### This Haven: Today a whisper, tomorrow a storm

#### 05/11/08 || Euthanatos

Took me a few spins to recognize what exactly This Haven reminded me of. Now, I have it; it’s Anthrax circa “The Sound of White Noise”. I’m not saying it sounds exactly the same, but once you make the comparison, the similarities are striking. While Anthrax, even in those days, were still metal, This Haven is a lot more closer to rock, but they still maintain a lot of heaviness in their sound.

Curiously, the band is Swedish. What’s so peculiar about that is that their sound is the most American it can be. Elements from stuff like Monster Magnet, the aforementioned Anthrax, Crowbar can be heard here. There is definitely a strong stoner vibe going on, and much of that is courtesy of Patrik Karlsson, vocalist and guitarist. The vocals are deep and versatile, evoking a lot of emotion and depth, and the guitars are heavy as fuck, with just the right amount of oomph.

And another cool thing about This Haven is that although they share elements with a lot of bands, they do have their own thing going, and you’d be missing out if you didn’t check out their album. A neat description would be if you’ve ever listened to Audrey Horne, imagine that band on steroids. That’s pretty close to what This Haven offers.

And to top things off, the production is very good, particularly for a debut album, and I’m guessing having Dan Swanö mixing and mastering it has a lot to do with that.

A very nice start for a compelling band.

The cover: I think it’s a painting of the sky. I’m not sure.

7 whispers and storms out of 10.

- Information
- Released: 2008
- Label: Vic Records
- Website: www.thishaven.com
- Band
- Patrik Karlsson: vocals, guitar
- Tobias Jacobsson: guitar
- Johan Berglund: bass
- Nicklas Keijser: drums, percussion

- Tracklist
- 01. It’s the End
- 02. I Will Deceive
- 03. Welcome to Delirium
- 04. The Fallen
- 05. Hero of Your Hell
- 06. Itch!
- 07. Apocalyptical Anthem
- 08. And the Devil in Me Smiles
- 09. Plague