We begin 2025 with the look at my no. 5 albums of that year, and given how chilly it is outside where I am, our first is quite appropriate. The record I’m looking at today is from a fairly new band, as they have been putting out releases since 2018. On top of that, the group is one of many that conjure up old-school metal vibes while putting their own little twists on the style. The end result is just a fun slab of 80s-styled nostalgia, but with modern recording & production to make it feel fresh. So, get on your warmest winter clothes, drink a nice hot cup of cocoa, and take a look at my review of Mind Freeze from the band Haunt. Let’s begin!
Background
Our story begins in 2017. Originally a side project of Trevor William Church, Haunt was to be worked on alongside his existing band Beastmaker, which was considerably more Doom Metal than the more tradition metallic sound that the side project was going to embody. In the same year, Church would write and record Haunt's debut release, the extended play Luminous Eyes, with Daniel Wilson playing drums for the recording. It was first released digitally as an independent release, but the Shadow Kingdom Records label would later put it out on CD.
Cut to 2018, and Church wrote and recorded a single for Haunt, Ghosts. Later in the year, Haunt would release their first full-length studio album, Burst into Flame. Daniel Wilson would come back to play drums for the record, but this time as a full-blown band member. Accompanying him were Matthew Wilhoit on bass and John Tucker on guitar. Both of them would stay as permanent members, but Wilhoit would be eventually replaced by Taylor Hollman on following releases.
This all leads us to 2020. On the 10th of January in that year, Haunt released their 3rd full-length release, Mind Freeze. The lineup for that record would be Daniel Wilson on drums, Church on vocals & guitars, John Tucker on lead guitar, and of course Taylor Hollman on bass. I confess I actually haven’t listened to the band’s material prior to this release, but if the subject matter is anything even remotely like what came before.....then you won’t be surprised as to what I’m going to say next.
Basic Description
When Thrash & Power Metal collide.
There’s been a few albums I’ve covered in recent years where I think that the mixing of two styles doesn’t work at first, but Mind Freeze is a giant exception for me. Thrash Metal & Power Metal are sub-genres that are made for each other, with the former carrying bringing it’s speed and aggression, and the later with it’s upbeat energy and intensity. The end result can either be considered a Thrash Metal album with some more positivity, or a Power Metal album with a little more aggression. Despite how imbalanced that might sound for some, the truth of Mind Freeze is that both styles are evenly balanced, with neither overpowering the other.
Best Track
It’s hard to not fall for the title track of the album! If I recall correctly, Mind Freeze was the first single off the record, and if it was I think it was a smart move. The rhythm & beats are simple but they pull in potential listeners with ease, Trevor William Church’s vocal work is on the simple side, but he’s got quite the presence & works well on the track, and the overall production leaves no obvious signs of scuff. Though it should have opened the album, something about it being a little further in gives it a little extra magic.
Mind Freeze
Worst Track
To be honest? There really isn’t a bad track on Mind Freeze. From top to bottom, the 9 songs we’re given are just wonderful. If there is one complaint to say, and I admit that it’s a little childish at this point to call this out in some of my prior reviews, but it’s run time is on the short side somewhat. To play devil’s advocate it’s not as short as other smaller running time albums, as it clocks in at 37 minutes & 12 seconds, and because of that you don’t need to listen to it as many times for it to stick in your head when compared to other shorter records. Even so, there are probably some people that will get turned off by the run time, and those individuals will possibly not listen to this release because of that factor.
Other
If you’re curious about listening to this album, click on the link below:
Mind Freeze
Overall Impression & Rating
Mind Freeze is just a fun & simple time. It may be a bit on the fast side for some, but the fun mix of 2 popular sub-genres into one whole makes for a pleasant experience. In the time since this release, Haunt has released 7 more records, and while I haven’t listened to them yet, I can only assume that they improved in quality when compared to this pleasant little frosty.
Mind Freeze gets an 8 out of 10.
And that was my look at Mind Freeze. The very first album of 2020 I came across, it would help build a shield for me to go through that year without too much harm. Shorter in terms of running time as it may be, it’s recording & production quality along with the fun factor. So see you all at the end of the month, for we’ll be returning to the hunt for a very peculiar coconut. Until then, stay warm!
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