:: The Haunted - Road Kill (with DVD)

The Haunted

With Swedish melodic death metal/thrash act The Haunted still out on the road in support of their album ‘Versus’ (Released in 2008), and the prospects of a new album still some time away, the band have decided to tide fans over with a new live CD/DVD package entitled ‘Road Kill’. In some ways, ‘Road Kill’ is very much the type of release that we’ve come to expect from metal acts these days, with the contents split between live footage and a DVD. But while the format is relatively straightforward, it’s the actual content where The Haunted distances themselves from the tried and true formula of most within the metal scene. Starting out with the DVD side of things, ‘Road Kill’ begins with the sixty-four minute documentary/road movie ‘Road Kill – On The Road With The Haunted’. Unlike many documentaries, ‘Road Kill – On The Road With The Haunted’ isn’t a trip down memory lane with past and present members of the band recounting their rise to fame and the trials and tribulations of getting to where they are today. Instead, this is primarily a gritty and realistic view of what it’s really like living life out on the road with The Haunted, and just how hard the life of touring can be both physically and mentally.

Primarily shot and directed by guitarist Anders Bjorler, with help coming from the rest of the band (vocalist Peter Dolving, guitarist Patrik Jensen, bassist Jonas Björler and drummer Per M. Jensen) on handheld camcorders, the footage is quite candid, with the various interviews coming across as both real and without inhibition. Former vocalist Marco Aro provides some real depth to the band’s story, while members of Darkest Hour, Funeral For A Friend, Killswitch Engage and Municipal Waste openly discuss their experiences with the band to help flesh out the film. At times, the documentary is quite funny, and at other times, quite revealing. But ‘Road Kill – On The Road With The Haunted’ overall is an absolutely captivating watch, and a fascinating behind the scenes look into life as a touring metal act, without the gloss and sheen fans have become accustomed to these days. Next up is the live show ‘Live At Melkweg – Amsterdam 2009’. Running for a little over forty minutes, and shot professionally, the concert is a must have for fans who have long felt cheated with what was originally presented on the band’s first DVD ‘The Haunted - Caught On Tape’ from 2002. The band themselves are in top form, with the tracks taking on a whole new lease of life in live form. In short, this is a blistering performance from the band. Finishing up the DVD are all six promotional video clips (‘All Against All’, ‘No Compromise’, ‘The Flood’, ‘The Drowning’, ‘Moronic Colossus’ and ‘Trenches’) from the group’s last three releases.

On the audio side of things, there’s the complete audio for the Amsterdam show, which includes an extra six tracks over the visual show, all of which pre-date Dolving’s return to the band, and The Haunted’s eventual move to their current home at Century Media Records. The concert, much like the DVD itself is a great live recording, with Dolving dispelling any doubts about his ability to do the Aro era songs justice with his take on ‘D.O.A.’ and ‘Bury Your Dead’. It’s a shame that the full show wasn’t presented on the DVD, but at least we can be thankful that the complete audio itself is included here within the package. Finishing up the CD are five studio tracks from the ‘Versus’ sessions. While some have surfaced on various issues of the album, both ‘Walk On Water’ and ‘Infernalis Mundi’ are presented here for the first time. All of the songs are quite strong, with the mid-paced pair of ‘Meat Wagon’ and ‘Walk On Water’ the pick of the group. As to ‘Infernalis Mundi’, well all I can say is that it’s different, and not something you would expect from a band like The Haunted! ‘Road Kill’ has everything you could possibly ask for in terms of documentary footage, some live performances, promotional video clips and some unreleased studio metal. In the end, all I can say is that if you’re a fan of The Haunted, then ‘Road Kill’ is absolutely essential.