THE HAUNTED — One Kill Wonder (review)

THE HAUNTED — One Kill Wonder album cover Album · 2003 · Thrash Metal Buy this album from MMA partners
4/5 ·
UMUR
"One Kill Wonder" is the 3rd full-length studio album by Swedish thrash metal act The Haunted. The album was released through Earache Records in February 2003. It´s the successor to "Made Me Do It" from 2000 and features the same five-piece lineup who recorded the predecessor although guitarist Anders Björler brieftly left the band in 2001. He however returned in time to participate in the writing and recording of the material for "One Kill Wonder". A lineup change would happen in October 2003 though as lead vocalist Marco Aro would leave to concentrate on his family. He would be replaced by returning original singer Peter Dolving (who sang on the band´s self-titled debut album from 1998).

It´s still Aro who performs on "One Kill Wonder" though and his raw screaming (and occasionally semi-growling) vocal delivery is pretty savage. The material on the 11 track, 38:16 minutes long album are in the brutal and raw end of the thrash metal spectrum, and especially Slayer is an obvious influence (to the point of being close to ripp-off on the clean guitar break section of opening track "Privation of Faith Inc."). The Haunted deliver both scorching thrashers like "Godpuppet" and the ferocious closing title track, and more mid-paced heavy thrash metal tracks like "D.O.A." and "Bloodletting", with the same amount of passion and conviction. Aro is not the most versatile vocalist, and his vocals are a bit grating on the ears throughout a full album, and if there is to be a minor complaint, that would be it. There´s not a finger to put on the instrumental part of the album, which is reasonably varied, powerful, and impactful.

The Haunted are a well playing band and the music is not only delivered with great technical skill, but also with the right amount of raw organic power. This is not one of those digital clean produced thrash metal albums from post-2000, which often come across a bit sterile and lacking rawness and thrash metal authenticity. "One Kill Wonder" reeks of both and it´s a high quality thrash metal release through and through. A 4 - 4.5 star (85%) rating is deserved.
Share this review
more

Review Comments

Post a public comment below | Send private message to the reviewer
Please login to post a shout
No shouts posted yet. Be the first member to do so above!

Review Index

Member Zone

Username:
Password:
Stay signed in

Metal Subgenres

Artists Alpha-index

MMA TOP 5 Metal ALBUMS

Rating by members, ranked by custom algorithm
Albums with 30 ratings and more
Master of Puppets Thrash Metal
METALLICA
Buy this album from our partners
Paranoid Heavy Metal
BLACK SABBATH
Buy this album from our partners
Moving Pictures Hard Rock
RUSH
Buy this album from our partners
Powerslave NWoBHM
IRON MAIDEN
Buy this album from our partners
Rising Heavy Metal
RAINBOW
Buy this album from our partners

New Metal Artists

New Metal Releases

I, the Destroyer Black Metal
SVARTFJELL
Buy this album from MMA partners
A Sonication Technical Death Metal
OBSCURA
Buy this album from MMA partners
Hin helga kvöl Atmospheric Sludge Metal
SÓLSTAFIR
Buy this album from MMA partners
The Cycles of Suffering Black Metal
BURIAL OATH
Buy this album from MMA partners
The Suns of Perdition - Chapter IV: To Shadow Zion Black Metal
PANZERFAUST
Buy this album from MMA partners
More new releases

New Metal Online Videos

DAWN OF REVENGE - Sanctuary [official music video]
DAWN OF REVENGE
Bosh66· 7 days ago
DAWN OF REVENGE - Farewell [official music video]
DAWN OF REVENGE
Bosh66· 7 days ago
DAWN OF REVENGE - Curtain of Death - [official music video]
DAWN OF REVENGE
Bosh66· 7 days ago
DAWN OF REVENGE - Vengeance [official music video]
DAWN OF REVENGE
Bosh66· 7 days ago
DAWN OF REVENGE - I Need You [official music video]
DAWN OF REVENGE
Bosh66· 7 days ago
More videos

New MMA Metal Forum Topics

More in the forums

New Site interactions

More...

Latest Metal News

members-submitted

More in the forums

Social Media

Follow us
Follow us on Twitter Become a Facebook fan RSS Feed