This Haven's talent and uniqueness were apparent from the beginning. "Disexist" offered 3 songs loaded with headbanging power, soaring melodies, and rhythmic diversity. On their even heavier and more sophisticated 6-track follow-up the crunch got crunchier, the groove tighter, thicker, and edgier. With "A Soul Open Wide" the band has enhanced and evolved their music even further, stretching their boundaries in both style and performance. Intense, dark, and quite innovative, these two songs will knock you on your ass.

Great musicianship has always been one of This Haven's strongest qualities: Tobbe Jacobsson and Patrik Karlsson's multi-faceted guitar sound, Johan Berglund's intricate bass lines and expressionistic style, and Nicklas Keijser's polyrhythmic drumming (so complex it often sounds like at least two guys playing simultaneously). On "A Soul Open Wide," the playing is faster, tighter, and more creative and varied than ever. Karlsson's all-clean vocals sound confident and assured, and I'm especially pleased by the fact that they're mixed more prominently than on the first two demos, where they tended to be somewhat submerged. There is also some effective use of double-tracking, something the band has very rarely done in the past, which gives extra dimensions to the vocals and overall sound.

The demo's ultra-cool title is derived from the first track, "I Will Deceive." In this song "a soul open wide" refers to the vulnerability and ravaged psyche of the deceiver's victim, but it's equally meaningful in a larger context, as a reference to the examination of inner darkness. Often a lyrical focus in their music, this theme is never treated simplistically and has over time become expressed with increasing sophistication. Both songs on this demo present destructive personalities in complex ways, in "I Will Deceive" with shades of self-awareness ("I am a vulture / I am a leech") and self-loathing ("I smash all the mirrors and walk on the glass / I step on the image of what I've become) and in "And the Devil in Me Smiles" with ambiguity as to who the villain is: the speaker, whose inner demon "smiles / when I see you fail," or the enemy to whom he says, "You've only got yourself to blame / You've only got yourself to hate."

"I Will Deceive" captures your attention immediately with its furious beginning, a piercing guitar note followed by a plunging bass, a tight grooving riff accompanied by crashing guitarwork, and then all-instrument heavy bashing. Throughout this song, the drums are an overwhelmingly powerful propelling force, especially in the verses. But the tempo set by Nicklas Keijser's tight playing is contrasted by a more moderately paced vocal, creating a cool tension. The vocal, which might be the best Patrik Karlsson has performed thus far, is like an element threatening the momentum of the more accelerated music, much as the song's persona is dedicating to undermining the very soul of his victim. Adding to this musical and lyrical theme, the chorus is a predator--slow but relentless, massive sounding. The instrumental interlude in the middle of the song is another demonstration of This Haven's mastery of movement, this time more in the feeling than the actual speed of the music. There's a sense of expansion or ascension but with a very dark tone, like escalating dread, intensified by a gradually increasing chugginess. Breaking the tension, a short percussive flurry transitions into the last verse, which explodes midway through with crashing guitar, bass and drums, and snarling vocals, an ending that echoes the song's violent onset.

"And the Devil in Me Smiles" likewise varies tempos, intensity levels, and instrumentation effectively, each verse sounding different, the final one a total departure. It also features another great and musically diverse instrumental (aside from a nice distorted scream) interlude, initiated in a very cool way, as if you're being sucked or dragged into it. But what stands out most on this track is Nicklas Keijser's drumming. Always a master of rhythmic creativity, here he is at his most adventurous, playing seemingly every style known to man, whipping his way through the song with stunning control and grace. His performance is rivaled only by that of Tobbe Jacobsson, whose guitar work is a virtual soundscape of textures, including a solo that might be the most amazing in the band's history. Guitar solos have never been a dominant part of This Haven's repertoire, but whenever they appear they're impeccably executed and arresting. This one is incredibly cool, dramatic and ominous sounding, complementing the song's dark lyrics. As with "I Will Deceive," the vocal on this track is strong and assertive, but it could be more varied and nuanced. For most of the song the same tone is maintained, the only changes being the aforementioned scream and a deeper, grittier delivery in the last verse (a departure, as noted above). Patrik Karlsson has a very good voice, and the lower he allows it to go the better he sounds. But he's still in the process of exploring his talent. On this demo, the attention the band has paid to the vocals is very encouraging, and I'm looking forward to This Haven's continued evolution in that respect.

Surpassing their own high standards is something I've come to expect from this band, as with each successive demo they've retained their essential qualities but also grown, incorporating more elements into their sound and doing so with creativity and artistry. "A Soul Open Wide" is an exciting new step in their development. Brilliant, highly distinctive and ass-kicking, yet still inexplicably unsigned, This Haven ranks with the leading forces in creative metal.

written by Maud

Playing time: 9.54