The Haunted North Unleash âSavage Ghostâ â Randy V Talks Origins, Heavy Hitters, and Whatâs Next on Metal Devastation Radio
If you like your heavy with grit, groove, and zero plastic polish, this one hits like a hammer.
On a recent episode of...
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The Haunted North Unleash âSavage Ghostâ â Randy V Talks Origins, Heavy Hitters, and Whatâs Next on Metal Devastation Radio
If you like your heavy with grit, groove, and zero plastic polish, this one hits like a hammer.
On a recent episode of The Zach Moonshine Show on Metal Devastation Radio, The Haunted North stormed in with their crushing new single âSavage Ghostâ, and frontman Randy V pulled back the curtain on how this whole thing came together. The result is a band rooted in real history, real connections, and a sound that doesnât chase trends, it bulldozes through them.
âItâs like a freaking hammerâ â The Sound of Savage Ghost
Right out of the gate, the vibe was clear. This isnât overproduced, copy-paste rock. This is weight.
âIt is smash your head⊠itâs like a freaking hammer, isnât it?â
That pretty much sums up Savage Ghost. Thick, groove-heavy riffs with a dark, almost cinematic feel. You can hear the DNA of classic heavy hitters, but it never feels like imitation. It feels lived-in.
Heavy Hitters in the Mix: JD DeServio & Jeff Fabb
One of the big talking points was the involvement of some serious players behind the scenes.
Randy V broke it down:
âJD jumped in⊠Jeff did the last two singles⊠these guys literally did their tracks and then jumped on a plane to LA to start rehearsing.â
That kind of commitment shows up in the final product. The rhythm section alone gives Savage Ghost that undeniable punch, the kind that hits you in the chest and sticks.
A Wild Origin Story You Canât Make Up
The Haunted North didnât form the usual way. No Craigslist ad, no âhey letâs start a bandâ moment.
This thing is built on what can only be called pure rock and roll fate.
From gym meetups in CanadaâŠTo connections through Black Label Society circlesâŠTo a chance encounter with Layne Staleyâs motherâŠ
Yeah, seriously.
Randy V shared one of the most surreal moments:
âI realized⊠thatâs Layne Staleyâs mom⊠and we ended up becoming really good friends.â
That connection eventually led to the creation of music tied to tribute material, which snowballed into something much bigger.
âIt wasnât coincidental⊠all that had to happen for us to meet.â
You donât script stuff like that.
From One-Off Track to Full-Blown Band
What started as a single turned into something else entirely.
âHe said, âWhat if I could get Jeff and JD to play on it?â I said⊠âwell, then Iâd have to reconsider.ââ
That reconsideration turned into a full project, and now The Haunted North is building serious momentum.
Influences: From European Metal to Grunge Darkness
Randy V didnât shy away from talking influences, and it paints a clear picture of where that sound comes from.
âWe were more into European metal⊠Priest, Schenker⊠then when everything shifted, the two bands that grabbed you⊠Soundgarden and Alice In Chains.â
That blend explains a lot. Youâve got the precision and power of classic metal mixed with the mood and weight of early 90s darkness.
And it shows.
No Fake Emotion. No Industry BS.
One of the real standout moments was Randy talking about authenticity in music.
âPeople know when youâre⊠not real⊠when you actually felt it, they hear it.â
Thatâs the difference between something that sounds good and something that sticks with you.
The Haunted North leans hard into that second category.
Gear Talk⊠Sort Of
For the tone chasers out there, there were a few nuggets dropped, even if Randy laughed off being âthe wrong guyâ for full gear breakdowns.
What we do know:
Friedman amps are part of the tone equation
Gibson-style guitars in the mix
A serious, dialed-in setup from guitarist Sean
âI know tones very well⊠if it sounds like shit, Iâll call it instantly.â
Fair enough.
Whatâs Next: Live Shows and More Releases
The focus now is simple. Take this thing to the stage.
âWeâre hyper focused on getting out and playing live this summer.â
Plans are pointing toward shows around Sturgis and beyond, with more content rolling out, including:
The Bleed video gaining traction
A new Savage Ghost lyric video using 30+ year old footage
A growing catalog of heavy tracks like Medusa, 21 Grams, and The Beast
The Haunted North Is Just Getting Started
Thereâs something refreshing about a band that isnât trying to fit into whatever the algorithm says is hot this week.
The Haunted North is building this the old-school way:
Real connections
Real players
Real stories
Real heavy music
And it shows in every riff.
Listen Now
The full episode featuring Randy V of The Haunted North, including the interview and a stacked lineup of new underground releases, is now available on Mixcloud via Metal Devastation Radio.
Turn it up loud. This one wasnât made for background noise.
Track List:Â
Battle Of The Bands Top Six Winners:
1 - Antipope - The Maker - (289,749 votes)2 - Another Demon - Drawn and Quartered feat. James Murphy (Testament, Death, Obituary) - (131,632 votes)3 - NIKOLA'S CAGE - RASCAL - (27,654 votes)4 - Severed Sun - Complex - (25,239 votes)5 - Mistress - Terrified eyes - (9,493 votes)6 - Heidbekka - Völva - (6,412 votes)
The Zach Moonshine Intro
7 - Ozzy Osbourne - Over The Mountain8 - Black Label Society - Pedal to the Floor/Lords Of Destruction
The Haunted North - Interview featuring Savage Ghost/The Beast
9 - Dark Chapel - Sign of Life/Hit of Your Love10 - Zakk Sabbath - Electric Funeral/Lord Of This World11 - Jeff Fabb - Listen to Hear12 - Awaiting Abigail - Funhouse13 - The Funeral Procession - Carrion14 - SEEING HELL A.D - DISSECTION15 - Keepsake - You16 - Broadslab - Keep On Rollin'17 - LANGUISH IN DESPAIR - Killing Spree18 - Stygian Mind - Crown of Bullets19 - Riftpatrol - Parasite (feat. Yuuko Sings, DJ Neon Nights & Amanda Power)20 - Crystallion - Shell Shock (MANOWAR Cover)21 - Bjarte K. Helland - The Final Count22 - HELL-BORN - In Scarlet And Death23 - Mephisto Odyssey - CRASH Feat. Brad Gillis, Wayne Static24 - MARTYRED - WHERE THE BODIES LIE25 - VITHIAL - War of the Gods, the Balance of Darkness and Light
Also check out the interview portion up on YouTube, Spotify, Apple:
[jrEmbed module="jrYouTube" youtube_id="IoD0OiJeMM8"]
Super massive shout out to the 292,325 metal maniacs from around the world that tuned in for the live devastation Friday night!
Follow the band:Â
https://www.thehauntednorth.com/
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