1. Premonition - 4:102. Nocturnal Conspiracy - 13:08
3. Insomnia - 6:06
4. The Mind's Eye - 4:05
5. Portals - 5:27
6. Shapeshifter - 8:08
7. Deathless - 8:04
8. Visions - 22:25
I didn't know they made progressive metal like this any more. Haken forges a truly unique, exciting blend of symphonic rock, blistering metal, stately classical, accomplished jazz, soothing balladry, and superb songcraft.
Visions is a concept album about dreams and the subconscious. I haven't paid close attention to the lyrics, but it actually sounds like there is a storyline in which the dreams begin to encroach on reality... If I ever get over how awesome the music is, then I'll take the time to decipher the concept more fully. The emotive multi-part singing, dramatic arrangements, and impeccable flow of the music still have me entranced, several months after I originally received the album. Just picking one song at random ("Insomnia"), we have a swelling dual lead from guitar and keyboard, a tricky yet compelling 3/4 rhythm, several sections reinterpreting the melody in rock, metal, and jazz contexts, a stately yet smoking neo-classical bridge, and fantastic three-part vocal harmonies. The same level of unbridled creativity persists throughout the album, yet each song has its own special identity, and the musical journey exhilirates rather than wearing out its welcome.
Guitarists Richard Henshall and Charles Griffiths deliver richly textured guitar parts, carefully considered (yet jaw-dropping) solos, and delicious harmonized tandem leads. Keyboardist Diego Tejeida proves himself a truly progressive player, casting a flurry of synth leads one moment, crafting gorgeous backdrops the next, and incorporating sounds from all over the map - jazz piano, video game synth, merry-go-round calliope, Sigur Ros-like drones... and it all fits beautifully. Vocalist Ross Jennings leads the charge with a hearty clean baritone, while Tejeida and drummer par excellence Raymond Hearne provide background vocals and sometimes Gentle-Giant-esque counterpoint. But of course, my favorite part of this band is the bass playing of Thomas MacLean. MacLean exhibits a mastery of jazz, funk, slap, metal, fretless, pinch harmonics, and the finest tradition of melodic progressive bass guitar. The talent and taste he brings to the bass parts on this album spoke to me immediately.
This is the first band in a long time where, when I say "they remind me of Dream Theater", I don't mean "they sound like they're trying to match/top Dream Theater," but "they are exciting, creative, unbelievably talented, and dizzyingly eclectic in a way that hasn't been seen since Dream Theater's early days." Highly recommended.
Arbitrary rating: 5 out of 5 sounds from all over the map
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