Virus

British progressive metal masters Haken have been gaining increasingly more momentum and attention in recent years. With every new album they evolve and change their style into something different that is still undeniably Haken. It’s great to see them grow as a band and nothing stands as a stronger proof of their evolution than their latest release “Virus”. Coming as the second part of the “Vector/Virus” double album concept, this one plays into many of the musical elements seen on the previous release “Vector” and it feel like it picks up where that one left off. But despite all the similarities, Virus stands as its own entity and it might possibly be the band’s best record to date.

When it was released, “Vector” was the most unpredictable, psychotic and all over the place album that the band had written. And Virus builds further on that approach. It is equally insane composition-wise but I feel that they’ve done a fantastic job at making it work better musically by pushing the boundaries while finding a way to balance all the different elements into a more cohesive flow. Vector was an amazing album but Virus is superior on every front. It is heavier, more infectious, equally djenty and a lot more epic. As far as guitar riffs go, it is clear that the affinity for death and thrash metal is seeping more and more into their sound, most noticeable on the first single, “Prosthetic”, a total headbanger that took everyone by surprise. But their progressive rock/metal signature still stays unshaken, allowing the same elegance and class that was seen on their previous work to also pervade the ridiculousness of this latest outing. Typical djenty approaches are also dominant throughout the record, tripping and slashing apart the rhythms at all the weirdest moments. And every now and then, the low 8-string down-tuned chugs drop bombs over you out of nowhere.

Drum-wise, I feel it is more kept on track than Vector but Ray Hearne still presents himself as a total beast behind the kit. Whether it’s headbanging patterns, blistering runs, blast beats or groovy progressive chops, he seems to keep them all together and connect them as if they were one. He might put up the most intense drumming I’ve heard this year in terms of making insane technique and complexity actually sound good. Also, the level of clarity and detail that he uses to decorate this mayhem is simply sublime. Artistry in chaos!

When it comes to the guitar and keyboard solo sections, we’re greeted with everything from shreddy show off to expressive melodies and funky, jazzy tunes. I feel the solos are very well placed in the songs. There’s always a sense of connection that makes the solo emerge from the song when it starts and bleed back into it when it ends, so that despite flashing out, it still feels like a piece in the bigger picture. Conner Green’s bass parts also obviously make him a star, as I’ve always seen him in Haken. This band does not use the bass as a background instrument at all. On the jazzy parts in particular it feels like the whole soundscape rests on him as he offers a delightful blend of moods, dynamic and obviously, ridiculous technique.

Looking at the instrumental sound as a whole, it feels like a very well defined and layered, forward-moving structure that gains massive momentum and feels completely unstoppable. The production quality is also incredibly satisfying, once again being in the hands of Adam “Nolly” Getgood, who was also in charge of mixing Vector and he of course did a phenomenal job at spotlighting all instruments and putting together a clear, hi-fi sound with a ton of impact.

But the best thing about Haken is that the technicality and clever composition is only half the show. This band is incredibly expressive in a unique way. Vocalist Ross Jennings, who I still consider to be one of the best singers in the genre, does an amazing job at delivering the emotional phases that the character in the story is going through. His clean and melodic vocal tone was always very pleasant and controlled and his range always impresses, but there’s something in particular about putting that vocal style in contrast with the massive and aggressive guitar sound on Virus that elevates it to a different level. I think throughout the entire album, it is this merging of harsh and melodic textures combined that puts together such an epic yet refined wall of sound.

When it comes to concept albums, Haken are kings, and this album is a clear statement of that. While I’m not entirely familiar with the details of the story (as Haken always keep it mysterious and open for interpretation), I can tell the main flow of it. Where Vector presented a mental patient being subjected to trauma by a mad Doctor and starting to change his character, Virus completes the downfall of the protagonist as he seems to go through a full mental metamorphosis. In musical terms, the album, and especially the epic multi-part song “Messiah Complex” enhances the concept through various lyrical and instrumental reprises from Vector as well as some of the band’s previous albums, most notably spotlighting the band’s infamous hit “The Cockroach King”, which is most likely the new identity of the character in the end. But what I love the most about this connection and all the references to other pieces is just how well they were able to blend them all into a singular, cohesive composition of monumental proportions. “Messiah Complex” feels like a full-on attack of different ideas and contrasting musical elements, creating a psychotic ebb and flow as the character struggles to find his way through the confusion and maelstrom of emotions. Furthermore, what really makes it one of my favourite Haken creations is the new record of colossal breakdowns they could bring to the table. You’re just not ready for the onslaught.

So that’s “Virus”: half a concept, mountains of heaviness, complexity and technicality, tons of reprises and endless creativity all merged into a yellow 6-legged musical beast that the prog world was simply not ready for. And when listened back-to-back with Vector, it really comes full-circle as a true progressive metal masterpiece. Will you contract the infection?

Originally written for The Metal Observer

I've been a fan of Haken since 2013's "The Mountain", which combined all the best bits of old-school English prog with modern metal sharpness. It was something different to what I’d heard before, and the quality of the band's instrumental players kept me coming back to this album. Whilst the vocals of Ross Jennings have always somewhat irked me, I do recognise his place in the band and have managed to get past that. They followed up with the “Restoration” EP, which was a beautiful example of modern prog. However, I felt something was really missing from their following two full-lengths, which were decent without really pushing any boundaries like I thought “The Mountain” did. “Affinity” had some cool moments and themes but never really climaxed, and dragged on for a bit too long. 2018's "Vector" didn't really impress me, with a lot of pop-inspired tracks where the vocals took centre stage. Numerous underwhelming live shows and a global pandemic later, "Virus" was released, and my love for this band has returned.

“Virus” showcases all of Haken’s strengths. It’s complex but still catchy, heavy but not monotonous, and downright fun to listen to. I’ve been on harsh on Ross Jennings before but his performance on this album fits the music perfectly, knowing exactly when to take a backseat and when to come to the forefront. “Invasion” is a great example of this with its instrumental breaks in between huge, memorable choruses. The same goes for the rest of the band, with each member taking turns to show off their chops as they build the layers that create the band’s sound. The break in “Carousel” showcases this perfectly, starting with a drunken, off-beat swinging drum pattern underneath a jazzy bassline, before the guitars build up from chords to fluttering tapping melodies. The keys and vocals soar over this before a moment of silence before the entire unit drops back into a chunky breakdown.

A special mention should go to Ray Hearne, who must be one of the most underrated drummers in metal. He keeps the beat of whatever time signature the band is in (and there are lots of them) without fail, adding tasteful fills and patterns as he goes. Plus his tones are just spot on. Guitarists Rich and Charlie bring some of their best ever riffs and solos to this album, something that was seriously lacking on "Vector".

Probably the best thing about this album is how it links both “Vector” and “The Mountain” with musical themes and motifs. The five-part “Messiah Complex” is where most of this takes place, where the attentive listener will hear melodies from “Puzzle Box” and “Cockroach King” woven into the new tracks, played slightly differently, slowed down/sped up, or with different lyrics. I love when bands do this, as it’s so rewarding for the listener to recognise these little moments and it just gives the music an extra layer of depth. It also makes "Vector" way more enjoyable for me now as a companion album. Not only that, but “Messiah Complex” is just the right length to make up most of the second half of the album, taking it to a 52-minute-ish runtime. I find this perfect for music as dense as Haken’s, striking the balance of getting enough content in without dragging on.

Bravo, boys, for what is probably your best effort yet.

VIrus is Haken’s best album yet. The six Englishmen have always been a bit of a hit-and-miss for me. Of course, I always appreciated their incredible technical chops and that hunger for pushing the envelope that led them to incorporate so many influences and styles into their music to the point of nearly reinventing themselves with each new album. But, at the same time, I always felt that their urge to constantly push things in different directions somehow prevented them to fully express their potential, almost as if they did not linger long enough on each single idea to hone it to perfection. There is another aspect of Haken’s music that did not sit quite well with me, until now. I often felt their music fell just on the wrong side of that fine line between technical wizardry and tedious wankery – with their penchant for crazy, flamboyant and hypertechnical musical detours frequently overshadowing the quality of their songwriting (a fault that is not uncommon among prog metal and rock bands). With VIrus, Haken miraculously managed to overcome both faults.

Musically, VIrus moves in a similar territory as their previous album, Vector. In fact, the band conceived the two albums as part of a unique story, with VIrus completing the narrative started on Vector. The continuity that we find in the lyrical theme extends to the music. On both albums, the band experiment with a sound that borrows in equal part from djent, modern prog metal (Anathema, Opeth, Porcupine Tree, Devin Townsend) and even post-rock. It’s the tension between these different influences that characterizes the music of VIrus, with songs that continuously move between djenty downtuned riffs, cinematic guitar or synth soundscapes, and quieter moments with only clean or acoustic guitars and Jennings’ emotional vocals. These were also in large part the ingredients on Vector. However, on that album, the flow between the different components felt imperfect, partly because the softer sections did not feel fully developed or self-sufficient: their sole purpose seemed to be to create a contrast with the heavier parts rather than existing as a stand-alone musical creation. VIrus bursts instead with incredibly well-crafted melodic parts, which, in a few cases, extend for almost the whole duration of a song (“The Strain”, “Canary Yellow”). These are properly developed musical ideas, that are enriched by the contrast with the heavy parts, but do not live in their shadows.

The other main difference relative to Vector (and much of the band’s previous catalogue) is the incredibly focused songwriting. The technical wizardry is still there, but it is firmly put at the service of the song, as never before. The mini-epic “Carousel” is a perfect example. In their career Haken have written plenty of 10-minute songs that sprawl across different themes, moods and genres. On Vector, for instance, we had “Puzzle Box” and “Veil”. The songwriting on “Carousel”, however, is much more focused than on those songs. No doubt, “Carousel” is still a very complex piece of music, continuously moving between Opeth-like acoustic sections, djenty riffs, melodic choruses, and bombastic choirs that wouldn’t have been out of place on a Devin Townsend’s record. However, each musical detour is quickly reined in as the song returns over and over again to its main theme (the “Holding on too tight…” chorus), which is the rock that anchors the song and allows the listener to orientate themselves in this variegated musical tapestry. The result is a complex 10-minute song that is much more digestible, and enjoyable, than many of the prog epics Haken have written until now – and one of the standout tracks on VIrus.

But there are plenty of other great tracks on VIrus. “Invasion” is a beautifully emotional piece, which reminds me of bands like Anathema and The Pineapple Thief. Ross Jennings has never sounded better than on this song, finally putting in a performance that strikes the perfect balance between technical proficiency and emotion. “Canary Yellow” is another heart-rending piece, evoking the spirit of Porcupine Tree on the opening verses. The 5-part epic “Messiah Complex” is the centrepiece of the album. This song is where Haken get to spread their wings a little bit more than on other songs, letting go of the tightly controlled songwriting that otherwise characterizes the album. The variety of ideas on display here is breath-taking. “Part I: Ivory Tower” is a strange mix between Dream Theatre and post-rock, which should not work, but it does. “Part II: A Glutton for Punishment” is more traditional prog metal. The Opeth’s influences surface again on the dark “Part III: Marigold”, while “Part IV: The Sect” and “Part V: Ectobius Rex” look back at Haken’s own past, re-developing the key theme of their classic track “Cockroach King” from their 2013 album, The Mountain. It’s not the only “Easter egg” that Haken throw to their long-time fans, though: the album contains several other references to the band’s previous work, particularly to Vector (motifs from both “Puzzle Box” and “Host” are cited in “Messiah Complex”). What is impressive, however, is that despite the breadth and variety of material, “Messiah Complex” is a fantastically well-balanced piece of music, where each section presents its ideas in a concise and effective way before flowing naturally into the next. This is a definite improvement relative to Haken’s previous output, and I can honestly say that this is the first Haken’s album that I could fully appreciate from start to finish.

Before concluding, I cannot not mention the jaw-dropping performances on display on this album. There’s plenty of sublime instrumental moments on VIrus, but two things that stood out for me are the awesome guitar playing and the rhythm section. Apart from the usual rifforama, the guitars also offer some super-tasty leads and solos that are perfectly inserted in the context of each song and really elevate the music to a whole different level. Check out, for instance, the awesome solos on “Invasion”, the tasty guitar lead after the chorus on “The Strain”, or the epic lead on the final part of “Carousel”. The drumming and bass playing are the other highlight of the album in my opinion. Raymond Hearne’s drum-playing, in particular, is phenomenal, extremely powerful but at the same time so varied, complex and detailed. The drum parts are so interesting and exciting that I often found myself zooming in on them while listening to the album, mentally forcing the rest of the music to the background. And of course this exercise is largely possible only thanks to the great sound production by Adam Getgood, so impactful but at the same time incredibly clean and detailed.

All in all, VIrus is a fantastic album, vastly superior to Vector and to most of the band’s catalogue until now (perhaps with the exception of “The Mountain”). It’s almost as if, by staying for two consecutive albums in the same musical territory, Haken managed to perfect their formula, making treasure of their experience with Vector to create a new improved version of the same musical idea. If you are a long-time Haken’s fan, VIrus will not disappoint, as it represents the climax of the band’s constant evolution since its debut in 2010. But if you, like me, never managed to fully get into Haken – this may just well be the album that will lure you in and win you over.