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#46. Haste the Day
Attack of the Wolf King
Release Date: June 29, 2010
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When thinking about Haste the Day and the band’s history, it is difficult to look past the nostalgia factor that I hold for Burning Bridges, When Everything Falls, and even Pressure the Hinges. However, when looking at the entire HTD catalog, you cannot ignore how strong of a record Attack of the Wolf King is, both musically and conceptually. It combined elements of Oh, Sleeper, Deftones, and classic HTD while telling a beautifully-constructed story. They did this all the while losing staple founding member and guitarist Brennan Chaulk. The combination of Mike Murphy’s and Brennan’s vocals were a staple element of the Haste the Day sound, and it was pretty terrifying to think of a Haste the Day without Brennan’s presence. Primary vocalist Stephen Keech really fulfilled that role and did it amazingly well. I personally feel Stephen does not get enough credit for his talent and skill. Imagine having to step in, fill the shoes of Jimmy Ryan, whose vocals were loved and such a staple of Haste the Day, then later having to also help cover for Brennan’s absence, and actually pulling it off... that demands respect. This record showcases his talent and really sent Haste the Day off on a high note with what everyone thought would be their last record. (They announced their breakup shortly after this album was released, but later reformed to make Coward.)
Right before the release of this record, I had the opportunity to hang out with Haste the Day, in early summer of 2010. A friend of mine booked shows in the Dallas/Fort Worth area and Haste the Day were headlining an all-day festival. They were accompanied by the likes of Living Sacrifice, Sky Eats Airplane, MyChildren MyBride, Lower Definition, and a very young Sleeping With Sirens and The Word Alive, at the historic Ridglea Theater in Fort Worth, Texas. The promoter asked my friend Jonny Gore (who plays in the band Least of These and is my bandmate in the band Words) to be Haste the Day’s chauffeur, driving them around, taking them wherever they wanted to go. Jonny, being an amazing friend, asked me if I wanted to tag along. I enthusiastically agreed. It was an amazing time being able to sit down and talk with Stephen, Giuseppe, Mike, Scotty, and Dave, and discuss their new record and the process of creating it. Scotty was excited about the more technical guitar work, Mike was stoked on the bass guitar actually being able to be heard on the record (alluding to the fact that the bass was virtually non-existent on the previous record Dreamer), and Stephen was enthusiastic about being able to expand vocally on the record. I don’t feel this record got the attention it very much deserved given the time it was released in the band’s history. But I firmly believe it is arguably the most cohesive and mature record Haste the Day has released to date.
- Kalen Orr of the bands Ravenhill and Words
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Visit our Haste the Day page for more information about them...
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