Haunt, a heavy metal band hailing from the United States, are back with their new album Dreamers, released today, March 1st. Known for their straightforward approach to metal, Haunt sticks to the essentials – guitars, bass, drums, and raw vocals. Bassist Sam Harman recently opened up to BassEmpi.re about the gear, the creative process, and what sets Dreamers apart in their discography.
Central to the sound of Dreamers is the BC Rich Eagle bass, a staple in Haunt’s musical arsenal. Harman explains: “It’s the Haunt bass, man. It’s been used on nearly every album. Definitely one of a kind. Neck-through, double inverted precision bass pickup configuration, toggle switch. It has some serious growl because of those two P-bass pickups. It’s the bass I use live with the band, too.”
The recording process of Dreamers saw the band leveraging an array of equipment to shape its sonic landscape. Harman notes the use of “Avalon Bass DI, with the Neural DSP Parallax plugin,” highlighting the Avalon’s role in ensuring a smooth mixing and mastering process and the Parallax‘s contribution to achieving a crushing bass tone. The switch to finger playing, as opposed to a pick, introduced a subtle yet impactful change in the album’s feel, as Harman observes: “I think something as minor as that adds a new and different feel to the record.”
The creative process for bass lines in Haunt involves Trevor William Church, the band’s frontman and primary songwriter, initially laying down the foundational bass parts. “Trevor is definitely the sole songwriter as Haunt is entirely his vision,” Harman shares. “So, when he’s demoing the songs, he’s playing the bass lines himself. Even on most of the records, it’s him playing. This is the first Haunt record I’ve played on. I was honoured to have his trust in my performance as well as his willingness to listen to any ideas I had when it came to the bass lines. The rhythm section lock is major for both of us. I feel that was something I was able to contribute to on this record, just as far as the link between bass guitar and the drums. Like I said earlier, I play with my fingers so that in and of itself yields to the songs differently than using a pick. There’s influence from Bob Daisley, Cliff Burton, Steve Harris, and a slew of other killer musicians.”
Dreamers stands out in Haunt’s discography for several reasons, not least because it marks Harman’s first involvement in the album’s creation. Reflecting on what makes this album unique, Harman hopes that “listeners each take away something different from the album. These songs for me show the evolution of the band up to this point. And I’m grateful to be a part of it.”
Dreamers is now available.
