When The Haunted formed from out of the ashes of At The Gates many many moons ago, few would ever have envisaged them making an album like 'Unseen'. Having built their reputation for being one of "the" premier thrash acts they've once again decided to spread their wings and expand on the variety first explored on 2006's 'The Dead Eye'. So whilst their last album 'Versus' saw them reclaim their thrash-titan crown initially gained via albums like their debut and 'One Kill Wonder', 'Unseen', their seventh full studio offering, sees them deliver an album that's quite astonishing in every aspect. The breadth of the song writing combined with the sheer brilliance of their musicianship provides a listening experience that has something for so many. If you've ever pigeon-holed this band here's a classic reason to blow away any preconceptions you may have had about The Haunted. In the Bjorler brothers and Pete Dolving you've got people who seem to have limitless musical vision. Add to that "the" producer of the moment in Tue Madsen and you have as potent a mix as you can get.

Opener 'Never Better' might hint at more of the same old, with its blunt force aggression but it serves merely as a quick adrenalin rush to get the album going. 'No Ghost' immediately changes direction with an almost laconic southern drawl to it. Bolstered by a heavy-as-shit rhythm it's almost like 'Moronic Colossus' (from the 'Versus' album) played by Down. 'Catch 22' sees the first major change in vocal style, with Dolving's voice taking on a Tool-like edge. It also has some sweeping melodic passages. 'Disappear' is huge with brooding riffs, huge bridges and a real aura to it that brings to mind an afternoon sat at a festival in blazing sunshine. Absolutely stunning. Dolving stated his intention to explore his vocal capabilities and instrumentation and this song highlights both perfectly.

As the album progresses you can't help but get consumed by the variety and diversity of some of the songs, and rather than making the album disjointed, which it could have, it keeps it interesting and fulfilling throughout. Whether it's the up-tempo Manics-esque styling of the first half of 'Motionless' or the heads-down thrash-out of the latter half of that song or 'The Skull', it's all-consuming. This really is an album you could come back to endless times and get something new from it. They're also not afraid to venture into some really contentious territory in going a bit nu-metal on the title track, but being The Haunted they ensure it pisses all over anything else that genre has produced. 'Ocean Park' provided a nice acoustic interlude before the closing quartet of tracks provide more twists and turns than a Stieg Larsson novel (note impressive Swedish literary assimilation!); 'All Ends Well' in particular finding Dolving sounding almost Bowie-esque.

Where this album will sit in the minds of the fan base they've accumulated to date remains to be seen. As stunning as the album is, it is a major departure in places. However if you appreciate rock music in any form this album deserves your attention. If you're narrow-minded enough to not listen to The Haunted based on their thrash pedigree then you really are missing out.  Maybe if you are that narrow minded this album's probably above you anyway. Essential listening.

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