The Haunted's Marco Aro on How Politics Has Impacted a Non-Political Band

The band's latest album 'Songs of Last Resort' touches on the 'absolute of a world that we're forced to live in now'

Published on Feb. 16, 2026

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The Haunted singer Marco Aro tells Full Metal Jackie how some political material made its way into their non-political band's latest album 'Songs of Last Resort'. Aro explains that while the band doesn't discuss politics, the lyrics on the new record reflect the circumstances they've been forced to live in, saying 'We're victims of circumstances and we didn't choose it. It just was thrown upon us.'

Why it matters

The Haunted has long been considered a non-political band, but their latest album 'Songs of Last Resort' touches on the realities of the world they live in, highlighting how even apolitical artists can be impacted by the political climate around them.

The details

Marco Aro explains that the band didn't set out to write political lyrics, but when they shared the new songs, they realized they were all addressing the same issues stemming from the current state of the world. He says the lyrics on tracks like 'Warhead' reflect how 'we're forced to live in now' and that 'we're victims of circumstances and we didn't choose it. It just was thrown upon us.'

  • The Haunted released their tenth studio album 'Songs of Last Resort' in 2026.

The players

Marco Aro

The lead singer of the metal band The Haunted.

The Haunted

A Swedish heavy metal band that was formed in the late 1990s and is known for reviving and shaping the thrash metal genre.

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What they’re saying

“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.”

— Marco Aro, Lead Singer, The Haunted (loudwire.com)

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

— Marco Aro, Lead Singer, The Haunted (loudwire.com)

What’s next

The Haunted has a busy touring schedule planned for 2026 to support the new album 'Songs of Last Resort'.

The takeaway

Even non-political bands can be impacted by the realities of the world around them, as evidenced by The Haunted's latest album 'Songs of Last Resort' which touches on societal issues the band didn't intentionally set out to address, but found themselves compelled to reflect in their music.