HAUNTER, a band whose mysterious first EP of Black Speed Metal mayhem caught my attention, are back with a vengeance. Their new EP is out via Fiadh Productions.
An appropriately gloomy introduction begins our descent into horror, invoking a feeling like one has broken down the door of an abandoned chapel. Heavily modulated guitars kick in, following on from the utterly insane tone created on EP number one. Cymbals crash and relentless vocals soon go berserk as the cacophony of spooked Heavy Metal hellfire is unleashed. Their rabid songwriting and unique production feels very DIY but full of character and its own personality which has been consistent on both releases, ensuring Haunter carve their sound into the underground. The riffs are ripping and the energy is off the charts, it would surprise me if anybody blasted that first track and didn’t already fall for the charming sadism of the release.
Furiously forging onwards, each mental onslaught of feral drumming and unhinged riffing feels like a natural, if frantic, progression of the last. Indeed, Haunter sure knows how to write a killer song. Something that is surely only going to improve with time but can already be heard in full force on these EP’s. It’s hard to describe exactly what about their music is so damn gripping but I’d safely say those weird as hell guitars are a big part. Equally they have pulverising heaviness in the bass department to crush any remaining victims. It’s sort of like if Iron Maiden, King Diamond, Deathhammer and some over-the-top 80s horror soundtrack had a baby. This zombified infants carcass will surely throw you into the grave as soon as you encounter it, lest you witness these abhorrent incantations…
A really strong and profoundly interesting but equally fun EP of gripping Heavy Metal horror infused with blackened mysticism and thrashing frenzy. A rager, a banger and a Samhain soundtrack in one!
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