07/12/2008 12:39

The Haunted

The Haunted: 'Versus'

Sweden's The Haunted have returned with a new offering that marks a much welcomed return to the band's trademarked aggressive, thrashy sound. The highly anticipated 'Versus' (The Haunted's 6th full length album), once again produced by the acclaimed Tue Madsen (Dark Tranquillity), is set for an September 2008 release throughout Europe and October 2008 in North America.

For all further info on the The Haunted, as well as videos from the recording sessions and pre-production for 'Versus' visit http://www.myspace.com/thehaunted

The Haunted further comment: “So we're about to let people outside the box start peeking inside. The album we've come up with is one we decided to call 'Versus'. Pretty much it's turned out to be exactly what we had hoped for! Somewhere along 'The Dead Eye' touring cycle we started to see a pattern in what songs we kept coming back to and what we felt really good about in the live setting, and we started talking about making a record that reflected the live energy of the band. As things went along and we finished a live session for Swedish National Radio P3, we knew it could be done. We decided to record the whole album live, and add vocals and solos once we had the songs down with the right energy and groove. Tue loved the idea.
Like always, Peter confused the hell out of everyone by presenting 25 ideas almost a year before we were even going to record, but later calmed the mood by explaining it was mostly to inspire and provoke. It worked. Anders and Jonas started dropping CD's of scatterbrained ideas and mixed riffs and we started diggin; Anders bringing industrial and melodic ideas to the table, and Jonas traditional metal roots. Initially Jensen felt he didn't know where to go with it. He told Peter, ‘All I come up with is grind...’ So what?! Then write grind riffs! It's all gonna sound like The Haunted in the end anyway. Pete told him, and shortly after Jensen started pounding us with typical, simplistic, Jensen trademark riffs.
Recording was a quick and painless process. Once all was in place, we spent ten days in PUK studios getting the music tracked under the supervision of the King Cool, Tue Madsen. We spent eight days of vocal tracking at the In Flames studio, and at Antfarm, with a short pause where Pete underwent surgery for an infected jaw. Then Tue mixed and mastered most of the record in his head, driving around with his kid, eating french fries and rocking out, before returning to Antfarm to turn the necessary knobs and switches.
So what does it sound like? Definitely The Haunted: Great songs, catchfire-riffing, hooks catchier than herpes on a biker slut, explosive groovy beats and lyrics as sharp, dark and dripping sarcastic bile like someone who just got back from Hell with a bone to pick. 'Moronic Colossus' and 'Trenches' are songs we've already picked up and added to the live set with fan approval, while Trouble-inspired 'Ceremony' will have your head bobbing. 'Pieces'’ draws to mind the current At The Gates tour, while perhaps even more efficiently constructed in its heaviness. Hardcore sniffer 'Crusher', a straight up ode to heavy music and metal in particular and the inimitable fury of 'Little Cage' will have you smashing furniture and breaking speed limits.
It's safe to say we're really looking forward to letting this bastard sink its fangs into your minds. Ladies and gents, it's clobbering time!”

(source: Century Media)