Haust
Powers of horror
Fysisk Format
It's a nasty piece of work, this second album by these Norwegian upstarts. Well, technically, it's their third full-length, as their 2005 self-financed debut was picked up by and re-released with a different tracklist three years later. For the sake of argument though, let's just go with the second album and state upfront that it's one of the most maniacal releases out there at the minute. Like their debut, "Powers of horror" bases itself on a solid, if rather unconventional, punk foundation with distinct metal overtones, all of which meld together to produce a filthy collection of semi-complex punk metal that stands alone in terms of creativity while remaining firmly embedded in both genres' formative roots. This album sounds a little cleaner than its predecessor, but that's not to say it's a sanitary release by any means. In staying true to the extreme side of the label, Haust doesn't release music; rather they spew forth a barrage of unrelenting vehemence with a total disregard for public safety. It's this approach that encapsulates total musical violence at its most harrowing, with vocalist Vebjørn Guttormsgaard effortlessly tying all the elements together with a brutally savage output. Standout tracks? It's hard to say since -- and this may sound like the old cliché -- every track on here is a contender. Does it better what Haust did on "Ride the relapse"? It depends on what angle you're coming from. Take seminal Dutch deathsters Pestilence as an example. Did you adore the grime of "Consuming impulse" and feel just a little wary of the relative tidiness of "Testimony of the ancients"? Both awesome albums in their own right, but the latter just hinting at what might come a few years down the line. Of course, there's not nearly as much variation in cleanliness on the two Haust albums, but the difference, however slight, is definitely there all the same. It's very unlikely they'll change as much as Pestilence did, though. That aside, the more I listen the more I think that "Ride the relapse" just pips this at the post. Not by much, mind. Regardless, they're two lethal albums! Just buy both and make your own mind up.
- John Norby
