Haken thread v. "Evening With" tour (some set spoilers)

[Revenge319]

The teaser kinda reminds me of The Dear Hunter, though maybe that's just because I've listened to so much of that band this year. Either way, sounds neat! Every album Haken has released thus far has impressed me a lot. Here's hoping they'll continue to impress me further!

[cramx3]

I'll try to avoid singles and snippets, but if they're indeed moving away from the big metal sound, that's a welcome change. I loved it on Vector, but Virus was already too familiar and kind of bland. So here we go with something new. 

To be clear, they've always been a metal band and that isn't changing. But Vector and Virus were narrower in scope and tone than usual, and very focused on guitar-driven metal/riffs, which is not the case on Fauna.

So something more along the lines of Nightingale?

[Max Kuehnau]

I'll try to avoid singles and snippets, but if they're indeed moving away from the big metal sound, that's a welcome change. I loved it on Vector, but Virus was already too familiar and kind of bland. So here we go with something new. 

To be clear, they've always been a metal band and that isn't changing. But Vector and Virus were narrower in scope and tone than usual, and very focused on guitar-driven metal/riffs, which is not the case on Fauna.

So something more along the lines of Nightingale?

listen to this for reference: https://www.h7ken.com/thankyou/ I like the cover art too btw.

[Max Kuehnau]

I'll try to avoid singles and snippets, but if they're indeed moving away from the big metal sound, that's a welcome change. I loved it on Vector, but Virus was already too familiar and kind of bland. So here we go with something new. 

To be clear, they've always been a metal band and that isn't changing. But Vector and Virus were narrower in scope and tone than usual, and very focused on guitar-driven metal/riffs, which is not the case on Fauna.

Is Fauna the album title?

yes

[Elite]

animals

[ariich]

I'll try to avoid singles and snippets, but if they're indeed moving away from the big metal sound, that's a welcome change. I loved it on Vector, but Virus was already too familiar and kind of bland. So here we go with something new. 

To be clear, they've always been a metal band and that isn't changing. But Vector and Virus were narrower in scope and tone than usual, and very focused on guitar-driven metal/riffs, which is not the case on Fauna.

So something more along the lines of Nightingale?

The album is varied, like Haken albums normally are. The next single is pretty different to Nightingale. You'll see what I mean once you hear it.

[Max Kuehnau]

which btw is called The Alphabet Of Me (according to the player properties)

[ariich]

which btw is called The Alphabet Of Me (according to the player properties)

[jammindude]

I’m seriously excited for this release. I just hope my expectations aren’t too high. I honestly want to be blown away.

[me7]

@ariich: can you say, whether the next single will be a simpler song or more elaborate?

[Metro]

They're both wearing the same suit, I couldn't resist

[gzarruk]

 

[Metro]

It might not be a coincidence! Looking at the single art for The Alphabet of Me, it's clearly referencing Blade Runner. Might be a recurring theme in the artwork for this album cycle.

[ariich]

@ariich: can you say, whether the next single will be a simpler song or more elaborate?

I guess simpler, but also a bit different.

[KevShmev]

To be clear, they've always been a metal band and that isn't changing. But Vector and Virus were narrower in scope and tone than usual, and very focused on guitar-driven metal/riffs, which is not the case on Fauna.

I don't see that at all.  I get that you are close to the band and know a lot more about them than I do, but the debut does not sound like a metal album at all.  Even with the Dream Theater-isms on that album, it sounds like a rock band much more keen on prog than metal, IMO.

[jammindude]

To be clear, they've always been a metal band and that isn't changing. But Vector and Virus were narrower in scope and tone than usual, and very focused on guitar-driven metal/riffs, which is not the case on Fauna.

I don't see that at all.  I get that you are close to the band and know a lot more about them than I do, but the debut does not sound like a metal album at all.  Even with the Dream Theater-isms on that album, it sounds like a rock band much more keen on prog than metal, IMO.

I know someone who got turned off by that album because there’s a couple of Cookie Monster death metal vocal moments. It is absolutely a metal album. It’s just a progressive metal album

[ariich]

To be clear, they've always been a metal band and that isn't changing. But Vector and Virus were narrower in scope and tone than usual, and very focused on guitar-driven metal/riffs, which is not the case on Fauna.

I don't see that at all.  I get that you are close to the band and know a lot more about them than I do, but the debut does not sound like a metal album at all.  Even with the Dream Theater-isms on that album, it sounds like a rock band much more keen on prog than metal, IMO.

Maybe we define metal differently but it has always been - to the band, journalists, and vast majority of fans - a prog metal album.

EDIT: How about a translation without genre labels.

To be clear, they've always had plenty of heavy riffs and dark sections in their music and that isn't changing. But Vector and Virus were narrower in scope and tone than usual, and more focused and reliant on dark, heavy, guitar-driven riffs, which is not the case on Fauna.

[allewartenaufdaslicht_]

 

I love the the walking stick in the lower right corner of the album cover, it's adorned with a moskito trapped in resin as worn by Jurassic Parks John Hammond. As demonstrated by the artwork of Charlies recent solo record as well as the bands very name (Haken used to be a comic hero Ross and Rich obsessed over), the band seems to be very fond of sci-fi and comic franchises. It's what makes them so intriguing to me - they are total nerds. Not unlike Rush, they put endless amounts of thought into every single piece of their material and then drastically cut back on it, let it mature and reevaluate, always with great attention to detail and trying to avoid any loose ends. The results speak for themselves, I don't know a higher quality progressive rock/metal group at the moment that I could personally say the same about, not on this level, Haken is lonely at the top - which makes the insane modesty and self-mockery they are constantly practicing whenever I get to meet them in person that much more obscure.



Anyway - @ariich: Can you tell me if there will be a roundabout 20 minute epic on the new record? Or will they keep it to 10-12 minutes max?

[ariich]

Anyway - @ariich: Can you tell me if there will be a roundabout 20 minute epic on the new record? Or will they keep it to 10-12 minutes max?

Not my place to give away details, but for comparisons with previous albums, the distribution of song lengths is more along the lines of The Mountain and Affinity than anything else. Come to think of it, my opinion is that the overall vibe of the album is also closest to those two, but with elements of the others plus some new experimentation.

EDIT: Oh and I agree with everything else in your post, well said.

[Zydar]

Do you know if there's an overall concept/theme to this album or if it's purely standalone tracks?

[ariich]

There's a theme for sure, as with all their albums. But no story/narrative. So more like The Mountain in that regard than the rest which all have varying degrees of narrative to them.

[Fritzinger]

*faints in 7/8*

[Zydar]

I'm guessing it's a (mechanical) nightingale he's holding there. I wonder if more objects are connected to the lyrics/titles.

The clock shows 7, it's their seventh studio album.

[me7]

I'm fairly certain all song titles are reflected on the cover

[ariich]

I'm fairly certain all song titles are reflected on the cover

Titles not necessarily, but most songs are reflected. Not all though I think, there are a couple that I guess may be on the back cover instead.

[KevShmev]

To be clear, they've always been a metal band and that isn't changing. But Vector and Virus were narrower in scope and tone than usual, and very focused on guitar-driven metal/riffs, which is not the case on Fauna.

I don't see that at all.  I get that you are close to the band and know a lot more about them than I do, but the debut does not sound like a metal album at all.  Even with the Dream Theater-isms on that album, it sounds like a rock band much more keen on prog than metal, IMO.

Maybe we define metal differently but it has always been - to the band, journalists, and vast majority of fans - a prog metal album.

EDIT: How about a translation without genre labels.

To be clear, they've always had plenty of heavy riffs and dark sections in their music and that isn't changing. But Vector and Virus were narrower in scope and tone than usual, and more focused and reliant on dark, heavy, guitar-driven riffs, which is not the case on Fauna.

Well, people love their labels, but I am just saying, if I had heard the band for the first time at the end of 2010 with only the debut to consider, and without reading any reviews or anything, even with the one growling section in Streams, I wouldn't have thought that they were a metal band.  That's it. 

[ariich]

To be clear, they've always been a metal band and that isn't changing. But Vector and Virus were narrower in scope and tone than usual, and very focused on guitar-driven metal/riffs, which is not the case on Fauna.

I don't see that at all.  I get that you are close to the band and know a lot more about them than I do, but the debut does not sound like a metal album at all.  Even with the Dream Theater-isms on that album, it sounds like a rock band much more keen on prog than metal, IMO.

Maybe we define metal differently but it has always been - to the band, journalists, and vast majority of fans - a prog metal album.

EDIT: How about a translation without genre labels.

To be clear, they've always had plenty of heavy riffs and dark sections in their music and that isn't changing. But Vector and Virus were narrower in scope and tone than usual, and more focused and reliant on dark, heavy, guitar-driven riffs, which is not the case on Fauna.

Well, people love their labels, but I am just saying, if I had heard the band for the first time at the end of 2010 with only the debut to consider, and without reading any reviews or anything, even with the one growling section in Streams, I wouldn't have thought that they were a metal band.  That's it. 

Fair enough. It's interesting to me though. Maybe a combination of the production being generally lighter and thinner, and the music being more whimsical.

[NoFred]

Not my place to give away details, but for comparisons with previous albums, the distribution of song lengths is more along the lines of The Mountain and Affinity than anything else. Come to think of it, my opinion is that the overall vibe of the album is also closest to those two, but with elements of the others plus some new experimentation.

EDIT: Oh and I agree with everything else in your post, well said.

 

My anticipation level just went through the roof, I couldn’t think of two better composed albums. A couple of the best ever. Can’t wait to hear this thing.

[gzarruk]

Anyway - @ariich: Can you tell me if there will be a roundabout 20 minute epic on the new record? Or will they keep it to 10-12 minutes max?

IIRC, one of the members talked about a 12-ish minute epic. Can't remember if it was Ross or Ray.

[jammindude]

Anyway - @ariich: Can you tell me if there will be a roundabout 20 minute epic on the new record? Or will they keep it to 10-12 minutes max?

IIRC, one of the members talked about a 12-ish minute epic. Can't remember if it was Ross or Ray.

They’ve never released an album without a 10+ minute song, so it would be almost weird if this wasn’t the case.

[cramx3]

I'm fairly certain all song titles are reflected on the cover

Titles not necessarily, but most songs are reflected. Not all though I think, there are a couple that I guess may be on the back cover instead.

I guess Nightingale is on the album then? I kind of just assumed it was a one off single to welcome Peter back in the band and kick off thier re emergence after covid with touring.

I'm probably focusing too much on that track, but I guess I just didn't love it so kind of hoping the album isn't too strong on that style, although I don't think nor want them to shy from it. I just didn't find the song to have the typical earworms Haken often create. I also am, seemingly in the minority, a big fan of their metal style.  You mentioned variety and that makes me happy though.

[ariich]

The album isn't too strong on any specific style really, as I said it's rather varied.

Definitely a focus on strong choruses as well, regardless of the style of each song. I loved half of them on first listen and the rest within another listen or two.

[emtee]

Back in the old days when I would make my Friday run to the record store, I would flip through the vinyl going row-by-row and many times if I saw an intriguing cover, I bought the album without even hearing a note. I found many treasures that way. This Haken cover would have been an instant buy for me. One of the coolest covers I have ever seen.

[Ben_Jamin]

I'm fairly certain all song titles are reflected on the cover

Titles not necessarily, but most songs are reflected. Not all though I think, there are a couple that I guess may be on the back cover instead.

I guess Nightingale is on the album then? I kind of just assumed it was a one off single to welcome Peter back in the band and kick off thier re emergence after covid with touring.

I'm probably focusing too much on that track, but I guess I just didn't love it so kind of hoping the album isn't too strong on that style, although I don't think nor want them to shy from it. I just didn't find the song to have the typical earworms Haken often create. I also am, seemingly in the minority, a big fan of their metal style.  You mentioned variety and that makes me happy though.

There will be earworms from them, because that's what I felt when I heard the snippet.

Haken are a band where it's easier to recommend an album, rather than a song, to introduce people to how they sound. Some songs do contain elements they are known for, but also, none of these songs really sound the same. The songs differ from album to album, and it's what I like about the band. The more I realized how much the songs differed from album to album, the more I can see the similarities and the "Themes" each album has, which is how each song sounds within the album as well.

This makes Virus/Vector make a ton more sense due to how the concept was told through the music, hence it being heavily leaning to a certain style and tone. Rather than the looser thematic albums of Mountain and Affinity.

I am quite excited to see what the theme for this album will be, and that album cover and name does not help my imagination much...lol. A possible theme could be since humans are in fact Animals, these animal characteristics are a part of being human. Hence the personification of the animals in this Fauna.

Am I the only one who is very fascinated in how the music will represent the themes involved? Because that is why I like this band, and why I like it is not just because they play amazing prog-metal.

[jammindude]

I'm fairly certain all song titles are reflected on the cover

Titles not necessarily, but most songs are reflected. Not all though I think, there are a couple that I guess may be on the back cover instead.

I guess Nightingale is on the album then? I kind of just assumed it was a one off single to welcome Peter back in the band and kick off thier re emergence after covid with touring.

I'm probably focusing too much on that track, but I guess I just didn't love it so kind of hoping the album isn't too strong on that style, although I don't think nor want them to shy from it. I just didn't find the song to have the typical earworms Haken often create. I also am, seemingly in the minority, a big fan of their metal style.  You mentioned variety and that makes me happy though.

I only heard it once, and I thought it was odd.   And I mean that in a very good way.   Not what I would have expected from a first single.   But I like that approach.   I really can't stand it when any band tries to start off with something "easy to digest", or anything that will "appeal to the broadest audience".    I've begrudgingly come to accept that this is the nature of the business, but it doesn't mean I have to like it.   Anytime a band gives me a left turn of some kind that challenges my expectations, I'm *immediately* on board.   

That being said, I only listened to it one time only, and that was when it first came out.   So at this moment, I don't remember a single thing about it.  I only remember how it made me feel at the time.   I've just been through the exercise of getting a new album and already being burnt out on one song while never having heard the rest, and it brings down my enjoyment of the "album experience", so I try to actively steer clear of that.     

The short version is that Nightingale struck me as being very different, which is exactly what I was hoping for after the last two albums being a bit too similar to each other.