Timeless Haunt is a bit of a mixed bag of musicians from my neck of the woods. Within its ranks include John Jesuele, drummer for Beyond Fallen, as well as an “unknown” vocalist who has worked with one of the members in the past [his identity will remain secret for this review given that is how they are billed in the liner notes]. Only having just come together, the act has already unleashed their debut outing Haunted Symphony, a five-song release that is meant to not really fall under any particular categorization, but more the band just writing the songs they want to. So, basically, we’re looking at a progressive mentality here, or so they would make it seem. So, what exactly does this one have in store for those lucky or unlucky enough to happen upon it?

(Full disclosure: I am friends with John and the band’s vocalist, the latter of which is who sent over this physical promo. However, they are aware I will not be holding back, and both John and the vocalist reached out knowing they will get an honest opinion out of me.)

Given the way the band looks and the unknown vocalist’s outfit probably inspired in a similar way the vocalist of Them was by King Diamond, one might expect Haunted Symphony to share similar musical traits with that particular group or it’s predecessor. However, “March of Death” makes it pretty obvious this is not completely the case. Haunting synths and a slower chugging approach set up a dark world with a subtle brutality that marches along until the second chorus, breaking into a less grandious nod to Symphony X with some superb guitar work for the solo backed by a very deep bass presence that leads you back to the melodic hopelessness to wrap things up. It’s a solid start that establishes the general atmosphere of the release, though nowhere near as gloomy as things can get.

The lead single off the effort “Sands of Agony” kicks off with a really depressing piano piece, something that remains through what builds an eighties power ballad. It doesn’t quit fit the grim tone and ultimately seems far lighter in comparison, but while a bit of a speed bump it still remains a catchy performance with a simple, memorable chorus that I only wish had a little extra power in the music at the end, maybe hitting the chorus once gain with richer guitars, the drums filling things up a bit more, or even some background clean vocals as a discernible additional layer to push a (for lack of a better reference point) Meatloaf epicness it so clearly deserves.

And then there’s “Hellion Witch”, the lightest of the five offerings. There is a hint of progressiveness felt in some of the timing changes, but for the most part there’s a sludgy macheesmo lurking within the lyrics that take on a sexual domination with bouts of traditional hard rock scattered about in the main verses and simple synths to maintain that darker tone. It doesn’t necessarily go anywhere musically, but puts the focus predominantly on the lyrics to drive it all home. Some of this is also felt in “Darkness Falls”, a track dedicated more to metal and honor with an obvious modern rock Pearl Jam style that bares its fangs nicely in the chorus. While good, it does end up the weakest offering, not quite feel as professional as the others, but something a bar band looking to play to your standard edgier radio audiences.

But, all that said, it can sometimes be hard to completely leave roots behind. There is still some obvious Iced Earth felt from time to time, which has been an obvious influence to the drummer’s time with Beyond Fallen. This is no more apparent than during “Claustrophobia” and it’s hard hitting introduction that leads to a dank, catacomb-like main verse with a gothic spoken word harmonization approach. It may not seem much but it will leave you craving Matt Barlow to start belting out his signature sound which the vocalist just manages to fill that hole, especially when things do gravitate towards that melodic Andy LaRoque guitar style similar to Voodoo-era King Diamond.

Overall, Timeless Haunt is literally a dark grab bag of various influences that range from eighties horror synth and dark atmosphere to everything from rock to power and progressive metal foundations. Almost every song manages to bring something new with it while still sticking to a standard down-in-the-gutter vibe representing life at it’s worst, and even most grim. With a surprising number of songs that will stay stuck in your head for days (if not longer), this debut outing stands as a very impressive debut from a collective composed of some of the best that Pennsylvania’s underground has to offer. - Apochs Metal Review

The bandmaster of the "Haunted Symphony" is wrapped in a dark robe and scrupulously anxious to keep his identity hidden. And not much is known about the rest of the band. So the music of the debut EP has to speak for itself completely. Curtain up and set the stage for the first act!
The label immediately draws big names for comparison: SAVATAGE, PSYCHOTIC WALTZ, TRANS-SIBERIAN ORCHESTRA and a little ICED EARTH and SYMPHONY X. But be quiet with the young horses, because TIMELESS HAUNT are not ready yet said bands had caught up. And yet, the comparisons help at least to approximate position determination - much more accurate my navigation usually does not lead me. However TIMELESS HAUNT have not put on too rigid a corset, so that the songs quite different influences can be seen. For example, "Darkness Falls" starts with an ALICE IN CHAINS-like reef, which could have been found on FORBIDDEN's "Distortion". The strong "Sands of Agony", however, is initiated by a quiet piano passage, so memories of SAVATAGE are most likely to come alive here, but also to QUEENSRYCHE or HOUSE OF SPIRITS. For me the strongest song of the 5-track EP.
The opener "March of Death" works harder and brighter in comparison and shows that we are not dealing here with a glossy band. The songs should please fans of TAD MOROSE as well as those of BRAINSTORM. In the epic "Claustrophobia" it gets musically more progressive to the point and the mysterious "Unknown Vocalist" leads over large parts with sprechgesang through the song. However, the refrain also contains typical US Power Metal elements such as JAG PANZER, TITAN FORCE & Co. "Hellion Witch" is now to be decoupled as a video and pounded up by a handsome Gothic bride - at least that's what it was in the corresponding search ad read. Musically, the fiver shows here again from the rougher side.
TIMELESS HAUNT take on their musical debut for almost half an hour. Time enough to whet your appetite for more, as the Fives offers a stylistic cross-section of such scene favorites as QUEENSRYCHE, TAD MOROSE and SAVATAGE. A good recipe, which was also tasty implemented. Gladly more of it. - Twilight Magazine

It's a few days after Thanksgiving as I type these words, but you can instantly turn any time of year into Halloween simply by pressing the "play" button on Haunted Symphony, the debut EP from American melodic metallers Timeless Haunt. This impressive disc of spooky horror-themed heaviness was independently released by the band in late 2018, but the disc was reissued this November by the true-metal specialists at Stormspell Records.

So, Who the Heck Is Timeless Haunt?
Timeless Haunt are apparently trying to project an aura of mystery to match their supernaturally-themed music. The band has its own Web site and they also have pages on social media platforms such as Facebook and Instagram, but it was a frustrating experience trying to find any kind of background information on them in preparation for this article.

All I can tell you is that Timeless Haunt apparently hails from the Eastern U.S., and they've been together since the Fall of 2018. Their lead singer is known only by the stage name of "Vocalist Unknown" (woo, spooky!), and though the remaining four members claim to have lengthy resumes within their local music scenes, none of their previous band names are mentioned. Timeless Haunt has a handful of live performances under their belts and if the concert photos I've seen online are accurate, their gigs appear to be quite a flashy, horror themed visual experience as well...

But, anyway, wherever these guys have been hiding, the five tracks on Haunted Symphony are satisfying slabs of moody, atmospheric metal with the perfect balance of melody and crunchy grooves. Stormspell's promotional materials for Haunted Symphony compared Timeless Haunt's sound to classic, theatrically-obsessed metal bands as Savatage, Psychotic Waltz, and Iced Earth, which I can conditionally agree with, but after a few listens to the CD I would also add some obvious names like Alice Cooper, King Diamond and Van Helsing's Curse (does anyone besides me remember them?) to the list. In short: if heavy theatrical rock is your thang, then Timeless Haunt should fit nicely into your playlists.

The Songs

Haunted Symphony kicks off with the pace-setting "March of Death," which starts the album on an appropriately creepy note. The Savatage comparisons seem particularly accurate on this track, as the keyboard stylin's of Don Fortune mesh nicely with the heavy guitar riffs of Jimmy (The Electric) Eye and bassist George Dmitri to create a melodic and sinister mood.

"Claustrophobia" starts with an impressively nimble bass workout from Dmitri before it shifts into mid-paced classic metal gear ala vintage Judas Priest. I'm particularly impressed with the versatile vocals of Mr. "Vocalist Unknown," whoever he may be. His sinister snarls remind me at times of Savatage's Jon Oliva (circa their doomy, creepy Sirens or The Dungeons are Calling eras) but when he goes for broke on those rafter-shaking high notes, legends like Rob Halford or James Rivera (Helstar) come to mind. "Claustrophobia" runs a little bit long at eight minutes but it's got spooky atmosphere to spare. We then move onto "Hellion Witch," (that's a cool song title, but it would also be a good band name!), which opens on a doomy, Black Sabbath-y note and then settles into a chugging, classic metal groove. There's a bit of a Pantera feel to the chunky riffing of "Darkness Falls," a quality melodic-metal cut with just the right amount of bite.

We return to Savatage territory again with the EP's closing track, the epic ballad "Sands of Agony." This is a show stopping display of moody piano playing intertwined with soaring guitar work and emotive vocals that would do the Oliva brothers proud. I think I would have liked the disc to close with a heavier track, but "Sands of Agony" brings the EP to a satisfactory close anyway, and makes you hit the "repeat" button for another spin as soon as it ends.

Summing It Up

I wish Haunted Symphony was longer than just five tracks—by the time "Sands of Agony" came to a close, I was just starting to get into it and hoping to hear more. The good news is that according to the band's Facebook page, Timeless Haunt are currently writing songs for a follow up release with plans to head back into the recording studio in early 2020. Bring it on, fellas, because this is good stuff.

If you're interested in learning more, you can check out Timeless Haunt on their Facebook page, or their official YouTube channel, which warns us that "Timeless Haunt isn't coming, Timeless Haunt is invading. Be ready." I am! - Keith Abt - Spinditty

Mystery abounds in this Pennsylvania act named Timeless Haunt. Featuring drummer John Jesuele who is in Beyond Fallen, the five-piece deliver their debut EP Haunted Symphony which has among other things, an eerie atmospheric vibe against its groove-oriented melodic/progressive metal platform. Differentiation can be a great thing in a scene flooded with trend hoppers, or possibly make the climb to a following a tougher sell, as acts that usually defy categorization can be relegated to cult-like status.

The biggest curve ball for sustainable appeal lies in the off kilter, narrative talking to conventional melodic singing of the unknown vocalist (that’s what their official website lists him as). Credited with sinister laughs, demonic chants, lead and harmony vocals – he can go from low Peter Steele-like aspects to follow the riff-like commands beyond his natural multi-octave singing voice, which can create goosebumps or nails on a chalkboard reactions when taking in “Claustrophobia” over the course of it’s almost eight-minute time frame. The evil keyboards and engaging bass sets up an evil, early Ozzy meets King Diamond aesthetic for “Hellion Witch” before the mid-tempo guitar churn and steady drumming locks into this 80’s-oriented metal anthem template, some of the instrumental sections blending together Black Sabbath meets Iron Maiden swings. These musicians possess tact and tastefulness, building up anticipation even in slower measures such as the final track “Sands of Agony” where the restrained keyboards and bluesy-driven guitars give chase to some beautiful vocal harmonies during the chorus, very much a throwback to the 70’s a la Alice Cooper or early Judas Priest. The cover art also plays into the mystery and suspense of the band’s output – featuring a skull-adorned conductor of a symphony on fire.

The cinematic/theatrical aspect to many of the arrangements will remind many of late 80’s/early 90’s Savatage for certain – and that could be an aspect expanded upon in future Timeless Haunt output. Using this as a launching pad for their next record, Haunted Symphony could be a perfect edition to any collection of an open-minded metalhead that wishes to take themselves on a unique aural ride - Matt Coe - Dead Rhetoric

There is not a lot of information circulating about this band, TIMELESS HAUNT, other than the information that I have been able to obtain from their promo release and sparse info from the website and Facebook pages mentioned above. They appear to be from Pennsylvania. John Jesuele, the very capable drummer, has worked with the band BEYOND FALLEN in the past, and they show some influence from both later symphonic metal such as ICED EARTH and SYMPHONY X, and some earlier eighties style neoclassical metal such as Yngwie Malmsteen. One other fact that I have been able to ascertain is that they absolutely and unabashedly know what they are doing musically, and they are as talented as most working today.

This twenty-eight minute EP opens with “March of Death,” and it doesn’t take long to get into the meat of the song past the nice keyboard and heavy guitar intro. The lyric content in the song is half spoken, half sung, and is very effective and brings the dark foreboding feeling that has become synonymous with a lot of the European gothic bands out there.

Continuing on, the song “Claustrophobia,” leaves one wondering exactly what hell this guy has stumbled into. Is he imprisoned? Possibly buried alive? Again, half spoken, the vocals left me with such a sense of remorse for the poor bastard relaying the tale that it was difficult to get out of my head for the remainder of the EP. It is also hard to ignore a song that can effectively utilize the word “catabolism” in its chorus. Kudos to the band for pulling that off.

“Sands of Agony,” opening with a quite beautiful piano and guitar piece, is my favorite cut from the record, and is apparently the lead single, if there is truly a lead single to be had. It is a power ballad, although a bit softer than I have come to expect from such fare, and is extremely well written, both musically and lyrically. My favorite lyric from the song is “My epitaph was written long before I took a breath…” which really kind of sets the entire mood for this, their debut release.

The other tracks, “Hellion Witch” and “Darkness Falls,” are exactly what you anticipate them being. They are filled with the same dark images and well executed musical arrangements as the remainder.

This band shows promise, if “Haunted Symphony” is any indicator of what is to come. Tommy Eye is an incredible guitarist, Fortune’s keyboard work is tasteful and never over the top, and Jesuele and Dimitri hold everything together with the expertise of true vets of the industry. Bring it, guys. I’m all in. A side note directed to The Unknown Vocalist: let us know who you are. You blew my mind.

Songwriting: 10
Musicianship: 10
Memorability: 10
Production: 10 - Metal Temple - Mike McMahan

Hello, everybody. I was haunted by timeless music. Drums and fat guitars are thundering towards me with the March of Death. Keyboards and shout choruses recruit you for the army of the converted and thus everywhere TIMELESS HAUNT want you to go. To places you've wanted to be for years. It's like "coming home" - to a time when everything was better, when you didn't dissect music but just enjoyed it. Turn off your brain and let yourself be driven by excellent metal. A look at the lyrics so you can shout along is essential. Already the mystical beginning with the atmospheric acoustic guitars prepares you for great things afterwards, like the old gods of US Metal once did. Wow, what a board.

Anything but 'Claustrophobia' causes this revelation as I explore the spheres of mysterious, mysterious-inspired US Metal. Definitely a little SAVATAGE madness with modern riffs is banging around our ears. With slowed down tempo, spooky chanting and a lot of atmosphere. As if you hear the calm parts of ICED EARTHs 'When The Night Falls' or even 'Lost Reflection' of a glorious century band in the most beautiful red tones for the first time. The more lively instrumental parts simply bring back memories of "the best of the West", while you pull the cat o' nine tails over your back with all your might to chastise yourself, because this work actually passed you by last year.

This is the highest religion for the fan and I'm getting a transcendental feeling as well as a little bit of CRIMSON when I look at my GLORious goose bumps this song causes. The 'Hellion Witch' shows us, after a very harmonious beginning, what theatrical-uncitical Metal can be, the almighty LORD VIGO couldn't have explained it better. With beautiful bass lines, double bass, band shouts and masterful vocals of the "Unknown Vocalist" (whose identity will be revealed by another Streetclip contest) TIMELESS HAUNT take me on a journey through long forgotten musical landscapes - strange but beautiful. When 'Darkness Falls' you don't have to be afraid despite the ultra dark vocals, you discover the first new SAVATAGE riff after a felt infinity of waiting. Not only the guitar thunderstorms will throw you the lifeline, on which the insignia SYMPHONY X are emblazoned. With 'Sands Of Agony', the timeless ghosts from Pennsylvania succeed in creating a ballad of the century, which would have been included on every second encouraging "Broken Hearts" cassette mix at the time of growing up.

The predicate 'Progressive' simply fits here again, because these timeless, spooky and outstanding songs - especially when played on the keyboard - were not available in the past or only very rarely. If the upcoming long player doesn't contain a failure, we are looking forward to a classic. Until then the 'Haunted Symphony' will remain the US Metal-EP of the year 2019. - Lessmeister.

Must go back, no more time, must continue to enchant and haunt me. - Streetclip - Less Master