The Haunted - Strength In Numbers

***1/2

The Haunted get brutal on new album!!!

Its funny there’s the same amount of difference Peter Dolving and Marco Aro era's of The Haunted is probably the same as the difference between Ozzy Osbourne and Dio fronting Black Sabbath. While Peter Dolving was a far superior and more versatile vocalist it was Marco’s material that people gravitated towards and when discussing the best album by The Haunted no one ever brings up 'Versus' or 'Unseen' so the writing was on the wall that that line up of the band had run its course.

With the return of Marco Aro on vocals and Adrian Erlandsson (Paradise Lost / Cradle of Filth / At the Gates) on the drums and new comer Ola Englund 2014’s 'Exit Wounds' saw the band revving up the old engine and flexing the old muscles. It was a good album but its biggest weakness was Marco had released an album with The Resistance the previous year which quite frankly blew it away.

Now in 2017 The Resistance have split and The Haunted press on with the second album of this current line up and 'Strength in Numbers' sees the band pushing forward and not resting on their laurels. With Russ Russell producing the album has a clear and bold sound. 'Brute Force' sees the band deliver fast brutal Thrash in that modern way which put them on the map originally. Songs like 'Spark' sees them step into melodic and dare I say it more accessible territory.

All in all it’s far from a wet lettuce but time will tell what lasting impression the album makes and how this new songs translate in a live setting. It’s a solid and enjoyable album but we are a long way from the glory days of “….Made me do it” and 'Revolver'.

Check Out! the Video for 'Brute Force' Below...