Will Haven’s extreme metal comes at the right time because we all feel downed by the events

When you start to suspect that intenso-rock might have reached its maximum, something else comes along to revise your nihilism. Will Haven have put in a very strong bid with their third outing, ‘Carpe Diem’. As the title states, ‘Seize the day’, they’ve grabbed this moment and really juiced life outta it.

This Sacramento foursome is a noise crew, the element that defined the debut ‘El Diablo’ and ‘WHVN’ but nothing like this. ‘Carpe Diem’ is just superbly vicious, grand-paced and more than capable to hijack anyone’s attention. It gets you by the scruff of the neck and its grip tightens with each and every song.

It could be a new drummer, Mitch Wheeler, who’s brought in fresh, more solid foundation, with his direct-but-technical skin-bashing that has pushed bassist Mike Martin to drop lines that are as huge as Hoover Dam, thus leaving guitarist Jeff Irwin to riff to his heart’s content and then decorate the sound with some amazing noises while singer Grady Avenell delivers his lyrics lines with screams and impassioned confidence, alternatively.

From the opening ‘S.H.R.’ the Will Haven members, produced by the returning Eric Stenman, go for a jugular, heart and loyalty; ‘Saga’ simply bulldozes you into complete submission and all you have to do is to enjoy the process. ‘Finest Hour’ demoralizes aggressives with its militaristic plop and Sabbath-esque undertow, the title track adds to pulping you into dust.

It all sounds seriously brutal but when a band names a track after a ‘great actor’ Dolph Lundgren, you know these boys know how to have fun. And they have it with the happiest mighty din they can capture. Can it get more intense? No guessing but life teaches us that everything is possible.

In the words of singer Avenell, the album title also signifies their need “to stop bullsh*tting around and get on with life.” They’ve done it and you better join in now while the queues are manageable as its stretching around arenas is just around the corner. Go shop, carpe diem!

8/10

Tour dates:

26 November – Music Centre, Dublin
27 November – Limelight, Belfast
28 November – Garage, Glasgow
29 November – University, Manchester
30 November – Wulfrun Hall, Wolverhampton
01 December – Astoria, London
02 December – Wedgewood Rooms, Portsmouth
03 December – TJ’s, Newport