SYMPHONY OF SWEDEN – Haunted

Symphony Of Sweden is a duet formed by Linus “Lee” Wester and Pontus “Evan” Hagberg, playing a mix of Atmospheric Rock and Pop with just enough of a hint of Metal. Created in 2020, Haunted is the third album of the formation and continues to give precision to the band’s style. Haunted has definite strengths such as the voice of Linus “Lee” Wester, however, it still lacks grit.

Haunted but not so haunting

With twelve songs, not one reaching over 3:30, Haunted gathers radio hits one after the other, with sometimes a lack of leading thread. While the first title “Haunted” truly had some great ideas and an epic vibe, its composition and short format don’t allow the music to fully blossom and reach a proper level of originality. And this is the main flaw of the album. It’s difficult to shake off a feeling of “Wait? This is it? Is it already over?”

Despite this issue, melodies remain pleasant and catchy like “Even If Solo” a highlight of the album, that would work very well live. “Down And Counting” is also worth a mention. In terms of guitar work, as Metal goes, it is still a bit disappointing as the riffs and soli are not a lot in the foreground. A few songs also overplay the orchestrations and soapy choruses. “Show Me Love” steps on the fine line between annoying and catchy and falls mostly on the annoying side. The last two songs “Black Painted Heart” and “Goodbye” make up for these flaws a little bit with a more emotional approach but a more sincere result.

Final Notes

Symphony Of Sweden does not play Metal and with this new release falls more in the Pop category. That is perhaps why, despite the melodic approach, the songs remain well within the bounds of unimaginative mainstream radio format. Haunted is a pleasant distraction but feels like a trailer of what Symphony Of Sweden could offer.

Tracklist – Haunted

1. Haunted
2. EXIT – When There’s Nowhere Else To Run
3. Get Out Of My Mind
4. Bad Thoughts
5. Even If Solo
6. Lay Them Down (A broken son’s cry)
7.  Show Me Love
8. Down And Counting
9. Just Let It Bleed
10. That Night
11. Black Painted Heart
12. Goodbye