Based in San Antonio, Haunter has been pushing the limits of Progressive Black Metal and Death Metal for roughly 5 years. We wanted to know more. The group consists of Enrique Bonilla (guitar), Mark Cruz (drums), and Bradley Tiffin (bass/vocals), awesome guys who are making moves. Keep an eye out for two new splits being released later this year. You can find their music on Bandcamp, and their tour dates below the interview.
Q: Where have each of the released EPs and albums been recorded?
– “He Who Jumps Into The Void Owes No Explanation To Those Who Stand And Watch”
– “Moths/Haunter Split”
– “διαδήλωση”
– “Thrinodίa”
E: We tracked most of “He Who Jumps…” at our drummer Mark’s old place out in Von Ormy. This was the first piece of music we recorded as the current lineup. Most everything after that has been recorded by our lead bassist, Bradley at his place. Drums for Thrinodίa were tracked by Wes Powers at Signal Perception Studios in Austin. We love you Wes! Wish you were coming on tour with us again!
 
Q: Where are the new splits being recorded?
E: We’re recording with industry legend Bradley Tiffin at Lil’ Bradley studio haha. We’ll probably be recording most of our music with Brad unless we win the lottery or get signed to some gigantic label. DIY forever…until we sell out.
 
Q: What labels are you working with for these? How did you get connected with them?
E: The first split will be released by Red River Family from Austin. We had approached them last year prior to Thrinodίa’s release. Since then we’ve worked with them for Red River Family Fest I (check out year II here), our headlining show during Austin free music week, and this current split we just finished recording. Shane! Kara! We must burn the bone candle under the full moon. Gain the strength from the elements that surround us. The other split we’re recording we can’t really talk about yet so we’ll keep that one a mystery.
 
Q: Who are the splits with? What made you want to do splits with these bands?
E: I can’t spill the chisme, but I can say one band is from Austin and the other from Arizona. All in due time.
 
Q: Will y’all be going on tour to promote the new release? If so, how is the tour shaping up? City you’re most excited to play?
E: Yes, we actually leave for tour in two days so we’ll be playing songs off the release as teaser to the actual 12” release this fall. Once that’s out in the fall we’ll be touring to the Pacific Northwest with our friends in Black Vice. That’s not totally booked yet, but I’m really excited to play in Oregon and Washington. I’ve only heard good things about the death and black metal scene up there so I’m itchin’ to head north.
 
Q: How would y’all say your sound has evolved since the initial release in September 2014?
E: Well, I’d say Brads addition to the band dramatically changed our sound. We’re just an amalgam of black and death now. We want to get heavier, stranger, and techier. The writing process is definitely lengthier and more arduous than it was before.
B: After I first met Enrique and Mark at a Haunter show with their 2nd lineup, I started jamming with Mark for a different project. He introduced me to a lot of influential bands, on top of the fact we had a highly compatible taste for black and death metal. After recording the blackened screamo songs from “He Who Jumps…”, we all agreed the next logical step in the band was to add more ambition to the songwriting, and definitely embrace a more abrasive direction.
I try to approach bodies of work with a fully (mentally) controlled state. Sometimes the sound I publish at the time isn’t exactly how I’d prefer it to sound now, but I still take ‘flaws’ in production and performance as endearing qualities. I believe “Untitled” from Thrinodίa was the first track I wrote for the album, and “Perinatal Odium Dilute” the last. The whole album flows well, I think. It just comes down to creating cohesive pillars with their own individualistic qualities. So far, I feel each Haunter release shows us taking a step into another room, another characteristic that makes our sound as original as possible for black metal.
 
Q: Since y’all have been playing together, what’s your favorite memory? A show? Or practice moment? Anything.
E: I can’t speak for everyone, but our first lengthy tour back in January of 2016 holds a really special place in our heart. It solidified that we wanted to do Haunter seriously and push ourselves to do more as a band. It was definitely a big bonding moment as well.
 
Q: What’s each band members “go to” drink at shows?
E: Lone Stars, a well-mixed Vieux Carré, whiskey cokes, Topo Chico, and pickle shots.
 
Q: What new music are you guys listening to?
M: Drab Majesty, Disma, and Void Meditation Cult.
B: That new Ascended Dead leak, Perverted Ceremony, and Phrenelith.
E: Alina Baraz, Qrixkuor, Forth Wanderers, and Crurifragium.
 
Q: What keeps you guys excited and motivated to continue making music in SA?
E: We really want to get out of the city as much as possible. Touring is what drives us the most to continue making music.
 
There you have it! Catch them in a city near you!
