There has always been a strong output of horror from mainland Europe. Ever since the expressionist movies of the 1920’s. Steeped in myths and folklore, it also has a dark history for those wishing to investigate further.
Crawling out of the catacombs, armed with scares and frights comes the new thirteen track album from THE OTHER titled Haunted.
Mark of The Devil marks a great introduction for the rest of the album and totally sets the scene. Especially with a harmony of guitar work courtesy of ghoulish guitarists Ben Crowe and Pat Laveau.
We’re All Dead has very doom-laden elements with a real sense of foreboding whilst being eerie and hauntingly ethereal. “we’re all dead, now lay your head to rest…” There are snippets of this track that instantly invoke the feelings of first listening to ALICE COOPER’s Welcome to My Nightmare, which instantly became one of my favourite tracks.
Turn It Louder rips straight out of the classic horror-punk vein, with such lyrics as “scream the pain away, never be the same”. There are also heavier pieces to this song akin to the style utilised by WEDNESDAY 13 channelling all of the horrific delights and themes fans of this sub-genre embrace.
Dead To You – Dead To Me is a very well structured track. It stays in your head with its catchy chorus and sweeping melody with the harmonising of the rhyming couplets in the chorus alongside the riff used here “All I know, I’m dead to you, dead to you. All you’ll be, dead to me, dead to me”. It instantly invokes elements of the SISTERS OF MERCY and DIAMOND BLACK.
Was Uns Zerstoert whilst this song translates as “Which Destroys Us”, it is a shame that I am not proficient enough in German to truly understand the lyrical content behind this. There are some great bass lines from returning member Aaron Torn and the delivery of the lyrics are still punchy and anthemic.
On My Skin blends everything you would want by creating your own Frankenstein’s monster with a generous touch of JUDAS PRIEST, banshee wails, Edgar Allen Poe melancholy and a generous amount of The Cult thrown in for good measure.
Fans of Stephen King will instantly recognise the references in this song title 1408 217. Visually as the song starts, I can imagine driving up the driveway to The Overlook or The Dolphin hotel and then checking in to spend the last night of my life “they’ll come for you in the night, will you survive?” The song is very fast paced in the vein of Punk Rock with all the macabre elements of the horror genre.
If you were you ever to fall in love with a vampire, Vampire Girl would be the accompanying piece of dramatic narration. This is courtesy of vocalist Rod Usher taking you on a blood fuelled frenzy.
Absolution is another track sung in the bands native tongue, which again I would love to understand all of the lyrical content behind the song. However, this should not deter the listener at all. There is a great use of ethereal choral parts and a melancholic yet uplifting guitar solo featured within.
Fading Away is the story of vanishing into the ether and succumbing to the final grip of life “I walk through a world, that I don’t recognise”
Creepy Crawling comes across as the heaviest track on the album. This track will also appeal to speed, hair, NWOBHM, and sleaze fans. This wouldn’t be out of place on a SATAN, or a CRASHDIET release.
To Hell and Back delve into the belly of the underworld, searching for a loved one lost to the grisly embrace of death. It is a dark love song embellishing all of the agonies of gothic literature “just to find you, guide you”
The Silence After The First Snow hits the ground running and ensures the band show no sign on slowing down with this being the final fright of the album.
This will certainly resurrect every ghoul from their tomb. THE OTHER have conjured all manner of hauntings and frights to feast upon again and again.
Rating: 9/10
Words: Martin White
Haunted will be out this Friday via Drakkar Entertainment.
Find THE OTHER on Facebook.
