THE HAUNT LIVE PHOTO GALLERY
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Review and photos by Greg Maki
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The Haunt, led by the sibling duo of Anastasia Grace (vocals) and Maxamillion (guitar/vocals) Haunt, might be something of a departure for coverage by Live Metal, with a sound leaning more toward alt rock than the heavier acts we typically feature. But we’ve never cared much for lines between genres, and this South Florida band is one of the most exciting things happening in rock music today.
Sonia is a small room that appears to have been a restaurant in years past, affiliated with the Middle East Restaurant and Nightclub located right around the corner in the heart of Cambridge—essentially Boston—Massachusetts. The spectacle of a lavish production in an arena or stadium can be a mindblowing experience, but there’s something truly special about the intimacy of a smaller venue, especially when you’re seeing a band on the rise. Such was the case with The Haunt on this night.
Kicking off the set with the explosive trifecta of “Alone on Your Planet” from the upcoming album “Ghost” (Oct. 30), “Bad Omen” from last year’s “New Addiction” and the rollicking “Morally Incompetent” from the 2024 “Do Not Resuscitate” EP, the band plowed through 21 songs with a heavy emphasis on the latest releases while not ignoring its earlier output. (For a young band, The Haunt has released an extraordinary amount of music to this point.) The energy only wavered when the band chose to slow it down, and then it quickly revved back up to full throttle. Maxamillion did the talking between songs and doled out riffs that seemed almost surprisingly muscular at times, while one would never know that Anastasia recovered from major emergency surgery earlier in the year from the way she bounced around the stage and belted out the tunes.
Aside from the aforementioned opening trio, highlights of the set included “Seasonal Depression” and “Claws,” two songs that share a swing beat that just makes you want to move; the standalone single “Nervous Wreck”; latest single “Until I Die”; and the closing “Masochistic Lovers.”
The Haunt started making waves in recent years with performances at festivals such as Welcome to Rockville and Louder Than Life—essentially teasers for what it’s capable of. Get this band in front of the proper eyes and ears, and a major breakthrough feels imminent.
THE HAUNT SET LIST: ”Alone on Your Planet,” “Bad Omen,” “Morally Incompetent,” “I’m Not Yours,” “Seasonal Depression,” “Misery Loves Company (I Hate You),” “Nervous Wreck,” “Little Like Hell,” “OK,” “Teeth,” “Dead 2 Me,” “Cocaine,” “Claws,” “Until I Die,” “Cigarettes & Feelings,” “Ghost,” “Psychotic Love,” “New Addiction,” “Leaving, I’m Done,” (encore) “Six Feet Underneath,” “Masochistic Lovers”
Two opening acts preceded The Haunt to the stage, the first faring a little better than the second. Platinum Moon, a rock band from Katona, New York, seemed to up the energy and intensity throughout its set and really won over the crowd by the end. 8 Graves, from New York City, was moodier, more electronic-based and a nice contrast to the other bands on the bill, but while not uninteresting, maybe not the best fit here.
LINKS:
www.thehauntband.com
www.8graves.com
www.platinummoonband.com
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