Calling all metal fans of Jasper.

Two female-fronted metal bands, Unleash the Archers and The Order of Chaos, will be crashing into Jasper tonight, May 26. 

It will be Unleash the Archers’ first time performing in Jasper, but The Order of Chaos stopped by in March. 

“We’ve been all over B.C. and Alberta, playing big cities and small towns, but never had the chance to rock out with you guys,” said Brittney Hayes, vocalist for Unleash the Archers. 

Hayes and the rest of the band are on a non-stop tour at the moment, promoting their freshly released CD, Demons of the AstroWaste. The vocalist says that days off on this cross-Canada tour are something they try to avoid at all costs. 

“You get into a kind of rhythm, having days off actually ruins it,” she said. “If we could play a show every night we would be happy, but there are some massive drives in Canada that just won’t allow it.

“After a while life on the road becomes routine and looking forward to that next show helps you get through the tough, cramped-in-a-van times. Also, the more shows you play, the more gas money you get, the better your chances of making it back home.” 

The chances to catch a rock band in Jasper can be few and far between at times, and Hayes is happy to oblige those fans. 

“Hopefully we’ll get everyone good and riled, and I don’t mean rioting in the streets,” she joked. “Music is a way of life, I absolutely love going to live shows of all sizes, and I think that every town, no matter how big, should be given the chance to attend live shows as often as possible.”

John “Simon” Fallon, lead guitarist for The Order of Chaos, says the energy from a metal show is second to none. 

“It’s a great genre whose entertainment value is often overlooked. There is no performance as powerful as a live heavy metal concert,” Fallon said. “Whether you’re a die-hard heavy metal fan, or you’re not familiar with the genre, come check out the show. You are likely to hear something you will enjoy – and you may be tempted to pull the acid washed jeans and Mötley Crüe shirt out of the box in the garage.”

The Jasper date will see two female-fronted metal bands on the stage – a trend in the heavy rock scene that is welcomed by many fans. 

Hayes jokes that the van is much cleaner, but the bottom line is that they all just want to play the music they love, and be heard. 

“We either have people that refuse to listen to us simply because I’m female, or we have fans that search us out specifically because of that fact,” she said. “The truth is that we just want to play metal, I’m not in the band for the novelty or because it makes it interesting. Female-fronted bands are becoming more and more popular, and perhaps for all the wrong reasons. I’m just here to sing the music that I love, and I hope you like it as much as I do.”

Fallon said their female vocalist, Amanda Kiernan, makes the band all the more unique.

“It’s become very common for females to front metal bands these days, as opposed to guys looking like girls and playing in metal bands as was the case in the ’80s,” Fallon said. “It makes us more recognizable having a female vocalist and is helpful as a marketing strategy. I think our singer’s vocal style is very unique in comparison to many of the other female fronted bands out there, and it’s an integral part of our distinctive sound.”

The Order of Chaos has been lucky enough to perform for some massive audiences – plus a few of their all-time favourite bands – when they opened for Godsmack. They recently signed to Killer Metal Records, and have been amassing a large following world wide. They do all this while still holding down other jobs to keep the touring machine going. Fallon says working and being in the band is like having two full-time jobs, but he wouldn’t give it up for anything. 

“We all enjoy it, and it’s that passion for our art that keeps us all going. As long as there’s a case of beer at rehearsal, you can always expect everyone to show up,” he said. 

The Order of Chaos is touring in support of their new album, Burn These Dreams. Fallon warns that their tourmates, Unleash the Archers will “melt your face.” The tour is being dubbed the Unleash the Chaos Tour. 

Visit both of the band’s websites, www.theorderofchaos.ca or www.unleashthearchers.com for more information on tonight’s Jasper tour stop.