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Thread: Haken - Virus

  1. #26
    Member gearHed289's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by LeFrog View Post
    I actually happened to listen to Virus and the Restoration EP back to back.
    What struck me is that Haken now sound so clinical and precise it seems the guitars and drums are played by machines. On Restoration, the insane technical skills are there but they still sound like humans.
    If that makes any sense...
    By pushing the limits of technique, their music seems to have lost its soul, just like Dream Theater at some point in the early 00s.
    Agreed. Which is exactly why Dream Theater never did anything for me. I hope they get back to a more human sound. They've got nothing to prove technically.

  2. #27
    Jon Neudorf
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    I don't agree. Who says technicality can't have soul. The music comes within no matter what box we put it into.
    Just my thoughts.

  3. #28
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    Quote Originally Posted by jlneudorf View Post
    I don't agree. Who says technicality can't have soul. The music comes within no matter what box we put it into.
    Just my thoughts.
    We're not saying that. Early DT and Haken are proof that technical music can have soul. But both bands at some point have increased their technicality at the expense of soul when they could have kept the right balance of their early years. IMO of course.

  4. #29
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    After one listen, I like this one far better than Vector, which I thought was just a bunch of heavy riffing, with almost no melody to support it. And melody amidst the heaviness has always been Haken's strength. I was worried that with Vector they were going to go that soulless, overly technical Dream Theater route, but have been pleasantly surprised by this return to form.

    neil

  5. #30
    I like Haken musically but the singer is just a bit too bland. He can sound good at times but, in my opinion, doesn't rise to the level of the other musicians.

  6. #31
    Has anyone who ordered from Century Media received their order? Mine still hasn't arrived.
    I want to dynamite your mind with love tonight.

  7. #32
    I LOOOVED "The Mountain" - it was my first experience with Haken... Then I listened to the stuff that came after, including "Virus". Not saying it is bad, please understand. IT IS VERY GOOD. It is actually fantastic. But I realized that "The Mountain" was special in their discography. Their most traditional prog album. Later albums made it clear that this is mostly a prog-metal band. And this is MY main complaint... to much metal in modern prog... but of course that is a subject for another thread... for me to be murdered in, of course!

    IMHO, YMMV, of course.
    v

  8. #33
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    Quote Originally Posted by hewhoknows View Post
    I like Haken musically but the singer is just a bit too bland. He can sound good at times but, in my opinion, doesn't rise to the level of the other musicians.
    Interesting. That is the first time that i have heard anyone ever say that! You are fully entitled to your opinion of course, but I've always felt, especially live, that their singer is very dynamic and an excellent front man. I actually just posted the Prosthetic video on facebook, and one of my friends responded with: ' Like Dream Theater but with a good singer!'

    neil

  9. #34
    Member Kcrimso's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by boilk View Post
    Interesting. That is the first time that i have heard anyone ever say that! You are fully entitled to your opinion of course, but I've always felt, especially live, that their singer is very dynamic and an excellent front man. I actually just posted the Prosthetic video on facebook, and one of my friends responded with: ' Like Dream Theater but with a good singer!'

    neil
    Yes I was actually quite surprised how good the vocalist was on concert.
    My progressive music site: https://pienemmatpurot.com/ Reviews in English: https://pienemmatpurot.com/in-english/

  10. #35
    Member ombasan's Avatar
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    I have listened to Virus once and have no desire to revisit it. It's way too heavy for me, and the songs begin to sound "all the same" to me.
    I really liked "The Mountain" and to a lesser degree also the follow-up to that. But I've lost interest in their newer output.

  11. #36
    Quote Originally Posted by LeFrog View Post
    I actually happened to listen to Virus and the Restoration EP back to back.
    What struck me is that Haken now sound so clinical and precise it seems the guitars and drums are played by machines. On Restoration, the insane technical skills are there but they still sound like humans.
    If that makes any sense...
    By pushing the limits of technique, their music seems to have lost its soul, just like Dream Theater at some point in the early 00s.
    This type of music always sounded lifeless to my ears. Either if you are approaching it with a metal mood or with a progressive one. So it's on my ignore list.
    Macht das ohr auf!

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  12. #37
    Picked up Jennings’ solo album. Poppier and lighter than Haken. Some jazzy moments. Some anthemic moments. Some very 80s moments. I like it, but I’m still on my very first blush.
    I want to dynamite your mind with love tonight.

  13. #38
    Highly Evolved Orangutan JKL2000's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by polmico View Post
    Picked up Jennings’ solo album. Poppier and lighter than Haken. Some jazzy moments. Some anthemic moments. Some very 80s moments. I like it, but I’m still on my very first blush.
    What instrument does he play with Haken?

  14. #39
    I think he adds some live keys and percussion, but, if memory serves, he provides vox alone to the studio albums.

    That I love his voice likely influences how I view this project (and, honestly, Haken as well).
    I want to dynamite your mind with love tonight.

  15. #40
    If you are into Haken and the Vector/Virus stuff, you should check out the album "Sonic Birth" by The Progressive Souls Collective, which has the Haken bass player (Conner Green) playing with Kevin Moore (OSI, Chroma Key, former Dream Theater) and Derek Sherinian (also in DT, Sons of Apollo) as well as Aquiles Priester (auditioned for Dream Theater to replace Portnoy) and Luis Conte (percussionist for Eric Clapton) and Vladimir Lalic on vocs.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PS5ay6Qvz4k

  16. #41
    Vladimir Lalic also replaced Ross Jennings in one Haken show

  17. #42
    Member doh's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Proggie View Post
    If you are into Haken and the Vector/Virus stuff, you should check out the album "Sonic Birth" by The Progressive Souls Collective, which has the Haken bass player (Conner Green) playing with Kevin Moore (OSI, Chroma Key, former Dream Theater) and Derek Sherinian (also in DT, Sons of Apollo) as well as Aquiles Priester (auditioned for Dream Theater to replace Portnoy) and Luis Conte (percussionist for Eric Clapton) and Vladimir Lalic on vocs.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PS5ay6Qvz4k
    Agreed on this. Lots of variety, but each song is interesting in its own right.

  18. #43
    yes, the album is somewhat diverse, and it has a very interesting combination of musicians. Aquiles Priester (drums on Sonic Birth) is known for his work in the power metal field, but on this album he sounds far more "prog" and song friendly to me, and very musical. Would have been interesting to see him in Dream Theater.

  19. #44
    Haken guitarist Charlie Griffiths has a solo album coming out:

    https://www.loudersound.com/news/hak...ve-metal-album
    I want to dynamite your mind with love tonight.

  20. #45
    I want to dynamite your mind with love tonight.

  21. #46
    I haven't seen them live, but you watch live clips and they make it look so damn easy. Fock them bastards!

  22. #47
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    Quote Originally Posted by polmico View Post
    I hope the rest of the album is more like this than Virus. More emphasis on keyboards and textures would be great.

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