The Halo Effect March Of The Unheard

The Halo Effect have taken the metal world by storm as not only a super group but as a melodic death metal powerhouse in their own name, shining a light on the 90s Gothenburg sound which modern bands cite as inspiration to this day. Consisting of ex-members of In Flames and fronted by quite possibly the busiest man in metal, Mikael Stanne, the band exploded onto the scene in 2022 with their highly anticipated debut Days of the Lost. The thing with ‘supergroups’ is, they can either hit hard or fail as a floundering, irrelevant gimmick that no one really cares about; it’s usually the latter. However, with pioneering artists who created and catapulted one of the most distinctive sub-genres of metal into the world and remained relevant throughout the years, The Halo Effect was destined to become a success before they even began; but no one expected it to go as far as it has, especially the band themselves.

Frontman and songwriter Mikael Stanne says:
“What I loved about the first album with The Halo Effect was that it was just new. We didn’t know what we wanted to do. It was just for fun, to amuse ourselves and each other. But then you have to do a follow-up to an album that was named album of the year here in Sweden by our biggest magazine. It’s like “OK, how do we do that?” 

Guitarist and musical co-composer Niclas Engelin adds:
“I feel more confident this time around. For the first song with The Halo Effect, we didn’t know where to go. We were talking about Rush and progressive music, or maybe we should go Tom Petty. But then Peter had the idea for the opening [Days of the Lost] ‘Gateways,’ and then we did Shadowminds and Feel What I Believe. We were like “alright! Let’s not search anymore! Let’s just go for it and not overthink.” We used that rule on this album. It’s more progressive, with more guitars, more riffage – it’s more of everything in a way.” 

Lyrically speaking, the record expands on the topics and ideas explored on their debut however this time round, March Of The Unheard focuses on the unbridled anger and frustration of a young outcast trying to find their place in the world, so you can expect to experience a whole range of emotions throughout.

March Of The Unheard doesn’t waste any time with opening track “Conspire To Deceive” and launches straight into a catchy twin guitar attack and melodic electronics before Stanne’s trademark guttural vocals rip into the forefront. Starting off strong, this track charges forth with vigour and all the Gothenburg flair you can imagine however it does take a dark, brooding turn in the closing section with booming drums, haunting synths and chants before launching into the earworm of a chorus once more. “Detonate” is one of the leading tracks from the record, exploding out of nowhere and galloping at a frantic pace. The guitarwork here is a focal point as the riffs are quickened, elaborate and downright progressively astute yet maintaining a melodic beauty. This will be a common theme throughout the record alongside their trademark Gothenburg sound. “Our Channel To The Darkness” opens with a somber acoustic guitar, however, the furious riffs and thunderous drums kick into gear within seconds. The band opt for a mostly consistent pace which capitalises on melody, depth and eerie synths with the addition of the occasional burst of blast beats.

“Cruel Perception” screams ‘feel good vibes’ with melodically rich opening riffs and incredibly addictive rhythms. However, when Stanne’s gutturals come into play, the atmosphere of the track changes to ethereal calm before the riffs are ushered in once again. “What We Become” is classic Gothenburg sound ferocity with intense guitars and Stanne’s vocals echoing with sheer power and aggression. The guitars during the chorus rise and fall with ridiculous intricacy and a shroud of ominous energy. “This Curse Of Silence” serves as a two-minute long interlude with rousing, ethereal vocalisations and beautiful guitarwork on the backdrop of war-like drums and piano. This seamlessly glides into the title track and one of the leading releases off the record. One of the catchiest riffs of the record is found on this track, which will easily elicit chants from the crowd in a live setting. The energy throughout this track is palpable as the guitar solos twist and soar. “Forever Astray” carries on that addictive energy of old school Gothenburg melodic death metal, however, Stanne introduces his crooning clean vocals for the first time mixed in with his trademark gutturals which gives the track an emotional edge.

“Between Directions” opens with ominous cello and a mid-tempo, trudging stomp full of groove and a threatening atmosphere which is compounded by the supporting orchestration. Stanne mixes clean vocals amongst his growls and roars once again and it’s safe to say that this track changes the mood of the last section of the record to one of darkness and gloomy beauty. “A Death That Becomes Us” leans heavily on the brooding groove aspect, instrumentally complete with dense synths and atmosphere. The album’s penultimate offering is “The Burning Point,” which alternates between flowing melody and ferocious energy that leads nicely into the album’s closer “Coda,” matching the same rousing and emotional yet grandiose vibe of the previous interlude, complete with opulent orchestration and choir-like vocalisations. 

The Bottom Line: Tackling themes of rage, frustration and self-discovery, March Of The Unheard is definitely an album which fans of the Gothenburg sound will enjoy. The Halo Effect certainly faced a challenge when it came to the follow-up to 2022’s Days Of The Lost and although it can be slightly repetitive in parts, they nailed it and March Of The Unheard is a worthy successor.