Haunt: Burst into Flame 12″

Description

Hauntbegan as the work of modern renaissance manTrevor William Church. Son of Montrose/Sammy Hagar solo bassist Bill “The Electric” Church, the California native came to prominence as the vocalist/guitarist of doom-lords Beastmaker, who’ve released two critically acclaimed albums on Rise Above. However, asHaunt, Church went solo and created a bewitching brew of classic, turn-of-the-’80s heavy metal, drawing deeply from the momentous NWOBHM movement. He proved just how proficient and powerful his vision is withHaunt’s2017 debut EP,Luminous Eyes,which was originally self-released but then picked up for physical release by Shadow Kingdom not long after. Fans and critics all agreed, and quickly:Hauntis heavy metal heaven, and Church’s brilliance has only just begun.

WithLuminous Eyesas the all-too-short appetizer, along comesHaunt’shotly anticipated debut full-length,Burst Into Flame. In between releases, Church has expanded the lineup to include fellow Beastmaker guitaristJohn William Tuckerand the rhythm section of bassistMatthew Wilhoitand drummerDaniel Wilson. Literally hot,Burst Into Flameexplodes with an electricity and excitement that’s simply impossible to ignore. From the hard-charging title track on down to the dramatic, climactic closer “Looking Glass,”Haunt’sfirst long-playing attack ably displays all the arsenal at their disposal. And they make great use of it across the nine anthems comprisingBurst Into Flame’stighter-than-tight 38 minutes; indeed, each of the album’s nine component tracks could be a “hit” in and of itself.

Just like onLuminous Eyes, hereHauntweave luxuriously subtle hooks that take hold and entrance the listener – surely, they “haunt” – but the emotional component onBurst Into Flameis even more pronounced, portraying a moodiness that elevates all these tracks beyond mere party fodder, grabbing hold of the listener’s heartstrings and never letting go. And yet, they’re all deceptively invigorating at the same time, forever tethered to the timelessness of classic metal and hard rock. Or, simply, these are all great songs – andBurst Into Flameis simply a great album.