The Haken thread v. Restoration

[ariich]

Whether or not it's the official title I often refer to it as Enter the 5th Dimension. Mainly because it just sounds a bit cooler than "the demo".

Really? Because I think it sounds like the geekiest prog-metal title ever.

Yeah I'd definitely love to hear a remix and remaster of the demo. I'm not sure I want a re-recording though, except maybe the vocals. I think it would be a shame for my brother and Matt Marshall to have their only Haken recordings replaced when there's nothing wrong with the performances at all.

[BlackInk]

Really? Because I think it sounds like the geekiest prog-metal title ever.

Well.. Maybe. But I think "the demo" is a bit too ________, if you know what I mean. And then in comparison I prefer ET5D. But I actually use "the Demo" more often since more people understand what I mean that way.

[jammindude]

I agree.   I mean, it's *kinda* hokey...but I like the title a lot better than just saying "the demo" as well.

[pulsefloyd]

I don't think the demo was ever officially called ETFD by the band. I think that was simply the strap line on the HAKEN myspace page and the title just caught on by word of mouth. Either way it is great to have a permanent record of the massive contribution to the early success of the band from Pete Jones and Matt Marshall plus a flavour of HAKEN's early live shows.

[hefdaddy42]

I think calling it "the demo" is much, much better than that awful title.

[BlackInk]

From their facebook:

"Album #4 already in discussions...."

Not much at all, but still exciting.

[Lucien]

Oooooooo... 

[Implode]

If their fourth album is at least the quality of any of the previous three, watch out Dream Theater because they'll be my new favorite band.

[GasparXR]

If their fourth album is at least the quality of any of the previous three, watch out Dream Theater because they'll be my new favorite band.

Haken is already tied as my favourite band with DT.

[me7]

I don't expect them to match the level of The Mountain on the follow up, but I'd love to be proven wrong.

...and I'd like to hear some growls again.

[GasparXR]

I don't expect them to match the level of The Mountain on the follow up, but I'd love to be proven wrong.

...and I'd like to hear some growls again.

I wouldn't mind growls, because I'm certain they will be used appropriately like they were on Aquarius. I don't remember if it's like this on the album, but Ross does them on Pareidolia live during one of the final sections with the lyrics: "Breathe in the pain, you won't break these chains" etc,

[Nel]

I don't expect them to match the level of The Mountain on the follow up, but I'd love to be proven wrong.

...and I'd like to hear some growls again.

It's possible, I believe in the last four years I've uttered the sentences "I don't think they can top Aquarius" and "I don't think they can top Visions", yet here we are. The downslope in quality has to happen eventually, I guess, but I hope for now they just keep getting better and better.

[Lucidity]

I hope the growls never come back 

[Shadow Ninja 2.0]

If Ross's growls have improved as much as his regular vox have, I'd like to see them come back. I think the sections they had them in on Aquarius were actually really good places for growls, I just think the growls themselves failed to deliver.

[aprilethereal]

I don't expect them to match the level of The Mountain on the follow up, but I'd love to be proven wrong.

...and I'd like to hear some growls again.

I wouldn't mind growls, because I'm certain they will be used appropriately like they were on Aquarius. I don't remember if it's like this on the album, but Ross does them on Pareidolia live during one of the final sections with the lyrics: "Breathe in the pain, you won't break these chains" etc,

They're there on the album as well, yes.

[BlackInk]

The 'The Point of No Return' growls are okay, but the 'Streams' ones are awesome.

[Dublagent66]

If their fourth album is at least the quality of any of the previous three, watch out Dream Theater because they'll be my new favorite band.

Haken is already tied as my favourite band with DT.

Well, Rush is my all-time favorite.  There was a time during the 90's when I thought DT was my new favorite band but there will never be a replacement for Rush.  Within the last couple years, Haken has really raised the bar whereas DT has become rather generic.  Haken's 1st 3 albums are much better than DT's last 3 albums.

[me7]

Haken's 1st 3 albums are much better than DT's last 3 albums.

I'd even go as far as to say that Haken beat DT at their own game by releasing Visions, probably the best DT album since SDOIT.

[KevShmev]

Okay, but none of Haken's first three albums even come close to the awesomeness of I&W or Awake, so DT still wins.  Comparing a band's first three albums to a band's 10th, 11th and 12th albums, considering most bands' primes are early on, is kind of pointless. 

[Estiui]

I&W > The Mountain = SFAM > Awake, Visions, Aquarius...

[ThatOneGuy2112]

The Mountain is great, but it doesn't come anywhere close to Scenes.

[Nick]

Okay, but none of Haken's first three albums even come close to the awesomeness of I&W or Awake, so DT still wins.  Comparing a band's first three albums to a band's 10th, 11th and 12th albums, considering most bands' primes are early on, is kind of pointless. 

All three of Haken's albums top Awake.

[Dark Castle]

Okay, but none of Haken's first three albums even come close to the awesomeness of I&W or Awake, so DT still wins.  Comparing a band's first three albums to a band's 10th, 11th and 12th albums, considering most bands' primes are early on, is kind of pointless. 

All three of Haken's albums top Awake.

Nooooooooooooooooope.
Awake is chock full with stellar tunes.

[Lucien]

I'm not even that deep into Haken, but I would say the Mountain alone topples Awake. Not I&W, though.

[Dark Castle]

While I'm not that big of a fan of Haken, when they break off into going crazy, it doesn't always feel like it actually feels relevant to the song. I usually have to go to something else because it just gets tedious.

[Lucien]

While I'm not that big of a fan of Haken, when they break off into going crazy, it doesn't always feel like it actually feels relevant to the song. I usually have to go to something else because it just gets tedious.

That doesn't apply to you with DT? 

[Dark Castle]

Not I&W or Awake specifically, maybe Jordan Rudess era DT (although DT12 feels so choice and trim that's part of what makes it so great)

[jammindude]

It's hard to judge these album outside of their time frame. 

Right now, I'm loving The Mountain every bit as much as I enjoyed IAW when it came out.   I'm completely in love with every single note.   I really like Visions and Aquarius, and they are growing on me every day....but I honestly believe that when the smoke settles, The Mountain may be in my top 2 or 3 albums of all time. 

We'll see.  The albums that hit me the hardest out of the gate, sometimes don't have quite the staying power.   For example, my first exposure to Pain of Salvation was The Perfect Element.  That album hit me SO HARD, and to this day I love every single note, and I think it is a near perfect album.   Remedy Lane OTOH did not grab me at first...and after five spins, it gathered dust on my shelf for 6 months.   But then I heard my stepson listening to it, and it hit me.   Now, the lyrical content of Remedy Lane has pushed it above TPE in my eyes...but only just barely.    And this being in spite of the fact that TPE has no skip tracks and RL has one (Waking Every God).   

But that's just the reason why I think The Mountain will be different.   The lyrical content is so much more personal to me.   It has the very personally moving lyrical scale of a "Remedy Lane"...but with the musical perfection of Images and Words.     Heck...it may become my all time #1....but only time will tell.

[Dublagent66]

Okay, but none of Haken's first three albums even come close to the awesomeness of I&W or Awake, so DT still wins.  Comparing a band's first three albums to a band's 10th, 11th and 12th albums, considering most bands' primes are early on, is kind of pointless.

I beg to differ.  Haken is right there neck n neck with DT's earlier material if not beyond it in some cases.  It shouldn't really matter where a band is in their career.  They're either producing good music or they're not.  Rush's last album is better than DT's last 3 combined.

[jammindude]

Rush's last album is better than DT's last 3 combined.

WHOA NOW!!  That's just CRAZY talk!    It's certainly better than BCSL by a long shot, and edges out ADTOE by a bit.   But DT 12 is pretty strong.  I would put CA pretty close to DT12.

[ThatOneGuy2112]

Rush's last album is better than DT's last 3 combined.

WHOA NOW!!  That's just CRAZY talk!    It's certainly better than BCSL by a long shot, and edges out ADTOE by a bit.   But DT 12 is pretty strong.  I would put CA pretty close to DT12.

I'd go as far as to say DT12 tops CA even, but just barely.

I beg to differ.  Haken is right there neck n neck with DT's earlier material if not beyond it in some cases.  It shouldn't really matter where a band is in their career.  They're either producing good music or they're not.

Haken's output is fantastic, but none of them come close to the I&W or Scenes range. Not many albums do to begin with honestly.

[aprilethereal]

The Mountain is great, but it doesn't come anywhere close to Scenes.

Agreed. But The Mountain >> I&W

[Dublagent66]

Rush's last album is better than DT's last 3 combined.

WHOA NOW!!  That's just CRAZY talk!    It's certainly better than BCSL by a long shot, and edges out ADTOE by a bit.   But DT 12 is pretty strong.  I would put CA pretty close to DT12.

Nah, not crazy at all.  CA is a masterpiece and DT hasn't done anything like that since SDOIT.  I don't see any strength in DT12 whatsoever.  It has a few good moments but overall it's mediocre and doesn't measure up to the DT standards that fans expect.  It's much weaker than ADTOE and that's not really saying much.  Quite frankly, I'm disappointed in the RR era of DT.  Good thing Haken came along.  I have something to believe in again.

[BlackInk]

Haken's "worst" (excluding the demo) easily and with no doubt tops DT's best.

[jammindude]

Rush's last album is better than DT's last 3 combined.

WHOA NOW!!  That's just CRAZY talk!    It's certainly better than BCSL by a long shot, and edges out ADTOE by a bit.   But DT 12 is pretty strong.  I would put CA pretty close to DT12.

Nah, not crazy at all.  CA is a masterpiece and DT hasn't done anything like that since SDOIT.  I don't see any strength in DT12 whatsoever.  It has a few good moments but overall it's mediocre and doesn't measure up to the DT standards that fans expect.  It's much weaker than ADTOE and that's not really saying much.  Quite frankly, I'm disappointed in the RR era of DT.  Good thing Haken came along.  I have something to believe in again.

Well I believe your opinion of DT12 to be in the minority...but more power to ya.    (I'm of the opinion that T4E blows Counterparts out of the water, and I get looked at cross-eyed all the time)