The Haunted - The Dead Eye

[Heckelgruber]

Many of you on this forum are pretty dismissive of The Haunted but I've alway thought that Made Me Do It was a good album. I think fans of The Haunted's thrash riffing, aggression and sound are going to be massively disappointed by their new one - it just sounds like insipid metalcore to my ears. A couple of the earlier tracks on the album manage some of the ballsiness of previous records but the intensity is quickly lost amid cliched lyrics and slowed-down, melodic vocal delivery.

I appreciate that The Haunted are trying to take their sound in a new direction, but I think the direction they have gone is basically towards sounding like all the other tedious "pop with heavy riffs" type bands that occupy the mainstream of metal. I don't think it's intentionally a complete sell-out album, but it kind of sounds like one.

For a kinder appraisal, see:

http://www.seaoftranquility.org/reviews.php?op=showcontent&id=4228

...although it still says that they incorporate metalcore and even Linkin' Park type elements. My expectations for this album were pretty low and I'm still disappointed.

 

[Deadlift]

I think this albums is one of their best albums. I was getting tired on their style and i'm glad they changed it a bit with this album.

 

[evildave]

I am a big fan of The Haunted (as you well know, Heckelgruber, my furry and massive-buttocked friend) and I was well prepared (and looking forward) for this album to be different but I'm really not sure what to make of The Dead Eye. Been listening to it a lot for a few days and I'm in several minds. On one hand, it's different, interesting, intense and tuneful, on the other it sounds cliched and embarassing, veering towards the sounds of teen metal pretenders...

The tracks vary a lot, but... OK, I'll go over it. These are my opinions right now but it improves favourably with each listen:

The Flood (first real track) is nothing memorable but nothing awful. A bit more laid-back and tuneful but not "plastic metal" at all.
The Medication rocks and is standard violent The Haunted but a little catchier.
The Drowning is great. Reminds me a little of Metallica's 2x4 in the meaty riffage but much better. Some interesting fuzzy texture here and there too. This is roughly where I hoped they'd be going with this album.
The Reflection sounds so much like a chart-topping MTV effort to start with, that it's impossible to feel anything but uncomfortable with it.
Why they had to have such an almost-happy melody in the chorus of an otherwise well-arranged, banging chug-fest as The Prosecution is almost beyond comprehension. Cool apart from the chorus, which sucks.
The Fallout is pretty flat. Sounds kinda commercial but too dull to be a seller.
From hereon in the album gets much better and kmore consistent. Tracks like The Medusa bring an intense yet melodic vocal delivery mixed with dark 80's sounds a little like Devin Townsend. Another goody.
Usual quick, twitchy melodic Haunted riffing opens The Shifter, morphing into a twisted harmony vocal with no obvious hook. Good action.
The Cynic is great again. Real flow and the most emotional song, with a slight Tool flavour.
The Stain is pretty heavy. It has a little cheese but hits hard enough not to worry about it. Good flow of different sections. Not great but very good.
The Guilt Trip is big, weighty and melodic. Has a wiff of Entombed or something.
There's a "secret" misery-soaked piano and vocal thing at the end which I like, which feels like 80's goth pop.

To begin with, The Dead Eye sounds damn lame but there are a lot of different moods and flavours to take in that start to take shape over repeated listens. I think I'll end up thinking most of it is excellent with a few parts that stink. We'll see.

 

[CAIRATH]

I like The Haunted and The Haunted Made Me Do It but stopped paying attention to them after that, and judging from what I have read about the new one I will continue to do so.

 

[vampyrouss]

it just sounds like insipid metalcore to my ears.

You weren't alone on that one

I always stood by The Haunted, since their first 2 albums still hold a special place with me.

I've probably listened to "One Kill Wonder" about as many times as the title suggests, and rEVOLVEr was alright. A step in the right direction.

They are a very hit and miss band I suppose...

But this album to its advantage has a different mood on every track, rather than all blending together like One Kill Wonder and rEVOLVEr.

I don't like the style particularly, and I won't be playing it over and over, but in the long run I kind of get the idea I will listen to it more than the last 2 albums.

To be honest I wasn't expecting much from it, so it was quite a nice shock to hear something with a bit of life and character... for the most part.

 

[Kir-ir-Bannog]

I have nothing against them, good solid thrash metal band with some killer riffage. My Shadow from rEVOLVEr was awesome and sounded even better live.
Im actually interested to hear this, it sounds "different"

 

[NFU]

its pretty awful.

 

[Powers]

The Haunted were one of "the" bands that got me into melodeath, and thus metal overall, Opeth, and thus prog.

I always really liked them, people can't listen to Tresspass and tell me they're not fun to listen to. I'll post back in a bit when I've listened to the new tracks.

 

[Powers]

It's still pretty good, it's just not The Haunted, there again you can't accuse them of selling out because they're not even that big. Maybe it is just a new path they're taking.

 

[vampyrouss]

Hate Song is amazing... how on earth can you get away with such cheesey laughable lyrics and still be so damn entertaining?

The whole first album is kinda like that... should have been written in the 80's though to be honest

Its a shame they have lost the innocence of that and now just write really laughable unentertaining lyrics

 

[NFU]

and the irony of that is peter dolving is convinced hes the 2nd coming of jesus when it comes to vocal talent and lyrical content.

 

[vampyrouss]

I think he knows how "metal" he is, and would happily put it down as his best quality

Seriously, the lyrics to the new album should have just been quotes from interviews with him

And thus the return of entertaining lyrics in The Haunted!

 

[Prognostic]

flaming bag of poo

 

[TheButcher]

shitty band

 

[evildave]

Dolving's lyrics are some of the best in metal, not that that's saying much, but he really tries to approach it honestly as a man struggling with real issues, and often manages to capture something I actually can relate to. rEVOLVEr had awesome lyrics from front to back. No gay viking renaissance for this band, no siree. And Hate Song had great lyrics. Tongue in cheek brilliance.

And vocally, Dolving's undoubtedly one of the best. Akerfeldt and The Dev are the only ones i can think of that are better off the top of my head...

The Haunted rule. This album is getting better and better.

 

[Heckelgruber]

It blows peanutty cock.

 

[Kir-ir-Bannog]

I am listening to the medication now....im not impressed...oh well....
the guitar tone is bugging me. the chorus is a little bit catchy i suppose.

 

[evildave]

Massive buttocks take peanutty cock, Pumperor boy.

 

[affinityband]

I actually downloaded this off of.net and its so shockingly bad. They should just give up if they are trying to do anything 'different' to the metal scene.

 

[Heckelgruber]

I think as an experiment it should be considered a failure.