Featuring the impressively cool line-up of Jesper Strömblad and Glenn Ljungström (ex-In Flames) on guitars, Christofer Barkensjö (ex-Grave) on drums and Marco Aro (ex-The Haunted) on vocals, The Resistance certainly have talent and experience within their ranks. But don’t go expecting any of the Gothenburg-influenced death metal ala In Flames here, instead The Resistance churns out a way more ugly and abrasive sound, taking that classic Swedish death metal riffing and mixing it up with some hardcore fury. The results, although not entirely groundbreaking, are rather enjoyable and show a genuine sense of anger and fury. These guys sound pissed and it shows, with songs like “My Fire” and “Rise From Treason” carrying out a mighty punch that will surely ignite some violent reactions in the circle pit. Although the overall vibe sits clearly on the side of abrasion and aggression, guitarists Strömblad and Ljungström sometimes slip over some harmonized leads that hark back to their In Flame days, hear song “Face to Face” for example.
However, they certainly don’t want to revive the past and seem determined to crave a niche for themselves, and this “Rise From Treason” is definitely a good start. 

Band info: www.facebook.com/theresistanceswe
Label info: www.ear-music.net

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Swedish thrashers THE HAUNTED have posted the first of six video episodes describing the song writing and recording process for the band’s new album, "Versus". Watch it below.
"Versus" will be released via Century Media Records on the following dates:

Sweden: Wednesday, September 17
Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Benelux, Italy: Friday, September 19
Spain, Portugal: Tuesday, September 23
Finland, Hungary: Wednesday, September 24
UK, France, Greece, Denmark, Norway, Rest Of Europe: Monday, September 22

The CD was recorded in part at PUK studio in Denmark with producer Tue Madsen (HEAVEN SHALL BURN, DARK TRANQUILLITY, MOONSPELL, etc) and part at IF studios (property of In Flames) in Sweden.

"Versus" track listing:
01. Moronic Colossus
02. Pieces
03. Little Cage
04. Trenches
05. Ceremony
06. Skuld
07. Crusher
08. Rivers Run
09. Iron Mask
10. Faultline
11. Imperial Death March

THE HAUNTED will stream "Versus" in its entirety for a one-week period beginning this Friday, September 12 via the band's MySpace page, meanwhile an e-card for "Versus" can be found at this location.

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Writing about music is most of the times as worthless as shampoo for bald heads and you should just listen to the goddamn thing and judge it yourself. Case in point, The Haunted’s newest release “Versus” is a record to be experienced and not read about ‘cause for one thing there’s hardly any suitable words to describe it, but mostly ‘cause it’s an experience to be lived, assimilated and fully consummated. One of the best albums you will hear all year!
What does it sound like I hear you ask? Well like The Haunted at their absolutely best. Hurtful and bound to inflict some serious damage yet pleasurable like the best orgasm you ever had. Suffocating and scary, it leaves you gasping for breath like being locked on the trunk of a car driving 260km down a dangerous mountain with a blindfolded kamikaze at the wheel.
Oh you wanted to read how it actually sounds like music wise!
Okay, guitarists Patrik Jensen and Anders Björler chop and carve incisive riffs from all sorts of variety, fast and thrashy, slow and sludgy, labyrinthine and enthralling, catchy and groovy.
Peter Dolving is needless to say Peter Dolving, one of the best vocalists in extreme music capable of delivering a truly demented and disturbing performance. On some occasions Dolving sounds like a suicidal schizophrenic without his medicine while in others he sings in a disturbingly emotive way as if he was mourning the loss of close friend.
The rhythmic section of bass player Jonas Björler and drummer Per Möller Jensen are tight as Bush Jr. is to oil fields, detonating powerful blasts of rage and brutality between more laidback and groovier moments.
Apparently, “Versus” was recorded live at IF studios, property of In Flames and it certainly favoured these songs as they display an incredible organic and dirty vibe, specially the drums.
Sweden’s undisputed kings of all things Thrash and alike, The Haunted have produced a monster work capable of completely obliterating their already strong and captivating “The Dead Eye” release, definitely a 9 out of 10. (9/10)

Band info: www.the-haunted.com
Label info: www.centurymedia.com

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