Search - Will Haven :: Whvn

WHVN-bEAUTIFULLY Chaotic

kacin | CALIFORNIA | 01/05/2000

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Sacromento's Will Haven continue to blur the lines between hardcore, noise, and full on metal with their third release entitled Whvn. WHVN although not as raw as eL DIABLO (you can decide whether that is a positive or negative) is just as dynamic and I would venture to say more dynamic than diablo. WHVN benefits from the bands always inspired lyrics and the brilliant musicianship that graces this four piece. Hi-lites for me are: ifshecouldspeak-fresno-dallassdrake-and jaworski-in which vocalist grady avenell sings in an uncharacteristically clear manner in contrast to his full time mutilation of speech through song. The only downside to this otherwise superior follow-up. Is as just mentioned the vocals. Where as on diablo one could decipher the lyrics without the use of liner notes. The same cannot be said for Whvn except for jaworski, miguel, and maybe if she could speak. That said WHVN is still none the less a powerful album that will not only benefit will haven& their fans but also those looking for a more progressive definition of hardcore."

Mindblowing

deadsyhead | manchester uk | 12/23/1999

(5 out of 5 stars)

"on first listen i was a bit confused as what to think...still great, but not quite as good as El Diablo. However it's not been about 3 weeks since I bought it (at long last!) and it hasn't been out of my player since! It really is so awesome, heavy but eerily melodic, with some tracks that scream to be played at full blast to anger your family and neighbours.There are some distinct stand-out tracks, specifically "Fresno" (the only song that can make opening line "Let's go for a walk" sound threatening!) "Death Do Us Part" (a slow moody killer) "Miguel Abburrido" (a spoken word track, really atmospheric and errie, that builds up and winds in to this absolutely TREMENDOUS climax! ) and "If She Could Speak" (hardcore-by-numbers basically).If you've never heard Will Haven before, I recommend the "Will Haven EP", "El Diablo" and now especially this tremendous effort. Deserves 10 stars."

WHVN takes hardcore to a new level, minus the ego.

deadsyhead | 10/07/1999

(4 out of 5 stars)

"WHVN, the new Will Haven release achieves what so many so-called "hardcore" bands can only dream of. Its crushing low ends and spacey walls of sound take this style of hardcore to a new level.It's simple, yet original, making it even more appealing. Many hardcore or metal bands try so hard for complexity just for the sake of being complex. Not Will Haven. They go with what they know and turn simple riffs into heavy and melodic masterpieces. Another great quality of this foursome is that they pull off all the intensity and energy of their music at live shows all without displaying the tiresome rock star ego of so many hardcore and metal bands today. The only flaw I can find in this great recording is the remix of "I've Seen My Fate", a song off of their previous release "El Diablo". In other parts of WHVN the use of electronics and samples take the songs to new levels, but this remix does just the opposite. It takes away from the power and emotion of the orignal version and throws off the vibe of the rest of the album. Of course, no one is perfect, not even the heaviest band on the planet, Will Haven. Overall I give it 4 very bright stars."