This album is going to divide the camps. The Haunted are a band, along with their predecessor At The Gates, that has truly redefined our present day Metal by inspiring and influencing many. Their name alone is kick-arse, and their sound? Few bands can match the amazing mix of aggression and melody (remember how you felt when you first heard "The Haunted Made Me Do It?"). I can go on and on about this but I won't, because if you know the band none of this is new.

"Unseen" is going to disturb, if not shock the diehards, especially after their last release, "Versus", a very raw and angry album with little respite. "Unseen" is the fifth album featuring original vocalist, Peter Dolving, and it will probably befuddle most. It certainly did for me on the initial listen. If you try to compare this album with "Versus", you will be disappointed and fear for The Haunted. As an antidote, I would suggest you listen to "The Dead Eye" to ease the shock and see that The Haunted had given us a preview of where they might go next in their sound.

I am not gonna do a play by play of the songs and my responses to this album because I don't want to prejudice you against or give you any preconceived notions about this album. This is their seventh studio album (not counting the live and miscellaneous releases) and I think that they have delivered better than most in the past and established themselves in metal community. I think this allows them some room for them to become more experimental (and yes, "Unseen" is definitely more varied and experimental than their previous releases).

If The Haunted was a brand new band, then this release would get panned. Since The Haunted is The Haunted and they appropriately filled the void that was left by At The Gates, we can (or at least I can) forgive them of the obvious cross pollination that is evident on "Unseen". "Unseen" sees The Haunted tap into their Inner COC and Tool (Dolving's clean singing voice is very much like Keenan's) and Jensen and the Bjorler Bros show us a more groovier, bluesier side to their riff-a-rama with minimal Slayerrific happenings. Although, when The Haunted hit hard, they hit HARD.

All in all, "Unseen" is gonna make people talk. What I think we need to remember is this: The Haunted are The Haunted and they filled a void and met a sonic need. I think the absences that will be noticed on The Haunted's "Unseen" points to something on the horizon that will be more satisfying than this release: At The Gates are back.