Customer Reviews

Haunted

5 star:		(26)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Although the Haunted are from Sweden, you shouldn't let that fact fool you. The metal world may associate that country with death metal (be it melodic or otherwise), but the Haunted's self-titled debut is pure thrash. The album does contain catchy, melodic guitar work resembling that of Gothenburg bands like In Flames and Dark Tranquility, but the Haunted seem to find their inspiration elsewhere. With its lightning-fast riffs, hardcore vocals, and punkish energy, the Haunted's debut reminds me a great deal of American thrash classics like Metallica's "Kill 'Em All" and Anthrax's "Among the Living." Indeed, listening to this album can lead to the head banging, fast driving, and devil-sign making that it seems only good thrash metal can produce.

Musically, the Haunted have one of the tightest sounds around. This is far from the heaviest music I've heard, but what the Haunted lack in heaviness they more than make up for in speed, enthusiasm, and precision. With technical wankery kept to a minimum, the guitar team of Jensen and Anders Bjorler focuses on creating the catchy harmonies characteristic of the "Swedish Sound." From the back, Adrian's frenetic drumming pushes the songs relentlessly forward to near warp speed, while Jonas Bjorler's bass thumps along in the background. Dolving's hardcore vocals have been done better before (see Pantera, "Vulgar Display of Power"), but he still does a commendable of job of ripping his larynx to keep up the intensity level. It's too bad he didn't get at least one more album with the band to show what he could do (not that his replacement isn't good; he is).

Admittedly, the song structures on the album are pretty uniform. There are no lengthy progressive epics, no acoustic passages, no experiments with clean vocals (although the final track is spoken-word). The Haunted generally play at three speeds: fast, faster, and fastest. However, it's nice to see that they place their focus firmly on the songs, where it should be. As AC/DC have proven many times over the past quarter-century, music doesn't have to be especially complex to be enjoyable. Much like their colleagues the Crown, the Haunted play a brand of energetic thrash that is just a complete blast to listen to. The Haunted are a testament to how far strong musicianship and tight, focused songwriting can take a band. I highly recommend both their albums, and I hope to hear from them again soon.

"the haunted" won't score many points in the originality department, but with metal in the state it's in now, we don't need another Korn or modern Metallica clone. What we need is back to the basics in your face and ram it straight down your throat heavy friggin metal...And The Haunted delivers. Contained in the twelve tracks on this release is some of the most ferocious riffage the metal community has had to endure since the good old days of the late eighties. I'm talkin' from the rip roaring speeeeed of classic Slayer to the upper mid-paced gallop along moshing not heard since the last really good Exodus record. The Haunted has it all. You can hear different aspects of all the great bands we know and still love, and the music is delivered with such intensity and downright bombast that if you weren't a fan of the old school, you'd swear that this was a brand new craze destined for legendary status. Vocal delivery is very Phil Anselmo like (fine by me, since Pantera helped put really heavy music back on the charts, no matter what you may think about them) in it's downright spiteful, "i'll beat your face" vernacular. And the riffing... Heaven's to betsy... fast and crushing with a great production that brings every bone breaking note home with clarity and cleanness. These guys are so tight when they play fast. Unlike predecessors At the Gates, who had more of an Entombed like guitar sound, The Haunted abandon that distinctive Swedish tone for more of the classic Bay Area brawling made famous by Testament and Exodus. There is literally no time to rest while listening to this. At a time when metal has been highlighted by the extremes of hip hop rap at one end and inarticulate cookie monster growling at the other, the metal spectrum has been torched alight by The Haunted. This CD is the stuff, ranking right up there with all the classics in your collection. Originality does not always mean quality, and The Haunted are not ripping anybody off anyway; what they have done is simply crank out a modern day sonic blast of the metal I began to love many years ago, and they have done it with a style and ruthlessness that will not be matched any time soon, except maybe by the masters whom the Haunted obviously adore as well.

This debut album from At the Gates alumni should have been called "Out of the Gate." Opener "Hate Song" explodes out of the speakers with minimal fuss and maximal fury, and the rest of the album never looks back. Peter Dolving's vocals are hardcore-influenced and somewhat monochromatic, but they fuel the astonishing energy here. A strong Slayer influence pervades; at times, the band's roots peek through with trademark Swedish melodies. The band's later releases with Marco Aro are more polished, with better songwriting. But for sheer impact, it's hard to top this.

I am glad Kid Rock and Limp Bizkit are around because all of the CRAP they put out for the weenies out there makes you appreciate the really GOOD MUSIC like this CD. I heard The Haunted's Demo of Undead off of the Earache Earplugged 2 Compilation and I was hooked. Thank goodness someone is carrying on with REAL METAL.. Hate Song kicks your teeth in while the Guitar solo near the end of Blood Rust is very cool. Not one bad song on this CD. Recommended for Kid Rock "Lovers" like me.

A year before their original lead singer Peter Dolving left, they debuted with this monster here. Although in my opinion rEVOLVEr (which features his return) is easily the best when compared to this, their self-titled release is just simply undeniable. Marco Aro (who replaced Dolving for two albums) is an awesome vocalist, Peter just fits the build for the band, no question about it. If you're a fan, there's no reason not to own this cd.

Finally some good old fashion HEAVY thrash metal from thrash giants The Haunted. I will say that every track is amazing, it's a non stop pulsating blast of thrash shoved down your thropat and bursting your ear drums. Yes it is that good. Now maybe I've over hyped it, but I loved it that much. I haven't heard something this good since Carnal Forge! For fan of Carnal Forge, Slayer, and Lamb of God, you definately must check this band out! Good musicianship, fast paced, brutal, and heavy thrash is what can be found here. A must buy!

Overall, a decent album. But, my recommendation would be to buy their latest album first, "The Haunted Made Me Do It".....

The Haunted's self-titled debut is good, yes...... but it does get very oooolllddd..... the songs tend to sound the same... all very fast, very brutal, etc.... an exception is the masterpiece "in vain".... that song is almost worth the price of the album, and were it not for the inclusion of this song, i would've rated this 2 stars...

Hearing reviews for the newest cd by this band, I was intrigued to hear them being likened to the gods of thrash, Slayer. I did not find their sophomore title, instead coming across this 1998 debut. If this is any sign of what the band is like, with maturing and years of progression, they will become metal greats.

Formed of members of At The Gates(another great band), The Haunted is a fresh breath of air for the metal genre. At a time when a lot of bands are expierimenting with new sounds, The Haunted went out and made a balls to the wall thrash record. I havent heard an album this intense in a long while. The guitar work is mind boggling, recalling riffs of Slayer and Sepultura back in their prime, backed with some powerful rythymic work and howling vocals courtesy of Dolving, who can go from mad howl to a good singing voice in second. At points he makes me think of Phil Anselmo. The song topics are usually pretty crazy and critical of society, especially Forensick, the absolute most hypnotizing song on the cd.

If you are looking for good, solid metal with that old thrash edge, you have come to the right place. Welcome home.

If you're looking for a pure straight up, no nonsense, balls to the wall, thrashing, headbanging assault that will leave your ears bleeding and shattered and your brain smashed against the concrete wall, well you've come to the right place with Swedish thrash metal merchants The Haunted's self titled debut album. I went out and bought this album over the weekend, and of course being a fan of these guys, I was quickly hooked to this album right after the first listen. This album has absolutely everything: Angry brutal hardcore style vocals, raging thrashing guitar riffs, brutal slamming drums, what more can you ask for. Peter Dolving's hardcore style vocals are just angry, brutal, and vicious beyond words. Anders Bjorler and Jensen deliver a barrage of lightning fast heavy guitar riffs that thrash and slam throughout and awesome solos that are just smokin. Jonas Bjorler's bass lines are solid and audible, and Adrian Erlandsson's drumming is fast, brutal, and absolutely slamming throughout. The opening track and my favorite on here "Hate Song", is just pure bliss, and it will immediately have you hooked to this album throughout. Other favorite songs on here include "Chokehold", "In vein", "Bullet Hole", "Chasm", "Blood Rust", "Shattered", "Undead", and "Soul Fracture". Actually ever song on here rocks hard. So anyways, if you're a fan of At The Gates, Carnal Forge, Lamb Of God, Dark Tranquillity, In Flames, Slayer, Sepultura, or even Pantera for that matter, you will definately like The Haunted. So do yourself a big favor, go buy this album now, I guarantee you'll love it. The Haunted Rules!! 5 stars all the way.
Jeremy's song ratings:
1. Hate Song - 5/5 (Favorite Song)
2. Chasm - 5/5
3. In vein - 5/5
4. Undead - 5/5
5. Chokehold - 5/5
6. Three Times - 5/5
7. Bullet Hole - 5/5
8. Now You Know - 5/5
9. Shattered - 5/5
10. Soul Fracture - 5/5
11. Blood Rust - 5/5
12. Forensick - 5/5

an execellent cd a good album from beginning to end.