This Haven - A Soul Open Wide

*=Staff's pick	I Will Deceive* And The Devil In Me Smile*

Genre	Stoner	Patrik Karlsson	Vocals
Tracks	2	Patrik Karlsson	Guitar
Runningtime	26 Min.	Tobias Jacobsson	Guitar
Label		Johan Berglund	Bass
Release	Jan. 2005	Nicklas Keijser	Drums
Country	Sweden	-	Keyboards
Similar artists	Kyuss, Queens Of The Stone Age, Tool, Muse

A Soul Open Wide from swedish band This Haven is the third demo I am reviewing from this band, and I can't believe that they are still doing demos. This is band that is too talented and good not to be signed. The previous two demos have been of very high quality and there has been a clear progression from this band with every one of these three demos.

First song I Will Deceive goes along with heavy swirling riffs with the vocals floating on top. And Patrik Karlsson whose voice has only grown better with every new release is actually doing even better now. The refrain is powerful to say the least and to describe the music, you could say it is Tool vibes on a stoner foundation topped with the delicate melodic touch of Muse. The song has a wonderful flow that makes you drift along with the music and This Haven has definitely matured as a band, they sound tighter and deliver this complex song as it was the most natural thing in the world.

And The Devil In Me Smiles has a quicker pace and a more melancholic ambience but still with a flow that makes it just as wonderful to listen to as I Will Deceive. The riffs that drive this song forward are delicate and when put on top of the great rhythmic drumming, this is a track impossible to resist. Also this one is a song with complex structure and progressive elements that show the maturity of the band, which has moved away a little further from the stoner that was more apparent with their earlier demos.

If you haven't done it earlier, I compel you to check this band out since they are definitely worth it. And I don't lie when I say that This Haven is without a doubt the best unsigned band I have ever heard.

See also review of: Disexist , My Year Zero

Production	Vocals	Compositions
10	8	9

Summary
9 chalices of 10 - Thomas