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In a recent interview with J.J. Caithcart from Different Stages Radio, Patrik Jensen, the guitarist of Swedish thrash metal legends THE HAUNTED, shared insights about the band’s forthcoming tenth studio album, “Songs Of Last Resort”, set to release on May 30 through their long-time collaborator, Century Media Records. When asked about the lengthy gap since their last album, “Strength In Numbers”, in 2017, Patrik replied (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): “We’ve never taken a break. We’ve always been eager to create the next record. Ola [Englund, guitarist for THE HAUNTED] constantly has fresh material because of his YouTube channel; he’s always demoing and writing weekly. Jonas [Björler, bassist of THE HAUNTED] experienced some burnout after working on two AT THE GATES albums solo, especially since his twin brother wasn’t in [AT THE GATES] at that time. Anders is back now in AT THE GATES, but Jonas was definitely feeling the strain.
“Initially, when THE HAUNTED was formed, we spent a lot of time rehearsing,” Patrik explained. “We practiced more than many of our peers from Gothenburg, which shaped our music. The thrash we play tends to lean forward and benefits from a live ambiance to feel authentic. However, after we underwent significant lineup changes in 2012, we found ourselves scattered across different cities and even countries — our drummer Adrian [Erlandsson] has lived in London since ’99 when he left THE HAUNTED to join CRADLE OF FILTH.
“Following ‘Strength In Numbers’, I felt like our sound had become somewhat stiff. I desired the next album to reflect the essence of classic THE HAUNTED. What I didn’t realize was that my computer tools and guitar plugins were hindering that process. To shift things forward, I booked a studio in my hometown. I brought Adrian in, just the two of us, emphasizing six days dedicated to songwriting. I had numerous ideas ready. We were prepared. After setting everything up, Adrian fell ill with a stomach bug, leaving him incapacitated for three days. Then, on day three, I caught it too. So, by the time he had to leave, I was still sick, and we hadn’t accomplished a single minute. That was a tough blow, especially considering the pandemic hit us during that period. In 2018, I transitioned to leading a guitar team for a company specializing in guitar plugins. Last March, we launched a high-gain plugin called ENGL Savage, and playing with it felt like I was back in the rehearsal space where I grew up. While Ola, being younger, was accustomed to computer-generated sounds, I had rediscovered what felt like home. It enabled me to express everything I wanted with my right hand. Over the summer — around six months — I crafted 11 songs for this album. I was unaware of how much my resources had been limiting me. Once I had songs ready and Ola had his ideas, I informed the rest of the band, ‘We’re recording in November.’ I secured a studio that I became familiar with through my work with THE HALO EFFECT. Despite their initial skepticism given the long silence, they warmed up when I assured them we were ready. Eventually, Jonas also jumped back into the fold, and we entered the studio, and the magic unfolded.”
On how “Songs Of Last Resort” turned out, Jensen remarked: “You’re always excited about a new album, but the anticipation was uncertain. We believe it’s a really good album. While in the studio, we didn’t realize it would evolve into something more than just another record, if that makes sense. As layers were added — during the mixing stage, when we heard the vocals and solos together, our chat group was buzzing with excitement, ‘This sounds amazing!’ So perhaps the wait was worthwhile, though we didn’t plan for it to be eight years. Now, we’re back on a productive path, and I’ve already started writing for the next album, which feels so seamless. I say ‘seamless’ — it is work, but I no longer feel constrained.”
Patrik further noted that the reception to the album’s first two singles, “Warhead” and “In Fire Reborn”, has been “very positive. Given the eight-year gap, we were curious whether fans still remembered us,” he said. “I’ve been reading online comments, and I know some of the guys have too. The feedback has been overwhelmingly positive. We’ve never experienced such rapid viewership growth on YouTube for our two new songs. Friends from around the globe have texted me, sharing that the best compliments they’ve given is that it feels like coming home — I truly understand what they mean.
“As a child, I was a big fan of KISS,” Patrik recounted. “In my class, no one else liked KISS at age 12. Then one summer in seventh or eighth grade, I returned to school to find everyone sporting JUDAS PRIEST patches, SAXON, and Ozzy [Osbourne]. I dove headfirst into that scene and thought, ‘Oh, KISS is just a relic.’ But then I saw a live ‘Love Gun’ performance on TV, and I remembered just how much I loved that band. It felt like returning home. I think that’s the best compliment — realizing that a band you cherished is back. It resonates deeply with me.”
The official music videos for “In Fire Reborn” and “Warhead”, both directed by Patric Ullaeus from rEvolver (IN FLAMES, ARCH ENEMY, DIMMU BORGIR), are available below.
The album’s music was recorded by Oscar Nilsson at Studio Bohus, with main vocals laid down by Björn Strid at The Cellar Studio, while “Songs Of Last Resort” was mixed and mastered by Jens Bogren at Fascination Street Studios (KREATOR, ARCH ENEMY, SEPULTURA). Longtime visual collaborator Andreas “Diaz” Pettersson provided the artwork once again.
“Songs Of Last Resort” track listing:
01. Warhead (03:39)
02. In Fire Reborn (03:18)
03. Death To The Crown (02:56)
04. To Bleed Out (04:29)
05. Unbound (03:34)
06. Hell Is Wasted On The Dead (02:53)
07. Through The Fire (03:01)
08. Collateral Carnage (04:03)
09. Blood Clots (01:30)
10. Salvation Recalled (03:26)
11. Labyrinth Of Lies (03:30)
12. Letters Of Last Resort (04:06)
“Songs of Last Resort” will be released as a limited CD mediabook with a poster (including the bonus track “Feeding The Furnace”), as a standard CD jewel case, as a digital album, as well as a 180g LP with a poster.
THE HAUNTED 2025 members are (left to right in photo)
Ola Englund – rhythm, lead guitar
Jonas Björler – bass, backing vocals
Marco Aro – lead vocals
Adrian Erlandsson – drums
Patrik Jensen – rhythm guitar
The upcoming LP from THE HAUNTED marks the continuation of the band’s musical journey following their ninth studio album, “Strength In Numbers”, which debuted in August 2017 via Century Media. This album was recorded at Parlour Studios in the U.K. with producer Russ Russell (NAPALM DEATH, DIMMU BORGIR, THE EXPLOITED), and the artwork was created by the band’s long-time designer, Andreas Pettersson.
In 2017, Englund shared with Heavy Music HQ about the distinctions between “Strength In Numbers” and its predecessor, 2014’s “Exit Wounds”: “With ‘Exit Wounds’, our motivation was to demonstrate that THE HAUNTED still had the pulse and was far from finished. That album was intense from start to finish. For ‘Strength In Numbers’, we had more time to reflect and didn’t rush into the studio. The tracks evolved gradually, resulting in what feels like a more mature album. Importantly, my role expanded during this album’s creation, allowing me to feel more secure to express my ideas.”
Photo credit: Linda Florin
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