In his newest release ‘Haunted’, Texas-based guitar sorcerer Brian Hunsaker trades the fretboard fireworks of his instrumental roots for something darker, more cinematic, and undeniably colossal. The track finds Hunsaker stepping into the spotlight as both riff-slayer and vocal conjurer, leading a charge into the night with blazing solos, thunderous drums, and vocals that wail like a storm over scorched battlegrounds.
Built with the precision of a modern action film and the heart of classic heavy metal, ‘Haunted’ is a showdown. It opens with stalking guitars that feel like footsteps behind you, building suspense before unleashing a barrage of percussion and snarling riffs that rip through the silence like shrapnel. When the chorus hits, it hits big- the kind of melodic surge that swells like an anthem carved from vengeance and vulnerability. Its classic rock mixed with a nu-metal edge.
There’s a clear cinematic DNA pulsing through the track, and Hunsaker doesn’t hide his influence- this is music that channels the dread and drive of John Wick, but through the distortion-soaked language of Maiden, Dio, and Disturbed. Lyrically, Hunsaker grapples with the ghosts that cling to us- not always visible, but always there. “It’s the feeling of being pursued by something you can’t shake,” he’s said, and that unease ripples through every note.
What makes ‘Haunted’ especially compelling is Hunsaker’s ability to blend old-school metal heroics with modern production punch. The mix, handled by Matt Dougherty (Megadeth, Staind), is a masterclass in giving space for the symphonic undercurrents while never dulling the edge of the blade. It’s sharp, explosive, and as unrelenting as the torment it portrays.
Hunsaker has officially broken free from the instrumental corner of the metal world and declared war on anything less than epic. If ‘Haunted’ is the prologue to what’s next, we’re in for a saga that doesn’t just echo the legends, but starts to write its own.