Will Haven

Carpe Diem (Revelation)
by Scott Hefflon

Will Haven have opened for Limp Bizkit, Deftones, Slipknot, Fear Factory, and Soulfly. That means nü metal morons and old metal morons both understand that “the kids” will dig Will Haven, and they’re right. This cardboard-sounding recording may not have the production of most of its contemporaries (which, in many cases, only have production going for them), and it has the I-yell-one-note hardcore style but with a pretty inhuman vibe to it, but musically, there’s something dark bubbling… Is this a polite way of saying this recorded-in-Tupperware CD has hints of good metal but, uh, falls flat on it’s roaring little face? Yeah. But are there hints of Voivodian chords, hauntingly droning/pounding riffs, and a distinctive-sounding thwack! to the snare that make this erratic slab of flatlined howling somewhat promising? Yeah. Hints. Promise. Bubbling. Keep at it kids… Like Darkest Hour (in their own way), you’re on the right path, even though you’re, ya know, still at the very beginning of it.
(www.willhaven.com)