Unleash The Archers return with their new EP ‘Explorers,’ to be released on October 11, 2019 via Napalm Records, only two years after having released their smashing album ‘Apex.’ The EP will feature two cover songs. The first single to be released on August 30, 2019 is called “Northwest Passage”, originally written and performed by Stan Rogers. For those unfamiliar with Stan Rogers he was a baritone Canadian folk singer who released 10 albums and 2 greatest hits releases. Rogers was killed alongside 22 other passengers most likely of smoke inhalation on June 2, 1983, while traveling on Air Canada Flight 797 from Dallas, Texas to Toronto. Unleash The Archers have chosen to cover the song “Northwest Passage” which is the title track from Roger’s 1981 release. The second track on the EP is a cover of the Teaze song “Heartless World.” Teaze was a Canadian hard rock band that was active from 1975-1981. The band released four studio albums and a live album recorded in Japan. “Heartless World” comes from the bands 1979 album ‘One Night Stands.’ Both tracks on the ‘Explorers’ EP are meant to pay homage to Canadian artists.
Unleash The Archers on “Northwest Passage”:
“This song means a lot to us as a band, we like to put it on during those long drives on tour and it always brings us right back home. We originally recorded it to be a bonus track for our last full length album Apex, but we loved the track so much we knew it needed special treatment. We held on to it for a bit and eventually decided to release it as its own 7″ vinyl EP with another Canadian cover song as the B side. The song “Northwest Passage” is all about touring through Canada, which Stan Rogers did a lot, and how it equates to being an explorer looking for the passage all those years ago. It really hits home with us, we’ve toured through Canada too many times to count, so we know just how Stan was feeling. That’s where the name of the EP came from too; every time we hit the road on tour it’s like we too become Explorers, with the great big unknown stretching out before us.”
The artwork for Explorers was created by Dusty Peterson and Unleash The Archers are very happy with it: “We feel it captures the essence of seeking the “Northwest Passage” perfectly. If you have ever read ‘The Terror’ by Dan Simmons or watched the show you’ll know exactly what we were going for. This EP has darkness written all over it, but the songs themselves have a slightly uplifting undertone as well. One can only imagine how exciting it must have been to explore this unknown continent back in the day, but also, how terrifying.”
