Haken v. new single Nightingale (April 26)

[ariich]

Single number two from Virus will be Canary Yellow, out this Friday: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rlVOEl9V-9k
(and I would guess that single number 3 will be out on May 29th as per the usual IO logic)

Excellent.

[Fritzinger]

I still don't understand how a 45 or 50 minute album needs three singles released prior to the actual album release. That's around 16-17 minutes. And then people "wonder" and complain, that there's not too much new music to be heard when the album drops.

Side note, I think Canary Yellow is an interesting choice. I would have gone with The Stain.

[ariich]

I still don't understand how a 45 or 50 minute album needs three singles released prior to the actual album release. That's around 16-17 minutes. And then people "wonder" and complain, that there's not too much new music to be heard when the album drops.

Side note, I think Canary Yellow is an interesting choice. I would have gone with The Stain.

The Strain, you mean?

I think Invasion, The Strain and Canary Yellow are all pretty good options for singles, and I can definitely see why they've gone for CY as it'll show a very different side to the album than Prosthetic.

[Nachtmerrie]

Listened to Vector twice over the last few days and I still love that album. Puzzle Box - Veil - Nil by Mouth may be my favorite 3-song stretch of them.

Very excited about the new album. Virus is one of the things I'm looking forward to in these boring times without bars, restaurants, live-shows and live-sports which are essentially the things that make life enjoyable.

[Train of Naught]

Prosthetic kind of meh'd me out of the Virus hypetrain but let's see if Canary Yellow can draw me back in this weekend
I wouldn't mind more stuff like Vector to be honest, if I pretend Nil By Mouth exists I actually really dig that album all the way through. Prosthetic does sound like it could have been on Vector maaybe, I just think the vocals are much weaker on Prosthetic than anything on Vector. (not necessarily Ross' ability to execute the vocals, but just the melodies and general approach to vocals on that song)

[Northern Lion]

Single number two from Virus will be Canary Yellow, out this Friday: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rlVOEl9V-9k
(and I would guess that single number 3 will be out on May 29th as per the usual IO logic)

(dances around and squeals like a little school girl)

[Evermind]

Prosthetic kind of meh'd me out of the Virus hypetrain but let's see if Canary Yellow can draw me back in this weekend
I wouldn't mind more stuff like Vector to be honest, if I pretend Nil By Mouth exists I actually really dig that album all the way through. Prosthetic does sound like it could have been on Vector maaybe, I just think the vocals are much weaker on Prosthetic than anything on Vector. (not necessarily Ross' ability to execute the vocals, but just the melodies and general approach to vocals on that song)

I'm in the same boat, except I prefer to pretend Nil By Mouth doesn't exist (which I think you might've meant anyway?), that's the only track on Vector that's outright weak for me and the only one I don't like. The rest is great I would say.

Hopefully I like this new single more.

[ariich]

Prosthetic kind of meh'd me out of the Virus hypetrain but let's see if Canary Yellow can draw me back in this weekend
I wouldn't mind more stuff like Vector to be honest, if I pretend Nil By Mouth exists I actually really dig that album all the way through. Prosthetic does sound like it could have been on Vector maaybe, I just think the vocals are much weaker on Prosthetic than anything on Vector. (not necessarily Ross' ability to execute the vocals, but just the melodies and general approach to vocals on that song)

A couple of things probably worth noting:
 - Canary Yellow is very different to Prosthetic.
 - In terms of vocal lines/melodies, Prosthetic is arguably the most "heavy" and least melodic in approach on the album.

[jammindude]

Personally, I liked Prosthetic better than anything from Vector...and this is coming from someone who would rather see them dial back the metal factor just a tad.  I like them better when they have a more balanced approach.   But Prosthetic was just THAT good. 

The suggestion that Prosthetic is one of the more metal tracks on a more diverse album really has me more pumped than I have been in awhile.   I've been trying to re-spin Vector lately and even a couple years later it just doesn't seem like the cohesively fantastic brilliant "amazeballs" album that the first 4 were.   

[RoeDent]

Vector is strange to me. I can't deny that its short length marks it down considerably for me. But The Good Doctor, Puzzle Box and Nil By Mouth are among my favourite Haken tracks. Veil is also very good.

[Buddyhunter1]

I don't think Vector is too short. 45 minutes is good album length - not too short but not too long. I think it just feels short because its pacing isn't very good and its final stretch is underwhelming. I think if they took out Nil By Mouth and replaced A Cell Divides with a better, more satisfying closer less people would be complaining.

[jammindude]

Ya, the length wasn't a problem for me either.  I don't mind if an album is shorter if the quality is there.  Perfect example is ADHD by Riverside.  That album is only 45min and it's is still my favorite Riverside album by a long shot, and it's mostly because there is not a single note I don't love.  That is their "all killer no filler" album.  Everything else they've done varies a bit. 

Vector could have been that, but there was less material, and still couldn't pack the quality "front to back" feel that all the first four albums did IMO.

[Revenge319]

So in preparation for my Haken marathon (which will probably be coming sooner than later since there's a new album coming out, meaning that'll be yet another album I get to listen to for the first time), I've been gathering YouTube playlists for each album (including the Restoration EP). However, I've noticed that the only playlists I can find for the album Aquarius are remastered versions of the songs. Is it fine to go for these, or are the original versions significantly better and worth finding instead? Also, seeing as this will be my first time listening to all of these albums, is there anything I should know before listening to any of these albums?

[ariich]

The remasters of both Aquarius and Visions are better, in my opinion.

[IDontNotDoThings]

Also, seeing as this will be my first time listening to all of these albums, is there anything I should know before listening to any of these albums?

Drowning In The Flood gets better in the second half.

[jammindude]

Also, seeing as this will be my first time listening to all of these albums, is there anything I should know before listening to any of these albums?

Drowning In The Flood gets better eargasmic in the second half.

FTFM

[Revenge319]

I gave the album Visions a go tonight. I would've started with Aquarius (as my plan was to go in chronological order), but then I remember some guy somewhere telling me that Visions is comparable to Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence, so I immediately changed my mind.

This album... is great. Like, it is really great. Nocturnal Conspiracy made me think, "Yeah, this is alright," but every song after was so good (and Premonition was pretty good, too). I can definitely hear the Dream Theater influence, but this album feels a lot more like its own thing than other people seemed to think. Some sections got pretty weird, too. Not "sudden country hoedown with people yelling in a bar" levels of weird, but still a little weird (and that's a good thing). It's actually a bit tricky to decide how I'd rank the songs, but here's what I've come up with:

1. Visions
2. Shapeshifter
3. Insomnia
4. Portals
5. Deathless
6. The Mind's Eye
7. Premonition
8. Nocturnal Conspiracy

I'm curious how popular or unpopular of an opinion this ranking is. Well, nonetheless, I really enjoyed Visions and I'll absolutely be checking out the rest of Haken's albums. I was a bit worried I wouldn't like them, but I'm glad to say that after only one listen to one album, I certainly do like these guys!

[IDontNotDoThings]

Canary Yellow is out: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wiyEygDLiz8

I gotta admit, this kinda lowered my hype a bit. I really hope it'll work better in the context of the album, but out of context, I find it... weak...

[Heretic]

Going to have to disagree, I thought it was a gorgeous song, loved the change of pace...something that I found a bit lacking on Vector. Awesome melodies.

[Fritzinger]

Canary Yellow is out: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wiyEygDLiz8

I gotta admit, this kinda lowered my hype a bit. I really hope it'll work better in the context of the album, but out of context, I find it... weak...

It does 

[Train of Naught]

Prosthetic kind of meh'd me out of the Virus hypetrain but let's see if Canary Yellow can draw me back in this weekend
I wouldn't mind more stuff like Vector to be honest, if I pretend Nil By Mouth exists I actually really dig that album all the way through. Prosthetic does sound like it could have been on Vector maaybe, I just think the vocals are much weaker on Prosthetic than anything on Vector. (not necessarily Ross' ability to execute the vocals, but just the melodies and general approach to vocals on that song)

I'm in the same boat, except I prefer to pretend Nil By Mouth doesn't exist (which I think you might've meant anyway?), that's the only track on Vector that's outright weak for me and the only one I don't like. The rest is great I would say.

Hopefully I like this new single more.

Oh yeah I meant didn't exist  oops

Prosthetic kind of meh'd me out of the Virus hypetrain but let's see if Canary Yellow can draw me back in this weekend
I wouldn't mind more stuff like Vector to be honest, if I pretend Nil By Mouth exists I actually really dig that album all the way through. Prosthetic does sound like it could have been on Vector maaybe, I just think the vocals are much weaker on Prosthetic than anything on Vector. (not necessarily Ross' ability to execute the vocals, but just the melodies and general approach to vocals on that song)

A couple of things probably worth noting:
 - Canary Yellow is very different to Prosthetic.
 - In terms of vocal lines/melodies, Prosthetic is arguably the most "heavy" and least melodic in approach on the album.

Don't know if this helps but we'll see, I will listen to the track now

EDIT: they're losing me, oh nooooo

[me7]

Canary Yellow is out: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wiyEygDLiz8

I gotta admit, this kinda lowered my hype a bit. I really hope it'll work better in the context of the album, but out of context, I find it... weak...

It does 

Thanks for clarifying that. I was hoping for a pre-release single that is representative of the overall album, like Atlas Stone, Pareidolia and Puzzle Box were.

Seems well crafted, reminds me of Red Giant but with more memorable melodies.

[Evermind]

I kinda like it, definitely prefer this to Prosthetic.

[Northern Lion]

I just listened to the new track, and wow!  That is a very haunting and sad song, especially when coupled with the video.  I have listened to 4 times already and I really like it.

I'm even more pumped for the album now.

I also love that Vector and Virus are telling the story of the Cockroach King.  With Vector I wondered if that was the case because of some of the references, but now Haken went right out and said it on their website.  Very cool 

[ariich]

The video is amazing.

[NoFred]

Wow sounds of a piece with The Mountain or Affinity (lyrics def Affinity like), really cool for one of their downbeat tracks. And presumably a great pause leading into the big one.

Only 6 more weeks, I can’t wait

[Buddyhunter1]

Wow, I somehow got this song and Carousel confused and was disappointed when I saw it was 4 minutes instead of 10.

Must have been subconsciously thinking of the Deafheaven song.

[cramx3]

Seems well crafted, reminds me of Red Giant but with more memorable melodies.

First listen in and I agree with this.  I like the track.  It doesn't blow me away  but it's definitely a type of song that makes an album feel more diverse and well rounded while still being a good song. 

[jammindude]

Just listened.  Love it.   I definitely get the Red Giant feel, so I hope they don't start repeating themselves too much.   But I can say with confidence that I already love both of the new tracks more than 80% of what I heard on Vector, so this bodes well.   

And I can't help but repeat that the diversity of Haken is what keeps me coming back.  The fact that they can do something as heavy as The Architect and yet something as beautiful as Bound By Gravity on a single album is what makes their albums so fun to listen to. 

Some bands I can only listen to on shuffle anymore because binging several albums can start to become monotonous.  With Haken, it's never boring.

I do have a question for those "in the know"...the video sounds overly compressed to me.  Is the album mastered well?  It's not brickwalled, is it?

[ariich]

I do have a question for those "in the know"...the video sounds overly compressed to me.  Is the album mastered well?  It's not brickwalled, is it?

It's definitely not brickwalled. Mix and master is generally very similar to Vector, but marginally less loud/brickwalled for everything apart from Prosthetic (which is basically the same as most songs on Vector master-wise).

[425]

1. Visions
2. Shapeshifter
3. Insomnia
4. Portals
5. Deathless
6. The Mind's Eye
7. Premonition
8. Nocturnal Conspiracy

I'm curious how popular or unpopular of an opinion this ranking is.

I'd say putting Nocturnal Conspiracy at the bottom is a bit of a hot take. I think the typical ranking for that song is in the top three on the album. I'd have it at #2. But Visions at the top is par for the course (and well-deserved, in my opinion).

Visions might actually be the best place to start, especially coming from Dream Theater, but I'd personally rank it last among their albums. Aquarius is weirder, but I think quite brilliant, so don't forget about that one even though you went to Visions first!

[jammindude]

Surprised to hear the comparison to SDOIT.  To me it has always sounded like a direct homage to SFAM right down to the story line.  Heck, somewhere through the middle I think I even hear what I assume to be an intentional nod to the SFAM Overture...just a "blink and you'll miss it" chord progression, but I always assumed it was an intentional nod. 

As far as ranking the songs, I would also put NC near the bottom.  But I seem to be in the minority in thinking that the middle portion of the album is the sweet spot.  That section of The Mind's Eye thru Deathless is nothing but pure fire. 

[Buddyhunter1]

1. Visions
2. Shapeshifter
3. Insomnia
4. Portals
5. Deathless
6. The Mind's Eye
7. Premonition
8. Nocturnal Conspiracy

I'm curious how popular or unpopular of an opinion this ranking is.

I'd say putting Nocturnal Conspiracy at the bottom is a bit of a hot take. I think the typical ranking for that song is in the top three on the album. I'd have it at #2. But Visions at the top is par for the course (and well-deserved, in my opinion).

Count me in the minority as well, then. Nocturnal Conspiracy is incredibly boring and doesn't really play to any of the band's strengths.

[Elite]

Copy that.

[devieira73]

... But I seem to be in the minority in thinking that the middle portion of the album is the sweet spot. That section of The Mind's Eye thru Deathless is nothing but pure fire.

Agreed, but I would add Insomnia to that portion. Also I think Premonition is really nice. Relatively speaking, NC and Visions are my less favorites from the album.
Canary Yellow is a really good song, it has that great atmosphere and some eletronics sounds like Earthlings and Red Giant.