A Death / Thrash act with strong links into the elite of the pioneering Gothenburg extreme Metal scene. THE HAUNTED was founded by former ORCHRISTE, SÉANCE and SATANIC SLAUGHTER guitarist Patrik Jensen and former AT THE GATES man Adrian Erlandsson on drums. The exact starting point for the band can be pinpointed to July 27th 1996. Within half an hour of AT THE GATES holding a meeting to call it quits, Erlandsson was on the telephone to Jensen inviting him to explore the possibilities of a new band unit. Jensen and Erlandsson jammed the next day, working on tracks originally intended for SÉANCE, then invited another ex-AT THE GATES man, Jonas Björler, into the fold a week later to cover bass guitar. THE HAUNTED also drafted former DISSECTION and CARDINAL SIN man John Zwetsloot. However, Zwetsloot's tenure lasted a matter of months before erstwhile INFESTATION, AT THE GATES and TERROR guitarist Anders Björler, twin brother of Jonas, took over secondary guitar duties.

The band attempted to lure in a lead vocalist and discussions were held with Toxine (a.k.a. Tony Kampner) of SATANIC SLAUGHTER and WITCHERY, and Rogga of MERCILESS. Ultimately it would be Peter Dolving of MARY BEATS JANE that landed the job.

During 1997 Erlandsson created the side project HYPERHUG. Within time he would decamp from THE HAUNTED to concentrate on this act full time. THE HAUNTED attempted to fill the drum position with DISSECTION and OPTHALAMIA man Ole ?hman. Fate intervened when HYPERHUG's singer damaged his hearing curtailing the group. Erlandsson rejoined his former colleagues.

Earache Records took over the band's contract from debts owing on previous AT THE GATES dealings in order to issue the eponymous debut album, crafted with co-producer Fredrik Nordström at Fredman Studio in Gothenburg, in June 1998. To promote this release, THE HAUNTED undertook touring in Europe with NAPALM DEATH but projected Japanese dates were cancelled. In November 1998 Dolving, frustrated with a lack of progress on the live front, quit to found ZEN MONKEY, his replacement, FACE DOWN's Marco Aro, being located in March 1999. With this new line-up the band toured the European festival circuit.

THE HAUNTED was offered the support slot to TESTAMENT's North American dates the same year but in mid rehearsal for these shows Erlandsson quit to join premier British Black Metal band CRADLE OF FILTH. The tour went ahead with Per Møller Jensen of KONKHRA and INVOCATOR fame. THE HAUNTED bounced back in commanding with 'The Haunted Made Me Do It' in October 2000. This effort, its cover emblazoned with a collage of serial killers, saw production credits going to Berno Paulsson.

In 2001 it was announced that Mike Wead, of MERCYFUL FATE and KING DIAMOND, had joined the band, supplanting Anders Björler, who had opted out to pursue university studies. However, a subsequent American tour alongside CATASTROPHIC and MARTYR A.D. witnessed THE CROWN guitarist Marcus Sunesson temporarily taking the vacancy.

THE HAUNTED would also prepare tracks, recorded in Japan at the Akasaka Blitz in Tokyo during 2000 and mixed by KONKHRA mainman Anders Lundemark, for a live album dubbed 'Live Rounds In Tokyo', first issued in the Far East by Toy's Factory in May 2001. This set of recordings would eventually surface as a bonus disc packaged with a re-released 'Made Me Do It' in December. Anders Björler made a surprise return to the band shortly before THE HAUNTED entered the studio to record a third album.

Drummer Per Moller Jensen would be linked to an endeavour with strong TESTAMENT connections was unveiled during the summer of 2002 with the SADUS pairing of frontman Darren Travis and bassist Steve DiGeorgio embarking on an all star union billed as SUICIDE SHIFT. The project included TESTAMENT vocalist Chuck Billy as well as guest guitar from the much travelled ex-TESTAMENT man JAMES MURPHY. Recording of a new studio album, provisionally billed as 'One Kill Wonder', commenced in the last quarter of 2002. ARCH ENEMY guitarist Michael Amott laid down a guest solo during these sessions.

The 'One Kill Wonder' album arrived in stores in February 2003. Significantly, the record gave the band its first national chart placing, reaching number 23 on the Swedish album rankings. The title track would dominate all three of the major US Metal radio charts, the CMJ Loud Rock Chart, the CMJ Loud Rock Spins Chart and the FMQB Metal Detector chart for a four week run at the number one position.

THE HAUNTED announced South African shows for March 2003. European touring had the band packaged with MASTODON and HATESPHERE in April before the band jumped the Atlantic for US gigs throughout the summer headlining over KATAKLYSM, SHAI HULUD and SKINLESS. All this took place as a background to an increased awareness of the band due to laudatory reviews for 'One Kill Wonder'. Despite this praise, during October THE HAUNTED parted ways with vocalist Marco Aro, replacing him with his predecessor, the group's original frontman Peter Dolving.

The band would novelly hold a competition amongst its fans to find a new album title, the winner coming up with 'Subliminal Messages Of Suicide Promotion'. Although gaining the honours and a set of prizes this title was, in the end, not used. Touring in the Spring of 2004 found the band, including Peter Dolving nursing four fractured ribs, traversing the UK as support to FUNERAL FOR A FRIEND. THE HAUNTED, having cut their latest opus at Studio Fredman in Gothenburg with co-producers Patrik J. Sten, drummer with PASSENGER, and Fredrik Nordström, signed to Century Media Records in June.

The band would be chosen, alongside MERCENARY, MNEMIC, HATESPHERE, RAUNCHY, MELTED, BLINDFAULT and STOMPED, to form up the "Nordic Threat" show for the Popkomm 2004 music convention at the Silver Wings in Berlin on 29th September. US touring in October saw the band allied with DAMAGEPLAN and SHADOWS FALL as the 'rEVOLVEr' album, preceded by a promotional video for the track 'All Against All', entered the Swedish charts at no. 18. December saw the band on the road in Europe, forming up the 'Hammered at Xmas' tour in union with ARCH ENEMY and DARK TRANQUILLITY. Scandinavian headline dates as part of the 'Close Up' magazine sponsored 'Close Up Made Me Do it' tour had THE HAUNTED headlining over TOTALT JÄVLA M?RKER and INSISION in February of 2005. That same month the band undertook headline UK gigs supported by MARTYR A.D. and DEAD TO FALL.

To aid victims of the December 2004 Indian Ocean tsunamis THE HAUNTED, in collaboration with HEAVEN SHALL BURN and NAPALM DEATH, participated in the issue of a special single release. The band donated the track 'Smut King'. These singles, restricted to just 1000 hand numbered copies, would be for sale only at NAPALM DEATH's Bochum and London shows in January 2005. That same month Per Møller Jensen recorded the 'Music For Tough Guys' demo with SLOW DEATH FACTORY, a high profile union of Danish extreme Metal elite comprising ILLDISPOSED's Morten Gilsted, vocalist Martin Rosendahl of STRANGLER, ZAHRIM, CORPUS MORTALE and INIQUITY and CORPUS MORTALE's Roar Christofferson on bass guitar.

THE HAUNTED acted as special guests to the MOONSPELL and CRADLE OF FILTH package European tour in March. However, guitarist Patrik Jensen left the tour shortly after the Lisbon, Portugal date in order to attend "urgent family matters", leaving the band to carry on as a quartet. US gigs in May were to see a road alliance with DEVILDRIVER, MACHINE HEAD and IT DIES TODAY, but the group withdrew from these dates, citing Jensen's desire to spend time with his sick father in Sweden. That month THE HAUNTED filmed promotional video clip for the track 'No Compromise' with director Roger Johansson.

The group got back onto the US touring circuit in major fashion, appearing on the second stage at the BLACK SABBATH and IRON MAIDEN headlined 'Ozzfest' events commencing 15th July in Mansfield, Massachusetts. The band then announced further US dates alongside MESHUGGAH, GOD FORBID and MNEMIC throughout October. Roadwork continued apace in November as THE HAUNTED toured Europe traversing Holland, the UK, France, Belgium, Spain, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Denmark and Sweden in union with MANNTIS and GOD FORBID.

2006 shows for THE HAUNTED included the Japanese 'Extreme The Dojo Vol. 15' with NILE and EXODUS in late February then Australian headliners in March. The group scheduled to album recording sessions at Antfarm Studios in Århus, Denmark in May with producer Tue Madsen. Meantime, Peter Dolving, having also fired up an Alternative acoustic Rock project dubbed BRINGTHEWARHOME, guested on the track 'Dead Rising' included on SPARZANZA's 'Banisher Of The Light' album. THE HAUNTED geared up for further global campaigning with the release of 'The Dead Eye' in October. The album entered the national Swedish charts at number 14, their highest entry to date.

European and Scandinavian shows were announced for January 2007 but then cancelled as the group instead opted to tour as support to KILLSWITCH ENGAGE. Finnish shows for February were aligned with BURST. The group returned to US campaigning in March and April flanking DARK TRANQUILLITY and INTO ETERNITY. THE HAUNTED and MUNICIPAL WASTE teamed up for a European, hitting the UK, Germany, France, Belgium, The Netherlands, Spain, Czech Republic, Austria, Hungary, Italy, Poland and Switzerland, tour into May. British dates added fellow Swedes WOLF to the billing.

The band co-headlined the 'Anthem Metal' festival held on August 14th 2008 at Hangar 11 on the shores of Tel Aviv, Israel, alongside MESHUGGAH, OPETH, DARK TRANQUILLITY, SATYRICON, NEVERMORE plus Israeli bands SALEM, BETZEFER, DISTORTED, THEY:SWARM and THE FADING.

The album 'Versus', recorded at PUK Studios in Denmark with producer Tue Madsen, saw release in September.A limited edition boxed set hosted a second, exclusive four track CD entitled 'Collateral Damage', featuring non-album cuts 'Seize The Day', 'Narcotic', the instrumental 'Versus' and 'Devolve', a guitar pick, a sticker and a double-sided poster. 'Versus' entered the national Swedish chart at no. 14 and the Finnish chart at no. 12.

In November the group performed concerts in Australia, puting in concerts in Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne and Perth. THE HAUNTED, MERAUDER, NACHTMYSTIUM and THE AGONIST partnered for North American dates, these dates kicking off on 2nd April at The Glass House in Pomona, California.