THE HALO EFFECT – Days of the Lost
Release Date: 12th August 2022
Label: Nuclear Blast Records
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Genre: Melodic Death Metal
FFO: In Flames, Dark Tranquillity, At the Gates, Insomnium.
Review By: Trina Julian Edwards
As many of us know, the members of THE HALO EFFECT are pioneers of the Gothenburg melodeath sound that influenced any number of metal bands in the 90’s and early 2000’s. Lead guitarists Niclas Engelin and Jesper Strömblad, bassist Peter Iwers, and drummer Daniel Svensson, all former members of In Flames, are joined by lead singer and lyricist Mikael Stanne of Dark Tranquillity fame on their debut album, Days of the Lost.
According to the band’s press release, the focus and goal of Days of the Lost was for the members of THE HALO EFFECT to revisit their early 90s roots, adding the experiences and skills they bring to the project now. Echoes of the Gothenburg sound clearly reverberate throughout the album, but recording with Crehate Studios owner/producer Oscar Nilsson and utilizing the expertise of Jens Bogren and Fascination Street Studios has given the album a modern edge that brings it into the 21st century.
The first track, Shadowminds, definitely gives off 2000s Dark Tranquillity vibes, but that’s not a bad thing. There’s nothing fancy in the rhythm, but perhaps they’re playing it safe to start, as this is the first single. I had expected more riffs, but we still get those lovely harmonizing leads, so I can live with it. Stanne’s vocals are easily recognizable, and I have to admit, I got a bit of a thrill on first hearing him. The ending seems awfully sudden, but I like the segue into that Depeche Mode-ish outro. This track is not necessarily the be-all, end-all I think a lot of us hyped ourselves up for, but it’s a fine, upstanding track, and lays a solid foundation for what’s to come. The title track and the band’s third single, Days of the Lost, speaks to my melodeath-loving heart. The melody is so perfectly early 2000s Gothenburg that if I didn’t know it was 2022, I wouldn’t know it was 2022. Well, except for the production – which I have to admit is superior these days, if less organic. The moving, harmonizing guitar lines are hooky as all-get-out, the rhythm is lively and precise, and Stanne’s raspy vocals fit the song so beautifully. There’s still no clean singing, but that’s just fine with me. Call me crazy, but I always preferred his harsh vocals over his cleans in Dark Tranquillity, so no tears will be shed. Harsh vocals notwithstanding, I found myself happily screaming along.
Track three, The Needless End, is the fourth single they’ve released, and it’s one of my favorites on the album. I know, I know – another mid-tempo groove, but it’s just so catchy. The melody is inspired and there’s a fervency to the lines, “Where is the fire? Where is the spark?,” that gives this energetic track some gravitas. It’s not unlike some of the more modern Dark Tranquillity material in its delivery. Conditional starts off promising, but it never seems to get exactly where it wants to go. After a gorgeous guitar intro, the track is off like a shot. I’m almost certain I caught a glimpse of Colony here, but that may be wishful thinking. This is the speediest song so far, briefly slowing down at the choruses before taking off again. The rhythm during the up-tempo sections is invigorating and the breakneck leads burn through the measures; however, I can’t help feeling that things fizzle out a bit when the tempo drops, and it’s difficult to conjure the earlier momentum and excitement again.
In Broken Trust is a bit of a departure from previous tracks. It definitely has a more modern, synth-y, sound, and I might even go so far as to say it’s got somewhat of a dark industrial sound à la Lord of the Lost. That’s not to say it’s not guitar-driven, but the synth elements are certainly prominent here. The clean singing rears its head in this track, but it’s so well done and works so nicely as a foil to the harsh vocals that I won’t say a word against it. The atmospheric Gateways likewise takes us in a slightly different direction. This track definitely leans progressive and has an almost goth feel in the legato sections. This is a more updated melodeath sound – moody and with more symphonic elements. Think less 2000s and more 2010s.
A Truth Worth Lying For also starts out fast-paced, but drops the tempo during the verses. It’s fairly standard melodeath songwriting, and that’s ok, but the pinch of salt is missing, and I find myself waiting impatiently for the return of the quicker tempo to liven things up. Stanne graces us with more clean singing in the choruses, giving us some additional variety in the dynamics, and that acoustic outro really is lovely. Feel What I Believe is another single, following on the heels of Shadowminds from earlier this year. A little bit riffier than the previous singles, but the dynamic leads are still predominant. This track is also one of the faster-paced songs, giving drummer Svensson a chance to remind you how ridiculously good he is. I’m getting some serious Come Clarity-era In Flames notions from this one, and I’m all about it.
Special guest Matt Heafy of Trivium collaborated with the band on the penultimate track, The Last of Our Kind. The string intro is outstanding, and the dynamics are exactly what some of the previous tracks have been missing. Regardless of tempo, this track never loses its intensity. Heafy’s vocals are well-placed, and they added just the right amount of spice. My only complaint is we’ve got another sudden ending, like they’re slamming on the brakes at a yellow light when they didn’t really need to. The final track, The Most Alone, puts me in a fanciful frame of mind. It begins with a dramatic intro that resolves into a darkly shifting landscape. That superb guitarwork weaves deftly in and out of measures and bars, while Stanne’s menacing growls provide the perfect complement to the somber atmosphere. Last but not least, we get a track ending that gives us a proper sense of closure.
Overall, if you’re looking for good, solid melodeath, you’re in the right place. There’s been a lot of hype about THE HALO EFFECT, but if you were expecting a repeat of Colony, you won’t find that here. I wasn’t expecting that, so I’m not disappointed. Although I’m not sure that late 90s/early 2000s In Flames fierceness with a boatload of Dark Tranquillity seriousness was exactly the intent, I can’t help but hear it. I won’t complain, though. I can’t be the only one who has been craving that old school groove and melody. The production is stellar, of course, but I find I miss some of the rawness of the older sound. It is a bit homogeneous, I’m not going to lie, but I’m surprisingly ok with that. Each of these musicians is at the pinnacle of his craft, so I have nothing but praise for the musicianship, but there’s nothing particularly innovative here, which seems odd in light of the previous statement. The nostalgia factor is high, however, and the remnants of the sound we love are evident. Days of the Lost is accessible for new fans of the genre, and for long-time fans, if you go into it without the burden of your expectations, it’s an enjoyable listen.
(4 / 5)
