Haunt began as a solo project of Beastmaker frontman Trevor William Church and on the sophomore release “If Icarus Could Fly” they passionately continue to carry the torch for traditional heavy metal.

With the explosive album opener “Run And Hide” Haunt prove to be genuinely devoted to an old fashioned way to make music in fact this track is filled with memorable hooks featuring gritty guitar riffs and electrifying rhythmic patterns that stand out for the 80’s & 70’s influenced tonalities emphasized by the energetic acrobatics of the guitar soloing.

“It’s In My Hands” has an anthemic rock flair with evident retro vibes and a super catchy chorus while the guitar work has the charismatic energy necessary to impress the listeners with loads of tight riffs and flamboyant solos.

While “Ghosts” doesn’t really put aside the groovy structure it tends to favor a more melodic direction as the emotional vocal delivery and the lead guitar progressions acquire nostalgic tonalities leading to the smooth harmonies of the vibrant solo.

There’s no intention to deviate from the album’s mood so the title track offers fiery rock dynamics courtesy of a cohesive groovy rhythmic ensemble and again the guitar work confidently delivers remarkable shredding solos.

All things must come to an end so the final track “Defender” might feel a bit nostalgic but the band is ready to unleash a fair dosage of fervent guitar riffs, bold drum blasts and soaring melodic solos which as expected add some entertaining variations.

Undoubtedly the irresistible charm of “If Icarus Could Fly” comes from the overdose of thrilling guitar driven grooves and as we are currently witnessing a triumphant renaissance of classic heavy metal it’s nice to see how Haunt sincerely pay homage to such beloved genre.