The Mountain - Haken

The Mountain (Haken, 2013)

1. The Path - 2:47
2. Atlas Stone - 7:34
3. Cockroach King - 8:15
4. In Memoriam - 4:27
5. Because It's There - 4:24
6. Falling Back To Earth - 11:51
7. As Death Embraces - 3:13
8. Pareidolia - 10:51
9. Somebody - 9:01
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10. The Path Unbeaten - 2:12
11. Nobody - 4:53

Haken's third album The Mountain is, quite simply, a progressive rock masterpiece. All the outstanding elements of their previous album Visions are present: creative rock, honed metal, stately classical, intense atmospherics, muscular jazz, and heartfelt multi-part singing. They are put in service of an outstanding set of songs examining life's challenges, difficulties, accomplishments, and plunging falls.

It opens with "The Path" - bare piano stating a melancholy theme, while vocalist Ross Jennings intones the lyrics: "This life is a dream/A gift we receive/To live and to love/We forge the path." Then the band kicks it into gear with the anthemic "Atlas Stone", breaking into an invigorating piano-driven 11/8 gallop with harmonized guitar/keyboard leads, jazzy bass/percussion, and truly jubilant three-part vocals. The feel of this song is perfect - optimistic and ambitious, plenty of space for the melody, yet thrillingly dense instrumentation. From there, the dark yet playful "Cockroach King" examines the spiritual consequences of the ruthless pursuit of fame and power. The vocals here are outstanding, with a loving shout-out to Gentle Giant and Spock's Beard in the meticulously arranged madrigal-like verses. "In Memoriam" continues the darker subject matter, referencing Tennyson's epic poem of the same name ("nature red in tooth and claw") in a fairly straightforward and driving 7/8 metal song. That must mean we're ready for a left turn - and it comes dazzingly in the form of "Because It's There", an absolutely beautiful song with a huge choral arrangement that, based on the "The Path", incorporates elements of every song on the record to stunning effect.

Having reached the peak of The Mountain, the journey down the far side is no less rewarding. "Falling Back to Earth", an aggressive take on the Icarus myth, features razor sharp unison riffs, tight metal shredding, and (of course) an impeccable jazz bass line. Another lonely piano and vocal make "As Death Embraces" a starkly intimate song, a necessary breather after the turmoil of "Falling" and before the driving Middle Eastern intensity of "Pareidolia". The album ends with "Somebody", a brooding, carefully paced lament that proves this band's mastery of texture and songcraft without the need for virtuoso performance. It builds to an entrancing section where Jennings sings "I wish I could have been somebody", a nine-syllable phrase sung repeatedly through a cyclic five-note melody, subtly shifting emphasis and meaning as the words fall on different notes each time. The rest of the band interweave counterpoint vocals, and the chordal base shifts underneath to give the section a fascinating sense of motion, almost like a leaf caught in a stream's double eddy. Absolutely fantastic.

While I do think the album should end with "Somebody", the two bonus tracks feel more like a coda than an imposition. "The Path Unbeaten", of course, is an instrumental version of "The Path", and "Nobody" is a slightly different version of "Somebody". Together, they provide a good opportunity to process and release the emotions created by our journey up The Mountain.

Arbitrary rating: 5 out of 5 jubilant three-part vocals

Visions - Haken

Visions (Haken, 2011)

1. Premonition - 4:10
2. 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