Album Review: The Haunted - "Exit Wounds"

Who's in the mood for some more metal from Sweden? How about something groovy with a good beat? You know, something you can dance to. Well, I guess it depends on the style of dancing you're in to but maybe you'd be interested in "Exit Wounds", the latest album from Swedish metal band The Haunted, a band who has been around since 1997 and a band I am hearing for the first time.

The Haunted was started by the brothers Bjorler and Adrian Erlandsson, formerly of At The Gates. Like so many of our favorite Swedish metal bands, their lineup has changed a bit through the years. The "Exit Wounds" album features original bassist Jonas Bjorler, guitarist Patrik Jensen, drummer Adrian Erlandsson and Ola Englund, formerly of Six Feet Under, replacing Jonas' brother Anders Bjorler on lead guitar. Also returning for this album is vocalist Marco Aro.

As I mentioned, "Exit Wounds" is the first opportunity I've had to hear The Haunted so I can't compare it to their previous releases. That being said, if their older material is anything like "Exit Wounds" then I've been missing out.

Somebody has decided that the style of music The Haunted plays should be categorized somewhere between so-called "melodic death metal" and what they call "groove-metal".

Regular readers of my reviews know how I feel about trying to pigeon-hole bands into these various genres. I don't like it. No sir, not one bit. If I had to use a word to describe The Haunted's style it would be badass. However,  I'm not entirely opposed to using the "groove metal" moniker but The Haunted's music is a bit more than that. Is it groovy? Yes, at times. But it's also thrashy, deathy, angry and, well, it freakin' metal.

One thing is for sure, what we have here is a heavy, technically interesting group who knows how to throw down. The instruments and style of play compliment one another in a terrific way. And I really got a charge out of Marco Aro's voice. It's aggressive, deep and growly but not so much so that you can't understand what he's trying to say. In my opinion, it's a near perfect blend of throaty power and pugnacity.

"Exit Wounds" on the whole is a fine example of metal brutality and, as the album goes on, it's power continues to build due, in part, to the intentional order of the songs.

I have had discussions with metal friends regarding the importance of stacking the tracks on an album. I doesn't seem like it would be important if all of the songs are good (which they rarely are) but when the songs, even good songs, are assembled in the proper order it can help turn a lackluster album into something much more special.

For example, "Exit Wounds" begins with the 1:30 instrumental intro "317" and then slams into the monster "Cutting Teeth". Follow that with "My Salvation", "Psychonaut" and "Eye Of The Storm" and we're off to a pretty good start.

While I enjoyed the first five songs, especially "Psychonaut", I feel the record really kicks in around track six, "Trend Killer". And, if I had to choose the hit single from the album it would certainly be the cut that follows, "Time (Will Not Heal)". If this is the only song you hear from "Exit Wounds" your money would hve been well spent. It is here that the groove in "groove metal" lives.

And how can you not enjoy a song like "Temptation" with it's traditional thrash beginning, triplet chorus (digga dug, digga dug, digga dug) and the conclusion where Aro actually sings for a moment. Well done, gentlemen.

Then, just to keep you on your toes, The Haunted next hits us with the minute long "My Enemy" which may or may not be a Slayer tribute song. I only say that because any time a guitarist hits a harmonic and bends the whammy bar I think of Slayer.

And the hits just keep on coming throughout the rest of the album. As I mentioned, the songs somehow get stronger as the album progresses. And by "stronger" I mean the intensity increases, the power keeps building and the listener's (me) enjoyment continues to grow while being carried through some of the finest chops this reviewer has heard in some time.

I think metal fans will dig "Exit Wounds". It's the kind of metal record that makes you want to stand up, move around and makes you feel like you can take on the world or, at least, that neighbor that's been giving you a hard time."Exit Wounds" and The Haunted are certainly worth your time. It's another metal onslaught from those fine folks in Sweden who prove once again that metal can in fact be groovy too.

By the way, The Haunted are running a contest on their website where they ask you to "...Describe with a maximum of 50 words what the synopsis would be for a movie titled “The Haunted” starring Chuck Norris. Best synopsis will be chosen by the band and the winner gets a tshirt… or something". Good luck!

Wizard

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