Haken v. new single Nightingale (April 26)

[Estiui]

So, is The Mountain the only release without instrumental versions now? How cool would be having instrumental versions of every Haken release? Damn, that album is just too perfect...

[BlackInk]

Does Restoration have instrumental versions? I don't remember.

[Estiui]

Does Restoration have instrumental versions? I don't remember.

True, I think Restoration does not have them either.

[RoeDent]

It wouldn't surprise me if, eventually, The Mountain and even possibly Restoration get this reissue treatment, with the instrumental versions included.

[me7]

They both are already under the control of Inside Out Music. I don't see a reissue happening soon.

[DarkLord_Lalinc]

Ah! Aquarius is finally on Spotify. *Dances naked*

[Metro]

They both are already under the control of Inside Out Music. I don't see a reissue happening soon.

That, and The Mountain is such a vocal centric album.  So many songs would be incomplete or have a lot of empty space in them because of all the a cappella sections.

Restoration wouldn't be as bad. You'd only have to cut out that a cappella section in the middle of Crystallised(Starting at 9:16)

[RoeDent]

Just seen the back cover of the Aquarius CD reissue on Amazon, and track 7 is listed as "Celestial", without "Elixir". Is it a typo or have they actually changed the song title 7 years on?

[Nick]

I don't have my reissues in from Germany yet, but yesterday they introduced it as Celestial Elixir.

On the US tour I got to see it a couple of times, but Hen didn't have a keyboard along, so some parts were slightly different. Not a problem on the boat, finally got it in its full glory.

Also worth noting we got the premier of Lapse.

Also worth noting Bill and I beat Ray in soccer, so he has brought shame to his country.

[ariich]

Also worth noting Bill and I beat Ray in soccer, so he has brought shame to his country.

Yeah Ireland sucks at football.

[Zydar]

I'm waiting for the reissues to arrive, since I don't have the original versions on CD.

[Ruby Inferno]

Already had Visions before the re-issue :>

[Herrick]

Anyone know why their albums aren't available as digital copies from Amazon and the like? I only buy downloads.

[goo-goo]

Anyone know why their albums aren't available as digital copies from Amazon and the like? I only buy downloads.

Yes, they are available in Amazon.

Here's Affinity, but the others are available as well.
https://www.amazon.com/Affinity-Haken/dp/B01CA6IH6A/ref=sr_1_2_twi_mus_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1486938107&sr=8-2&keywords=haken

[Herrick]

Anyone know why their albums aren't available as digital copies from Amazon and the like? I only buy downloads.

Yes, they are available in Amazon.

Here's Affinity, but the others are available as well.
https://www.amazon.com/Affinity-Haken/dp/B01CA6IH6A/ref=sr_1_2_twi_mus_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1486938107&sr=8-2&keywords=haken

Cool. I've been checking Amazon for a long time but I see they just came out with these re-issues last week. Nice!

I think The Mountain was available all along but the first two weren't available for download. I'm not a fan of Affinity but I've only heard it once. I'll be buying the first three definitely. Thanks.

Edit: Wow the bass sounds a lot more present on Aquarius. Very nice.

[Mosh]

Got my copies of the remasters on vinyl yesterday and listened to them today.

They sound great. Very well mastered. There was some concern in this thread about side 2 of Visions running long but it's not a problem at all. That album is sequenced unfortunately, since Mind's Eye-Shapshifter have to be on the same side, but it works out fine. Deathless is a mostly quiet track so it isn't affected by running toward the inner edge of the record. No compromise in sound quality.

The remaster is good. They didn't do a lot to it, but I think that's a good thing. They were able to maintain the spirit of the originals while evening out the edges. Small details like bass presence and cymbals are fixed up. That's all these albums needed.

Also, it's funny revisiting these albums now. They've changed quite a bit since Visions. Forgot how manic some of their songs were, structure-wise.

[Nick]

Just seen the back cover of the Aquarius CD reissue on Amazon, and track 7 is listed as "Celestial", without "Elixir". Is it a typo or have they actually changed the song title 7 years on?

From what I've seen the CD is misprinted. The vinyl is correct.

[Ben_Jamin]

I have no idea why it took me this long to buy Affinity. It's great. 1985 is such a fun song and I love the whole thing about that song.

I'll be playing this a lot now. Not too much to get tired of it. But I don't usually do that.

[JayOctavarium]

Ok. I think I am officially hooked.


I am not the biggest fan of Ross's voice (too.. clean?) but still.. I think I am officially on the bandwagon.

I do have to say.. the riff at about 5min in on Celestial Elixir is so fucking pretty... it's kinda what pulled me in.

[jammindude]

This is seriously one of those bands that I absolutely love every....single....note.  So rare that happens.

[gmillerdrake]

I had not listened to one note of Haken until last week. Now I cannot stop, I just roll through the discography over and over. I can't believe I missed out on this awesomeness for so long.

[JayOctavarium]

What did it for me was seeing a proshot / recording of Celestial Elixir. Just seeing them pull this shit off live is awesome.

I actually listened to the debut and the second album a lot as background music a few years back, but never really digested it.

I gave them another try when Affinity came out.  But NOW Its finally happening.

[KevShmev]

Most of the first two albums still leave me hollow, but the bulk of the Mountain is pretty great, and Affinity is their best record yet. I think they are on the verge of making their first great record.

[The King in Crimson]

Most of the first two albums still leave me hollow, but the bulk of the Mountain Affinity is pretty great, and Affinity The Mountain is their best record yet. I think they are on the verge of making their first great record.

Agreed. The debut I just don't care for much of and Visions feels waaay too DT-like at times. I like it, but it has less of a personality than The Mountain and Affinity and I don't have much desire to go back and listen to it.

[Mosh]

I've been listening to the first two albums a lot lately because of the remasters. Their sound has definitely changed for the better. Even listening to Affinity after the two albums, an album I wasn't crazy about, I at least prefer them going in that direction. A lot of songs on the first two albums are pretty bloated. Like Streams really doesn't need to be 11 minutes.

[jonnybaxy]

It was pretty awesome on the cruise, I've met the guys from Haken each time I've seen them, to the point now where Ray and Richard recognised me and my friend

Spent quite a bit of time drinking with Ray, singing karaoke with Ray and watching Portnoy with Ray 

On the last night we got absolutely hammered and we met outside the ship the next morning... looking pretty rough.

Pic related.


 

[cramx3]

 

[KevShmev]

Most of the first two albums still leave me hollow, but the bulk of the Mountain Affinity is pretty great, and Affinity The Mountain is their best record yet. I think they are on the verge of making their first great record.

Agreed. The debut I just don't care for much of and Visions feels waaay too DT-like at times. I like it, but it has less of a personality than The Mountain and Affinity and I don't have much desire to go back and listen to it.

I know what you mean. It's sounds like well-played prog, but the hooks aren't there, and it doesn't help that the singer's voice is always such an obstacle for me to get over.

I've been listening to the first two albums a lot lately because of the remasters. Their sound has definitely changed for the better. Even listening to Affinity after the two albums, an album I wasn't crazy about, I at least prefer them going in that direction. A lot of songs on the first two albums are pretty bloated. Like Streams really doesn't need to be 11 minutes.

Very true. I still think Celestial Elixir is pretty great, largely because that instrumental section in the middle is stellar (with the rest of the song being just good), but just about every other song on Aquarius feels like work to get through.

[jammindude]

The second half of Drowning in the Flood is a top 3 all time Haken moment for me. 

That key change on the repeat.....GOOSEBUMPS!!!!!!

[ariich]

The second half of Drowning in the Flood is a top 3 all time Haken moment for me. 

That key change on the repeat.....GOOSEBUMPS!!!!!!

Fuck yes. Best song on the album, though CE is also great.

I still love Visions, but yeah I agree that those two albums were still their formative years. The Mountain and Affinity are where they've really found their style and hit their stride.

[Estiui]

Most of the first two albums still leave me hollow, but the bulk of the Mountain is pretty great, and Affinity is their best record yet. I think they are on the verge of making their first great record.

To me, The Mountain is the best album ever made. I think it is way more than a great record, to be honest.

And so are the others, they're all great albums, with a lot of variety and great melodies and sections.

[Zydar]

I agree that they took a big step up from the first two with The Mountain. I prefer Aquarius over Visions (and CE is my favourite Haken track), I can't find anything on Visions that grabs me like the other albums do.

[Destiny Of Chaos]

So...... back in the day ariich posted "Snow" on the forums, and I listened to it and loved it.

I remember when Aquarius was getting ready to drop and I was like "I'll get that".

But for whatever reason I never did.

Haken was a band that I knew that I would love if I gave a chance.

But for whatever reason I never did.

Finally, last Saturday, I signed up for Spottily. I thought of some bands that I wanted to check out but haven't purchased any of their stuff yet. (I don't illegally download music or mess with youtube). I put a shuffle on Haken to see what I've been missing... and holy shit. Shame on me.

I've been listening to it all non-stop. I'm not ready to rank anything.... except maybe Visions being the best album.... but damn, I missed out on a band that ariich gave us ground floor access to!

Better late than never I suppose! 

[jakepriest]

except maybe Visions being the best album

wat

[ariich]

Told you, DoC!

Better late than never man, welcome to the club.