Artist: The Haunted
Label: Century Media Records
Release Date: 10/19/04
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Title: rEVOLVEr Artist: The Haunted Label: Century Media Records Release Date: 10/19/04 |
Judgment Committee Reviews | Rating |
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4 | ||
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Abyss's Review:
As I write this review I'm still not sure what I really think of this album. One part of me really likes it and the other's a bit disappointed. One thing's for sure, The Haunted have changed things up a little on their latest effort, as the way the title is spelled certainly symbolizes.The band didn't do a complete overhaul though, they're still a solid melodic thrash band, but they no longer worship solely at the altar of Slayer. They've changed up the speeds and mellowed out the vocals in places, mixed in some of the new 'Bay Area Sound' a la Machine Head, and spent a good deal of time listening to some older Swedish death metal. Their sound does remain their own, however, and the return of original singer Peter Dolving is at once nostalgic and underwhelming. That is, I like him, but I liked Aro as well, and I think they both do an adequate job.
"One word review: Great."
The band continues to revel in their unique brand of desperation, giving the album a deliberate but hurried feel, and the band will most likely keep its place as one of the most popular of modern Swedish acts. There is no doubt the band should be given credit for their willingness to push their own envelope a bit, but while I admit this album is more of a risk than their last, I found myself much more satisfied with the predecessor. Sure, One Kill Wonder was safe Slayer worship, but it also was really fun to listen to.
So there you have it. The new album is unafraid to show a few more sides of these guys, but still piles on the melodies and the thrash. But with this new 'growth' the album can be characterized as less consistent. Either way, I'll be looking forward to where this band goes from here. One word review: Great.
Death's Review:
The Haunted return, this time on Century Media Records, with a new album that lives up to its name. rEVOLVEr features the return of original vocalist Peter Dolving, and an "evolved" sound for this long-running band which boasts former members of the legendary At the Gates. Over the years The Haunted have managed to garner quite the reputation in their own right, landing an MTV News "You Hear it First" feature in 2000 and touring with the likes of Lamb of God, Nile, In Flames and Cannibal Corpse. But this new album is the first time The Haunted have stretched their sound and creativity this far, jettisoning a large portion of the post-Gothencore Slayer worship heard on previous records in favor of a more mature, more substantive sound with intricate layers and texture encompassed in a first-class production courtesy of Studio Fredman (rEVOLVEr was co-produced by Patrik J. Sten and Fredrik Nordstrom). The results are far less predictable than previous efforts, and overall are in many ways far more interesting to listen to.
"The results are far less predictable than previous efforts, and overall are in many ways far more interesting to listen to." Of course, in 2004, the style /sound previously performed by The Haunted has become very much over saturated within this scene; and thus, the band almost needed a fresh approach to retain my interest at a high level. For the most part, The Haunted are successful. I like the clean vocals, the dynamics, and the intricate guitar work. All of this goes far beyond anything the band has done before. There are moments in a few songs (e.g., the beginning of "Burnt to A Shell," the beginning of "Nothing Right"), where you would be shocked if I isolated thirty seconds or so and told you it was The Haunted. But there are many more moments full of the band's trademarked balls-out thrashcore attack. In the end, the balance is struck quite nicely. And while rEVOLVEr doesn't have the aggressive, sugar-rush adrenaline jolt I've gotten from The Haunted in the past, it is a deeper record overall and I think if The Haunted had just delivered another One Kill Wonder I would have slogged them for that too. So in the end, I like the approach, yet I have to admit it is not at the top of my list for 2004. With so many truly great records having coming out in the past few months, it is hard to give this one the full five skulls. But I do want to emphasize that I approve of The Haunted's "evolution," and look forward to seeing some of the rEVOLVEr tracks performed live.
Hel's Review:
I've been a fan of The Haunted since their debut album. I have enjoyed every one of their subsequent albums as well, and this one is no exception. Musically, this is somewhat the natural next step for the band; a continuation of their brand of melodic thrash devastation, with their efforts at ongoing evolution showing though.
"Listen for yourself and form your own decision on this one, for its beauty will surely be in the ear of the beholder." I was surprised to realize, however, that I have lost my taste for the vocal stylings of original lead man, Peter Dolving, now that he has returned to the band. While I know that most people have been salivating over the thought of his return, I personally have developed some aversions to certain vocal styles in the intervening span and I now find Mr. Dolving's style hitting too near to some of those. His delivery is too shout-y and intelligible for my tastes these days. It is not exactly hardcore, but comes too close to it for my comfort. The occasional clean passages also leave a sour taste in my mouth. Some may enjoy them, but it isn't tickling my fancy at the moment.
I suppose it was inevitable, after three albums that I enjoyed so much, that there would come a time when I would find myself less than thrilled with every note. But just because I am not as utterly enthralled with this album as I have been with their past work, one should not interpret that as disenfranchisement with the band as a whole. rEVOLVEr may have kind of a dumb name, but there is still a great deal of enjoyable music to be found on this album. Listen for yourself and form your own decision on this one, for its beauty will surely be in the ear of the beholder.
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