Album Reviews

Will the real Will Haven please stand up? While the future of this California-based outfit might not have looked so bright after the departure of vocalist Grady Avenell and the release of “The Hierophant” with Jeff Jaworski on vocals, these guys aren’t dead and buried just yet. Jaworski was thanked for services rendered and sent on his way before they brought Avenell back into the fold. The result is a new album that not only comes with a fancy French title, but also with the band’s trademark sound intact!

“Voir Dire” starts off gentle enough with some synth sounds easing us in before unleashing a serious blast of noise to support Avenell’s tortured vocals. Will Haven has always been a band that likes to fool around with dynamics as is shown once again on “Urban Agoge”, a track that constantly shifts between creepy atmospheric sounds and überheavy riffs. Plus it comes with a sample in Dutch which I thought was funny.

They maintain this level of intensity throughout the rest of the album and with songs like “Midas Secret” and “Lives Left To Wither”, I think it’s fair to say that this is a real return to form for Will Haven. The fellow Sacramento natives that make up Deftones better be ready for some serious competition!