Now that the drowsiness of the winter holidays is starting to wear off slowly, it is also time to ease back into writing mode again as the first order of business for 2025 is the upcoming sophomore release from THE HALO EFFECT, “March of the Unheard.” The Swedes’ latest opus is slated for a January 10th, 2025, release via Nuclear Blast Records and it is going to help us usher in the new year in style, with heavy riffs, melodic passages, and emotional lyrics, which is just the way we like it.
Metal is a strange form of music as it can be heavy yet heartfelt and there are countless songs and albums out there that perfectly exemplify this precarious balance. The follow-up to the astonishing “Days of the Lost” also plays with these extremes of aggression and emotion while also expanding on the band’s established sound. Given the fact that these are veterans of the scene who know how to write songs and make them flow together beautifully, it is no surprise that this album is an intense rollercoaster from start to finish. This intensity comes not only from the album’s beautifully written narratives but also from the melodeath that these Swedes do so well. The title track and second single released, “March of the Unheard,” perfectly exemplifies the album’s duality by tugging at the listeners’ heartstrings (I mean, we have all felt unheard at least once in our life) while the earworm guitar melody invites one to some serious headbanging.
The album starts out in a rather safe zone with the likes of “Conspire to Deceive” and “Detonate” being anthems of the genre and bangers in their own right thanks to their driving rhythms and cascades of riffs from Jesper Strömblad and Niclas Engelin before it starts blooming and showing its true colors with more nuanced and progressive tracks that are usually the hallmark of a band confident in its skillset and sound. As such, the sound design of this album allows for some interesting instrumental breaks and intros, and one of the most riveting of these is “This Curse of Silence,” which blends a marching beat, some choral arrangements, and hooky guitar melodies. Another such delightful moment comes with “Coda” whose symphonic backbone mixes well with strummed acoustic guitar riffs and sparse choral arrangements, making for a great way to wind down and close this record on a rather tranquil and cinematic note. The pensive acoustic intro of “Our Channel to the Darkness” should also be mentioned here as it contrasts sharply with the heaviness and intensity of the crushing riffs and vicious growls that follow.
Elsewhere on the album, “What We Become” overflows with the beauty and melody of the Gothenburg sound that will probably make it a fan-favorite in no time while the fast-paced single “Cruel Perception” is about as heavy and aggressive as it gets yet no less melodic and hooky with soaring melodic guitars that contrast with Mikael Stanne’s deep growls. There’s a sublime majesty to “Forever Astray” as it ebbs and flows between a driving rhythm carried by a blazing riff and melodic, clean-sung passages that make for a nice break from the heaviness, if even for just a few bars at the time. Speaking of majestic tracks, “Between Directions” features some Gothic-tinged croons from Stanne as well as swelling strings that amp up the dramatic factor and bring a larger-than-life feel to THE HALO EFFECT’s sound, making it the album’s most beautiful moment. This should serve as a hint of the wonderful vocal work he’s done with CEMETERY SKYLINE. Things quickly get back on track with “A Death that Becomes Us,” a beast of a song that features a powerful riff that some may link to early IN FLAMES and an energy meant for the (big) stages while groovy and speedy “The Burning Point” injects a final boost of intensity courtesy of Daniel Svensson’s thundering drums before “Coda” closes the album on acoustic notes (as also noted above).
All-in-all, “March of the Unheard” will make everyone pay even more attention to THE HALO EFFECT – not that they went unheard before (pun intended) – as this album is more than just another melodeath release for the pile. This could very well be seen as essential listening material for fans of the genre as it delivers on all accounts while also brimming with new ideas and fresh soundscapes that push the genre in different (but exciting) directions. Moreover, by blending technical prowess – the guitar work alone is worth the price of admission – with raw emotion and introspective lyrics, this record will only strengthen the band members’ well-deserved status as (melodic) death metal royalty.
Written by Andrea Crow
Tracklist
- Conspire to Deceive
- Detonate
- Our Channel to The Darkness
- Cruel Perception
- What We Become
- This Curse of Silence
- March of The Unheard
- Forever Astray
- Between Directions
- A Death That Becomes Us
- The Burning Point
- Coda
Lineup
Mikael Stanne – vocals
Jesper Strömblad – guitars
Niclas Engelin – guitars
Peter Iwers – bass
Daniel Svensson – drums
Label
Nuclear Blast Records
