'It Just Was Thrown Upon Us' —The Haunted's Marco Aro on How Politics Has Impacted a Non-Political Band

"We're not a political band nor have we ever been," The Haunted singer Marco Aro tells Full Metal Jackie on her weekend radio show. But the band's latest album, Songs of Last Resort, does have music that does address what's going on in the world around them.

The singer insists that the group does not discuss politics and it's not even something that came up in the writing for their new album, but as Aro shares, in today's world, it's hard not to be impacted by what's shaping the world you live in.

"We didn't have any set topics that this is what we're doing. It actually just turned out that way when we introduced the lyrics to each other and we found out that we were writing about the same thing, which is the absolute of a world that we're forced to live in now," says the singer. "We're victims of circumstances and we didn't choose it. It just was thrown upon us."

Aro dives into "Warhead," one of the standout tracks from Songs of Last Resort, during the chat with Jackie. He also speaks about the lengthy break between records and the response that the band has been getting since fans have been picking up on their tenth studio album.

Marco also discusses how his passion for music and playing live has evolved over the years and what he hopes the band's legacy would be when all is written about them.

Check out more of the chat below.

It's Full Metal Jackie. Very excited to welcome back, after some time away, Marco Aro of The Haunted. The band has returned with their tenth album and first new record in eight years, Songs of Last Resort, and they are sounding as vital and vibrant as ever. Marco, it feels as though the time has done the band some good. Can you speak to what it's meant to go live and experience some life before coming back around with this new album? And is there a greater appreciation now when new Haunted music does happen?

The thing is that we tried for eight years to make an album and COVID got in the way. I guess we appreciate it a lot more now because we're in a good place. We're in our 50s now and we still make music like we did in our 20s..

The amount of success and appreciation this album has gotten is overwhelming actually, because we didn't think that [would happen] when we set out to write this and record this album. We just, once again, wrote an album for ourselves more or less. So it's been a interesting ride and we did not expect this, because in our minds, we didn't do anything different except that we decided to take the old Haunted sound and turn it up to 11.

That's pretty much it, the whole idea behind it.

The Haunted, "Warhead"

We're talking about the latest record, Songs of Last Resort, and I understand this cycle really started to kick into motion with that song, "Warhead." And I always imagine it feels like an a-ha moment, but what was it about that song where it all clicked into place that you knew where the album was going?

That was actually the third song that was written for the album. So we had two songs that we were really happy with, but then Jensen came around with "Warhead" and that's where we all decided, "Okay, this is the path we're taking."

The previous songs that we had went back to the drawing board and we tweaked those a little bit as well. It was just finding a format, which was pretty exciting.

With The Haunted, the guys are separated by geography, which makes it more difficult to get together. But the band has this ingrained musical language where you seem to be able to jump right back in. That said, everyone has their own lives and music is a great platform to address what concerns you about the world. What are those discussions like getting back in a room with the guys and thinking what is the message that you want to, to put out through your music?

We're not a political band nor have we ever been, but the only thing that we really discuss, because we never discuss each other's political affiliations or anything, it's just that we're pretty good at giving each other space, so nothing ruins a good friendship better than talking politics.

So when we set out to write lyrics for this album, we didn't have any set topics that this is what we're doing. It actually just turned out that way when we introduced the lyrics to each other and we found out that we were writing about the same thing, which is the absolute of a world that we're forced to live in now.

We're victims of circumstances and we didn't choose it. It just was thrown upon us.

Marco, you've served multiple stints in The Haunted, but the band has been pretty good about honoring all eras of the group over the years. It's not always an easy life to pursue. Do you feel your passion or love for the band and the music has changed over time or is it still the same feeling as when you first stepped onstage with the group back in the late '90s?

It's still the same, but it's more mature now. The craziness is pretty much gone with the whole decadent partying and everything. It's not even the same thing anymore. But otherwise, the energy is there and The Haunted has always been about adrenaline and having fun, and this is exactly what we're still doing.

I'm trying to park my boat at the same time when I'm talking to you

Marco, The album title, Songs of Last Resort, sets a particular tone. It's one that's followed through on the closing track of this album, "Letters of Last Resort," which paints the dystopian view of the last words penned likely only read by living dead. It certainly makes you think about legacy and what gets left behind and we certainly hope that The Haunted aren't going away anytime soon. But this deep into your career, what would you like to be the words written about the band's legacy to this point?

The band's legacy would be that we helped to revive and shape a genre, because thrash music was pretty much dead. The thrash metal scene was pretty much dead, and apparently when we came along, they got revived, a lot of those bands and I think that that's something that I want to be remembered by, that we we made an impact.

We did something.

I know there's a ton of touring for you guys this year. Marco, what about the live music experience has most changed from when you first started, and what is the one thing you most love about it that keeps you coming back?

It's the energy and the adrenaline I talked about earlier. It's still exciting and it's still fun, and we're still having the greatest time of our lives up onstage. The only thing that is a bit sad is that it's all about money now.

Like the promoters and stuff, not everybody's as serious as they used to be. So a lot of bands get taken advantage of and stuff, but I guess with age, we found who we want to work with and don't want to work with. So yeah, the scene is still the same, but it's become a bit dirty in my opinion.

Marco from The Haunted with us. The new record is Songs of Last Resort. Thank you so much for taking the time.

Thank you for listening to me breathing and trying to tie my boat up. I'm stuck. I'm dying here.

Be safe. Be safe, Marco.

Thanks to The Haunted's Marco Aro for the interview. Songs of Last Resort is available now. Stay up to date with The Haunted through their website, Facebook, X and Instagram accounts. ind out where you can hear Full Metal Jackie's weekend radio show here.

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