Of all the bands out there that have populated the growing realms of black and death metal, there truly is a growing number of those who reside in both territories that are absolutely dominating the competition year after year whether it’s some brand new name we’ve never heard of before or one that we’ve come to revere as a reliable source of excellence time after time. Haunter has been releasing material for eight years now, but it was their last release three years ago, “Sacramental Death Qualia”, that planted the name in the consciousness of underground excavators for years to come with many still considering it as one of the best albums recently released. However, it’s with Haunter’s latest that they’re posed to raise the bar yet again and truly cement themselves as a name that simply should not be ignored.
Already, Haunter has earned the right to have a reputation where everything they put out should have high expectations that come along with it for all that Haunter has brought to the table before is continuously better than all that preceded it in virtually every form from the cover art to the very production of the album in question. When it comes to what Haunter delivered with “Discarnate Ails”, everyone needs to understand that those truths are truer than ever with this undeniably worthy of being called the band’s magnum opus at this point in their impressive run. With the only true lamentation to have about this record being the simple fact that there are only three tracks to be had on this album, I would defy anyone who could claim to dive into all that is to be had within what “Discarnate Ails” has to offer and come out pretending as though the record isn’t something to truly lose yourself in and rave over. This is a beautiful example of what it means to take black-death metal well beyond what many people have dared to think the style is capable of before with every given minute, riff, scream, and punch of this record showing us that Haunter is the real deal and a band that simply cannot be passed up. There’s no way I can look at all that Haunter has brought for this release and not immediately consider it as one of the best efforts that we’re lucky enough to see this year for all that it accomplishes virtually without breaking a sweat. The very throne of modern black-death metal is ripe for the taking for Haunter given what they’ve brought forth here, they simply need to snatch it.
There’s nothing quite like a mind-boggling release that catches you off-guard and manages to hit all the right spots in the most glorious fashion with Haunter truly the embodiment of such a creation with everything that they’ve put out so far something that demands to be looked into. But, it has got to be all that they put into “Discarnate Ails” that earns the band a level of reverence that many can only ever hope to achieve, and I’ve still no doubt whatsoever that it will be next time that Haunter will top this mastery despite the high bar that they’ve put forth for this staggering effort.
LISTEN to “Discarnate Ails” on Bandcamp here.
LIKE Haunter on Facebook here.
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