New Haken Album
Printed From: Progarchives.com
Category: Progressive Music Lounges
Forum Name: Prog Recommendations/Featured albums
Forum Description: Make or seek recommendations and discuss specific prog albums
URL: http://www.progarchives.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=122994
Printed Date: June 02 2025 at 12:29
Software Version: Web Wiz Forums 11.01 - http://www.webwizforums.com
Topic: New Haken Album
Posted By: Grumpyprogfan
Subject: New Haken Album
Date Posted: May 13 2020 at 14:48
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Haken's 6th album is out in a few weeks. Two videos are out there. Thoughts? Administrators, there is a 3 star rating that should be removed, as the album has not been released. |
Replies:
Posted By: Cristi
Date Posted: May 13 2020 at 14:51
I heard the two songs and I'm looking forward to listening to the whole album. Good point about the rating removal.
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Grumpyprogfan wrote:Posted By: Tapfret
Date Posted: May 13 2020 at 14:54
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Will investigate. ------------- https://www.last.fm/user/Tapfret" rel="nofollow">  https://bandcamp.com/tapfret" rel="nofollow - Bandcamp |
Posted By: A Bard
Date Posted: May 13 2020 at 15:14
| Whats the best Haken starter album so I can enjoy this new one that they are releasing |
Posted By: dougmcauliffe
Date Posted: May 13 2020 at 16:04
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I've tried this band a few times and nothing has really grabbed me, I'm not crazy about their squeaky clean production but i'd definitely be willing to try them again. ------------- The sun has left the sky... ...Now you can close your eyes |
Posted By: AFlowerKingCrimson
Date Posted: May 13 2020 at 16:58
The only one I have by them is Affinity which was two albums ago. It's ok but it didn't really knock my socks off. I think the mountain is usually the one that is their most acclaimed. Some people claim that they mix regular prog with prog metal but to me it's mostly metal albeit prog metal.
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Posted By: Grumpyprogfan
Date Posted: May 13 2020 at 17:11
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Posted By: Grumpyprogfan
Date Posted: May 13 2020 at 17:34
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This song is fierce. |
Posted By: Tapfret
Date Posted: May 13 2020 at 18:19
I started with The Mountain, which has a completely different feel than all the others. It has more classic prog characteristics. Honestly, it kind of ruined them for me because the others have become a little formulaic. anyway, that's just one nerds opinion. ------------- https://www.last.fm/user/Tapfret" rel="nofollow"> https://bandcamp.com/tapfret" rel="nofollow - Bandcamp |
Posted By: Grumpyprogfan
Date Posted: May 13 2020 at 18:36
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^The Mountain is awesome. Visions also sounds different and is superb. Their last album was the one, for me, that was formulaic |
Posted By: siLLy puPPy
Date Posted: May 13 2020 at 19:32
That's pretty cool. They've bucked the trend and become MORE metal as time goes on. Interesting that the album is called VIRUS. Quite a coincidence. Personally i like the first two albums. ViSIONS is probably the best. THE MOUNTAIN is decent but a little too derivative of classic prog. I missed the last one but now i gotta catch up i guess. -------------  https://rateyourmusic.com/~siLLy_puPPy |
Posted By: Catcher10
Date Posted: May 13 2020 at 23:41
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I have all Haken albums, the first 3 albums are excellent. More melodic, Dream Theater lite......Affinity started down the more metal, thrashy writing and Vector is pretty much prog-metal Dream Theater heavy. I'm expecting Virus to be in the same vein as Vector. -------------   
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Posted By: Homotopy
Date Posted: May 14 2020 at 06:27
| The band is confidently rolling towards generic technical metal, which is terribly sad. |
Posted By: Cristi
Date Posted: May 14 2020 at 06:44
I disagree, how can they be generic when they are one of the unique progressive metal bands? They've always been technical, or better said skilled, there's plenty of melody in their music.
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Posted By: Grumpyprogfan
Date Posted: May 14 2020 at 06:46
There is Richard Henshall's brilliant solo album from last year, that is far from metal. Or his metal-jazz work with Nova Collective. Both provide alternatives to Haken's direction. |
Posted By: Deadwing
Date Posted: May 14 2020 at 06:56
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I loved Affinity, everything else was more regular stuff for me |
Posted By: miamiscot
Date Posted: May 14 2020 at 09:38
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Good band but I can't get too excited about them. Unfortunately. ------------- The Prog Corner |
Posted By: GoliathTMV
Date Posted: May 14 2020 at 09:40
In terms of quality, Aquarius or The Mountain but it's a sequel to Vector so check that out too
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Posted By: Awesoreno
Date Posted: May 14 2020 at 11:12
| There's only five albums and the Restoration EP. Just listen to them all. Including the EP, it's one of their best efforts. Agree that Vector especially has pulled them down the prog metal route, and it seems Virus will be similar. It was ok, but probably my least favorite by them.I actually really like Affinity. I heard more of a crossover sound in there, in addition to the heavy, sometimes metal, and melodic prog. I like it a lot. But yeah the first three albums and the EP are just golden. I always tell people to listen to Atlas Stone to get them interested in the band. Good one to pique curiosity. |
Posted By: Homotopy
Date Posted: May 14 2020 at 11:43
This can be said about any band changing direction, for instance from prog to pop.
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Posted By: Homotopy
Date Posted: May 14 2020 at 11:51
What's so unique about Vector or their new single that sounds like a song from Train of Thought? And I don't hear too much melody on Vector, rather lots of djdjdj and bambambam. I'm not saying Vector sucks, which you guys try to refute. I'm saing it's not a surprise for me that The Mountain is top159 all-time whilst Vector is "good".
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Posted By: Cristi
Date Posted: May 14 2020 at 12:00
the way I see it, they are technical, but still catchy. I find them unique, they are djenty, catchy, heavy, calling them generic is harsh, they don't have a heard it all before done to death sound.
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Posted By: foregonillusions
Date Posted: May 14 2020 at 15:53
Nothing you've said is indicative of a "unique" progressive metal band. With that criteria, whatever Dream Theater is making nowadays is unique. There's nothing wrong with liking Haken's current music. I can get down with their djent (though tiring after a while), but unique is a stretch.
Indeed. Change is not necessarily progressive; it can be regressive too.
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Posted By: Cristi
Date Posted: May 14 2020 at 17:37
I wasn't trying to prove they are unique, just that I don't find them generic. Generic is just a fancy word to describe something that is predictable, mediocre which IMHO Haken has never been. Also I dare call them one of the unique bands because I haven't heard other bands that sound like them. So if unique is a stretch, generic is a stretch, too.
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Posted By: Tom Ozric
Date Posted: May 14 2020 at 18:58
| The only album from these guys I have is The Mountain, and it’s a beauty. And I love the song posted earlier in this thread. Quality Prog-Metal, better than DT. Anything but ‘generic’. |
Posted By: foregonillusions
Date Posted: May 14 2020 at 22:56
Fair enough, but since turning to djent, I think they're prone to monotony. The fact that the keyboard tends to be another rhythm propagator is depressing. I know these guys can make some damn fine prog too, which is why it's all the more painful. If their past is any indication, they'll hopefully move onto a new style. With all that said, I'm still going to buy Virus, and I'm still going to like it.
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Posted By: richardh
Date Posted: May 14 2020 at 23:07
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I have all their albums and along with BBT they are one of my current favourites. The Mountain is a bit overrated and too derivative of other bands for my liking. The Cockroach King is great (GG vibe) but the rest is unremarkable. Like BBT they are quite a large ensemble of musicians and are a bit of a heavy prog orchestra if such a thing can exist! I would recommend the live DVD. Affinity is easily my favourite by them but I enjoyed the last one so very much looking forward to the next. BTW all the lazy Dream Theater references being chucked around - tut tut. Give them a chance please.
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Posted By: Awesoreno
Date Posted: May 15 2020 at 00:08
My favorite off The Mountain is Atlas Stone. It's the one I show to people to introduce them to the band, and they always think it's awesome.
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Posted By: Homotopy
Date Posted: May 15 2020 at 01:41
Note that there was "towards" in my post. It's less and less of a stretch is what was said.
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Posted By: Grumpyprogfan
Date Posted: July 26 2020 at 06:00
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Finally heard Virus in its entirety. Could be their heaviest so far, but at the same time, some of the breaks are the most creative/progressive they have ever been. They are pushing boundaries. This album will take time to digest, but so far so good. However, the mix/master is awful. There is no dynamic range and the life has been sucked out of this. Why do they do this, and who likes this sound? And does anyone listen to the instrumental disc (Cd 2)? |
Posted By: dougmcauliffe
Date Posted: July 26 2020 at 07:19
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Listened to the first half, gonna finish it today. Carousel was great. ------------- The sun has left the sky... ...Now you can close your eyes |
Posted By: Catcher10
Date Posted: July 26 2020 at 12:38
If I get this album it will be the record LP version......Already on the DR website the CD is coming in at avg DR of 6-7....BAD!! The LP is at avg of 11. Nuff said, CDs sux. And who does this?? Very bad mastering engineer....some guy named Ermin Hamidovic?? from Australia. Looks like the LP version was cut and pressed at Optimal Media in Germany, theee best on the planet. -------------
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Posted By: Grumpyprogfan
Date Posted: July 26 2020 at 13:45
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There shouldn't be a problem with dynamics on a CD. It is a shame it sounds like this. Don't know if it was the mix or the mastering. It was Haken's choice to use this engineer. Enjoy the LP if you get it. The music is wonderful. |
Posted By: Squonk19
Date Posted: July 26 2020 at 14:15
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Virus continues with the heavy, metallic sound they showed in Vector. It's an intense listen and I prefer the light and shade of the earlier albums. If that's the way they want to go, that is fine - they'll probably get a larger audience within prog metal than focusing on more of a more traditional prog feel. There are good moments and I think the Messiah Complex suite is an interesting listen - but they have drifted to the edge of my listening range compared to Aquarius and Visions. C'est la vie, but I wish them well. ------------- “Living in their pools, they soon forget about the sea.” |
Posted By: Catcher10
Date Posted: July 26 2020 at 15:10
There is not a problem with dynamics on a CD, unless you have no idea what you are doing........You've heard of the loudness wars right?? Prime example, this CD is brickwalled, terrible. -------------
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Posted By: Awesoreno
Date Posted: July 26 2020 at 15:35
| I'm just going to stream it like I do everything now. Don't like CDs. I'll buy it on Apple if it's good enough, but probably not if it's anything like Vector, as I've been told it is. |
Posted By: Catcher10
Date Posted: July 26 2020 at 16:10
That's kinda where I'm headed.... -------------
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Posted By: Grumpyprogfan
Date Posted: July 27 2020 at 13:00
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Posted By: Catcher10
Date Posted: July 27 2020 at 13:30
Correction...It's not MY loss. I don't see how doing what other bands have done is progressive anymore?? I enjoy prog-metal, but there is so much of it out there the choices are endless. So far this is the only Haken album I have not bought on release date....seems that is their loss right now. -------------
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Posted By: Grumpyprogfan
Date Posted: July 27 2020 at 13:47
| ^Have you heard the album? To me, it does not sound like any other prog-metal band. They are not doing what other bands have done. They are creating something different. |
Posted By: Catcher10
Date Posted: July 27 2020 at 15:36
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^Key words....."To me.." I have heard what is out streaming. 'To me' it is a continuation of Vector, which is a good album. Honestly what has given me a bad taste on Haken was their live performance during the Vector tour....I was reminded of taking my teenage kids to see blessthefall, A7X and Atreyu, loud screamo metal. Talk about no dynamics.......LOL so relax, me liking (or not) the album should have no bearing on your impressions of the album and direction of the band. -------------
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Posted By: richardh
Date Posted: August 05 2020 at 23:31
| Yep I'm not sure about this album on a few listens but because it's Haken I will listen to it again. |
Posted By: dougmcauliffe
Date Posted: August 08 2020 at 08:38
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I've been listening to this album a lot, really enjoy it. Contender for my favorite album of the year so far, but I anticipate Wobbler or King Gizzard ultimately taking that spot. ------------- The sun has left the sky... ...Now you can close your eyes |
Posted By: Grumpyprogfan
Date Posted: August 08 2020 at 08:54
I too am looking forward to Wobbler's new one. Any idea when? And I haven't given up on the Gizzard, but what I've heard (songs from several of their albums) is just meh. |
Posted By: dougmcauliffe
Date Posted: August 08 2020 at 09:06
I have received word that Wobblers album is coming out in October and preorders will begin this month^^ I'm a really big fan of King Gizzard, recently i've really been digging their album "Im in Your Mind Fuzz" which is more of a psychedelic rock album than a prog one, but it still kinda scratches that itch. Polygondwanaland is the full blown prog one, Crumbling Castle is one of my favorite modern prog tracks if you haven't heard it yet. Flying Microtonal Banana and Nonagon Infinity are the other two essentials, but if its not for you no worries  ------------- The sun has left the sky... ...Now you can close your eyes |