LIVEFORMS: AN EVENING WITH HAKEN

A two-part show, Fauna in its entirety, followed by a best-of of their consistently progressive tracks, oozing complex arrangements and intelligent, intuitive, and explosive melodies.

"The Last Lullaby" with the backbeat of the pad, the verse from "Eyes of Ebony" serving as an intro for the band to settle in; and then "Taurus" follows with its bells before giving way to all the tracks from "Fauna," recreated and transcribed with fantastic precision, with the addition of the crowd noise. The musicians' skill never stops: "Nightingale" is captivating, "The Alphabet of Me" with its stellar trumpet. "Sempiternal Beings" for its hyperspatial and joyful energy. "Beneath the White Rainbow" and its rich digressions between metal and prog, "Island in the Clouds" for Ross's vocals, as fluid as ever, and energy to spare. "Lovebite" continues with the romantic, danceable, eclectic pop-rock hit. "Elephants Never Forget," which has become, for me, one of the most beautiful prog metal tracks of the new millennium for its numerous reminiscences and its creative madness, a blend of velvety vocals and pugnacious riffs to achieve a tremendous level of musical excitement. "Eyes of Ebony," with its intro's latent tempo and fleeting vocals, and "Crystallized," for the 18-minute track, quivering between softness and palpitation, flirting with the shores of DREAM THEATER. Overflowing energy, a dreamlike a cappella sound before the apoplectic finale. Note that it is included as the last encore on the Blu-ray, as it was in the concert. This oldest track in their discography serves as a momentary happy ending before what follows.

"Puzzle Box" for the vocals infusing harmony to its climax, the 12.7 snare drum very present. "Earthrise" and the dynamite, explosive air making nod with its VAN HALEN-style tapping with the fat synth behind. "Cockroach King" for one of the songs imbued with the band that gave them recognition, heavy prog rock invading with djent riffs. "Cockroach King" is sublime with Ross in top form accompanied by disconcerting jazzy touches. "Nil by Mouth" and its progressive instrumental, close your eyes, no keep them open to admire the work of the show-light with the apocalyptic finale. "1985" for these bass/guitar riffs worthy of YES providing the heaviest moments of the entire concert. "The Strain" and "Canary Yellow" from the album 'Virus' intersperse "Strainwreck" with a keyboard and drum jam, a pure live performance allowing the rest of the band to retreat for a fleeting rest. "Drowning in the Flood" for its heavy rock verses bordering on grunge and its majestic, progressive finale. "Visions" concludes this epic live performance with the title track, 20 minutes of enlightened vocals, breathtaking guitar solos leading to the firmament, and polyrhythmic throws of Ray's pads; in short, a musical epic, a masterpiece.

HAKEN, a sound fusing 50 years of prog, in short, a live album to own urgently and read as a bonus. Originally on Profilprog.

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