant: Steve Harris.
Thanks for your time. We hope you get back to dry land before you’re next due out on tour!
Brittney: Nah I think I’ll stay out here until Coronavirus is over! 😉
Andrew: Yeah, I ain't leaving this island for awhile!
Scott: Haha yeah, what tour?
Grant: Man, we have a super group on the island. The party is here!
Sadly there is no room on our boat, so we have to leave them on the beach as we sail away from the island. But they all seem quite content with that, safe from covid-19 and waiting for it to all blow over before Bruce Dickinson flies in to the rescue.
