Album Reviews : The Haunted – Warning Shots

As with any big label in the metal industry, it’s only fitting that one of their biggest success stories get the chance to be apart of the much loved, and dreaded “best of” album. Earache records have done so with one of the best success stories to date, The Haunted.

This two disc compilation has conjured up the memories of the bands material from their first three albums, by slapping together a “best of” compilation to feed to the masses. Subsequently, their first three albums were the only releases that were through Earache records.

Warning Shots is quite different from your typical ‘best of’ album. Earache have still kept the bands major integrity with their most well known repertoire of songs, ranging from ‘Hate Song‘ and ‘D.O.A‘ on the first disc, but also include rarities of demos, live tracks and a cover of ‘Well of Souls‘, made famous by Swedish doom metallers, Candlemass.

This conjuration of rarities and top songs from the bands first three albums will keep both long time fans of the band, and newcomers quite happy. If you have never heard The Haunted before in your life, or have been tempted to buy an album but don’t know which one to get,  this is a better time then any to get  this ‘best of” album. It will not only keep your ears happy, but let you discover some of the bands greatest work to date without breaking the bank.

The bands unique blend of thrash and melodic metal have truly made them worthy adversaries in the metal realm. The bands major influences of Pantera and Slayer have truly shined through in their earliest work, with tracks ‘Hate Song‘, ‘Undead‘ and ‘In Vein‘, holding that formidable sound of heavy riffs, fast attacking drums and powerful vocal deliveries from Peter Dolving, who left The Haunted for a short period after the first album was released, only to return once again at the helm for the bands fourth album ‘rEVOLVEr‘.

While the second and third albums had Marco Aro at the helm for a short while, the blend of metalcore, death and thrash vocals had hardly dissipated as the band evolved their sound more, by infuses more technical elements into their musicianship.

Tracks including, “One Kill Wonder“, “Hollow Ground” and their most famous contribution to the metal world, “D.O.A.” all carry a technical, and melodic aspect which sets it apart from the bands more fast attacking material on the first album.

The three tracks which came included on the Warning Shots promo, include a rough demo of the track ‘Undead‘ which surprisingly sounds good for the quality it was given, as its purely an instrumental. A fantastic live version of ‘Choke‘ which I can honesty say doesn’t sound anything like a live song at all, the production and the bands amazing musicianship makes this sound more like a remastered version more then anything else.

Finally, we come to the cover of Candlemass‘, ‘Well of Souls‘. Considering Candlemass have more of a melodic doomy approach to their vocals. The Haunted have gone for a different approach, and purely destroys the original version by incorporating a nice heavy delivery of heavy riffs and fast attacking vocals to truly make it a unique cover of one of my many favorite bands.

I can only give the album half its credit, due to Earache only sending me the first disc of the compilation, with three additional tracks added from the second disc as a preview of whats to come.

I wouldn’t considered myself the biggest Haunted fan, but after listening to this monstrous ‘best of’ album,  I could quite easily throw it on at any time for a good head ol’ bang. The album has some great depth and variety in its selection of songs, from what many would consider the bands best three albums to date.

If your just new to the sounds of The Haunted, I’d urge you to buy this album; while for long time fans of the band will find solace in the second discs selection of rare songs which were only available on selected special editions throughout the bands discography. 8/10

Band: The Haunted
Album: Warning Shots
Year: 2009
Genre: Melodic Death Metal/Grindcore
Label: Earache
Origin: Sweden
http://www.myspace.com/thehaunted

Track listing:

CD 1

1. Hate Song
2. Trespass
3. Shadow World
4. D.O.A.
5. Undead
6. One Kill Wonder
7. Under the Surface
8. In vein
9. Hollow Ground
10. Everlasting
11. Dark Intentions
12. Bury Your Dead
13. Shithead
14. Chasm
15. Revelation
16. Forensick

CD 2

1. Ritual
2. Creed
3. Well of Souls
4. Eclipse
5. Choke Hold (live)
6. Leech (live)
7. Three Times (live)
8. Undead (demo)
9. Shattered (demo)
10. Undead (Death & 1/2 Prod. rehearsal)
11. Now You Know (Death & 1/2 Prod. rehearsal)
12. Blood Rust (Death & 1/2 Prod. rehearsal)