The Haunted | Main

For bands that matter, the formula of their sound often rests with one or more key founding members. In the case of Sweden's internationally acclaimed band The Haunted, spawned in the mid-'90s, songwriter/guitarist Anders Björler and lyricist/vocalist Peter Dolving were seminal architects. This is further proven by the long anticipated return of Dolving to the fold on the group's latest album rEVOLVEr. With only the inspiration of their anger as a guide, these five men prove that their art is not an attempt to solve the problems caused by the pathology of civilization; their only concern is to state those problems correctly. No force can abolish the memory of what The Haunted's 1998 self-titled debut album accomplished. Its solid sense of purpose galvanized the band's presence on contact. With 12 songs they staged an upheaval not only in the Swedish metal scene but also around the world by setting a new standard for truly innovative thrash metal. Touring the U.K. with Napalm Death, The Haunted quickly established an enviable live reputation and soon outshined all their contemporaries. The combination of founding members Jensen (ex-Séance/ex-Satanic Slaughter/current Witchery guitarist), former At The Gates' drummer Adrian Erlandsson (now with Cradle Of Filth), kindred tag team bassist & guitarist Jonas & Anders Björler (ex-At The Gates), and vocalist Peter Dolving of Mary Beats Jane promised musical excellence. As expected in every musician's life, the chance to pursue other life ambitions surfaces and often alters the course of one's career. For rabid fans of The Haunted, that decisive moment came much too soon for two vital members, prompting the recruitment of vocalist Marco Aro (ex-Face Down) and Danish drummer Per Möller Jensen (ex-Invocator/ex-Konkhra) in 1999. The new line-up's first tour was with Bay Area legends Testament throughout the United States, preceded by dates in Greece and Sweden and an appearance at the 2000 Decibel Festival in their motherland. Their release in 2000, The Haunted Made Me Do It, held the number one slot on the CMJ Loud Rock Radio Chart for four weeks, clinched exposure on MTV's "You Hear It First," and won a Swedish Grammy for Best Hard Rock Album. European tours with Entombed and Nile, The Crown in Great Britain, In Flames through Japan, and headlining Scandinavian dates followed, including one-off appearances at California's November To Dismember Festival and CBGB's in New York City. 2001 bore witness to a North American tour with Cannibal Corpse/Dimmu Borgir/Lamb Of God, festival appearances at 2000 Decibel and Hultsfred (Sweden), Graspop (Belgium), and Wacken Open Air (Germany), and The Haunted's live album, Live Rounds In Tokyo. It seemed nothing could stop the band's ascent when suddenly, guitarist Anders Björler announced his resignation and left in August 2001. Opting to secure what they worked so hard to achieve, The Haunted recruited touring guitarist Marcus Sunesson of The Crown for their North American headlining tour with Witchery and headlining Scandinavian shows. Their diligence paid off with Anders' return less than one year later, just in time to contribute to the group's third studio album. With the release of One Kill Wonder in 2003, the band broke their own record with five weeks at Number One on the CMJ Loud Rock Radio Chart. After another demanding tour schedule through North America, the U.K., Europe and Scandinavia, vocalist Marco Aro's sudden departure came as a surprise, yet opened the door to a welcome 2004 reunion with original vocalist Peter Dolving, granting the opportunity to rekindle their renowned frenetic energy and elaborate on their formula of sound instigated six years ago.