Haken (Band)
Encyclopedia
Haken is a London
-based Progressive rock
/Progressive metal
band formed in 2007. At the moment they have two released albums, Aquarius
, released in 2010, and Visions
, released October 24 2011.
guitarist
and keyboardist Richard Henshall
and his two school friends Ross Jennings (vocals) and Matthew Marshall (guitar). The band completed their lineup with a keyboardist they met on an online forum, Peter Jones, and Jones' close friend and drummer
Raymond Hearne, and To-Mera
guitarist Thomas MacLean
became the band's bassist
. They recorded a demo in 2007 that contained two tracks, 'Snow' and 'Souls'. With the demo they began to play small live venues in London, with some good response. In 2008 they then recorded four more songs, 'Manifolds', 'Blind', 'Sleeping Thoughts Wake' and 'Black Seed', and released a full-length demo including all six existing tracks.
Later in 2008, Marshall and Jones left the band to pursue other careers. Charlie Griffiths, the guitarist for the band Linear Sphere and Anchorhead became a full time member of the band. The keyboardist Diego Tejeida joined the band in late 2008 as well. As they began to tour more, even opening a few UK shows for King's X
, Sensory Records recognized them and offered them a record deal. They began recording for their debut album, Aquarius, soon after, and it was released in March 2010.
. The band's debut album has received positive reviews from Allmusic, ProgArchives and Classic Rock Magazine.
The band's second album Visions also received strong reviews. Two different Sea of Tranquility reviews praised it as "a staggeringly brilliant example of progressive metal" and "probably the final progressive masterpiece of 2011."
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
-based Progressive rock
Progressive rock
Progressive rock is a subgenre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s as part of a "mostly British attempt to elevate rock music to new levels of artistic credibility." John Covach, in Contemporary Music Review, says that many thought it would not just "succeed the pop of...
/Progressive metal
Progressive metal
Progressive metal is a subgenre of heavy metal originating in the United Kingdom and North America in the late 1980s...
band formed in 2007. At the moment they have two released albums, Aquarius
Aquarius (Haken album)
-Main Band:*Ross Jennings - Vocals*Richard "Hen" Henshall - Guitar and Keyboards*Charlie Griffiths - Guitar*Thomas MacLean - Bass Guitar*Ray Hearne - Drums, Tuba, Djembe*Diego Tejeida - Keyboards-Guest Musicians:*Craig Beattie - Trombone...
, released in 2010, and Visions
Visions (Haken album)
Visions is the second studio album of English progressive metal band Haken. The album is set to be released exclusively for attendees of ProgPower USA on September 17, 2011, with an official release date set for October 24, 2011.- Track listing :...
, released October 24 2011.
Biography
Haken was formed in 2007 by To-MeraTo-Mera
To-Mera are a progressive metal band from South Oxfordshire in the UK. The band plays a technical style of metal characterized by long songs, multiple time changes and jazz interludes.-Current members:*Julie Kiss - Vocals*Thomas MacLean - Guitar...
guitarist
Guitarist
A guitarist is a musician who plays the guitar. Guitarists may play a variety of instruments such as classical guitars, acoustic guitars, electric guitars, and bass guitars. Some guitarists accompany themselves on the guitar while singing.- Versatility :The guitarist controls an extremely...
and keyboardist Richard Henshall
Richard Henshall
Richard "Hen" Henshall is a British Progressive metal multi-instrumentalist. He is best known for being the guitarist and keyboardist for the bands To-Mera and Haken...
and his two school friends Ross Jennings (vocals) and Matthew Marshall (guitar). The band completed their lineup with a keyboardist they met on an online forum, Peter Jones, and Jones' close friend and drummer
Drummer
A drummer is a musician who is capable of playing drums, which includes but is not limited to a drum kit and accessory based hardware which includes an assortment of pedals and standing support mechanisms, marching percussion and/or any musical instrument that is struck within the context of a...
Raymond Hearne, and To-Mera
To-Mera
To-Mera are a progressive metal band from South Oxfordshire in the UK. The band plays a technical style of metal characterized by long songs, multiple time changes and jazz interludes.-Current members:*Julie Kiss - Vocals*Thomas MacLean - Guitar...
guitarist Thomas MacLean
Thomas MacLean
Thomas MacLean is an English born guitarist and bassist. He is best known for being the guitarist in the progressive metal/jazz fusion band To-Mera, and also for being the bassist for the progressive metal band Haken....
became the band's bassist
Bassist
A bass player, or bassist is a musician who plays a bass instrument such as a double bass, bass guitar, keyboard bass or a low brass instrument such as a tuba or sousaphone. Different musical genres tend to be associated with one or more of these instruments...
. They recorded a demo in 2007 that contained two tracks, 'Snow' and 'Souls'. With the demo they began to play small live venues in London, with some good response. In 2008 they then recorded four more songs, 'Manifolds', 'Blind', 'Sleeping Thoughts Wake' and 'Black Seed', and released a full-length demo including all six existing tracks.
Later in 2008, Marshall and Jones left the band to pursue other careers. Charlie Griffiths, the guitarist for the band Linear Sphere and Anchorhead became a full time member of the band. The keyboardist Diego Tejeida joined the band in late 2008 as well. As they began to tour more, even opening a few UK shows for King's X
King's X
King's X is an American hard rock band that combines progressive metal, funk and soul with vocal arrangements influenced by gospel, blues, and British Invasion rock groups. The band's lyrics are largely based on the members' struggles with religion and self-acceptance...
, Sensory Records recognized them and offered them a record deal. They began recording for their debut album, Aquarius, soon after, and it was released in March 2010.
Publicity and reception
Haken has been featured on the Classic Rock Magazine subsidiary "Classic Rock Presents Prog" a few times. At first, the magazine presented a song from the first Haken demo on their free CD. They have opened for a few notable progressive outfits, such as King's X and BigelfBigelf
Bigelf is a progressive rock/progressive metal band formed in Los Angeles, CA in 1991. They have since released three studio albums.-Biography:...
. The band's debut album has received positive reviews from Allmusic, ProgArchives and Classic Rock Magazine.
The band's second album Visions also received strong reviews. Two different Sea of Tranquility reviews praised it as "a staggeringly brilliant example of progressive metal" and "probably the final progressive masterpiece of 2011."
Current members
- Ross Jennings - Vocals
- Richard HenshallRichard HenshallRichard "Hen" Henshall is a British Progressive metal multi-instrumentalist. He is best known for being the guitarist and keyboardist for the bands To-Mera and Haken...
- GuitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
and KeyboardsPianoThe piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal... - Charles Griffiths - GuitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
- Thomas MacLeanThomas MacLeanThomas MacLean is an English born guitarist and bassist. He is best known for being the guitarist in the progressive metal/jazz fusion band To-Mera, and also for being the bassist for the progressive metal band Haken....
- Bass GuitarBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick.... - Raymond Hearne - Drums
- Diego Tejeida - Keyboards
Guest Musicians
- Craig Beattie - TromboneTromboneThe trombone is a musical instrument in the brass family. Like all brass instruments, sound is produced when the player’s vibrating lips cause the air column inside the instrument to vibrate...
- Alex Benwell - TrumpetTrumpetThe trumpet is the musical instrument with the highest register in the brass family. Trumpets are among the oldest musical instruments, dating back to at least 1500 BCE. They are played by blowing air through closed lips, producing a "buzzing" sound which starts a standing wave vibration in the air...
- Pablo Inda Garcia - ClarinetClarinetThe clarinet is a musical instrument of woodwind type. The name derives from adding the suffix -et to the Italian word clarino , as the first clarinets had a strident tone similar to that of a trumpet. The instrument has an approximately cylindrical bore, and uses a single reed...
- Marged Hall - HarpHarpThe harp is a multi-stringed instrument which has the plane of its strings positioned perpendicularly to the soundboard. Organologically, it is in the general category of chordophones and has its own sub category . All harps have a neck, resonator and strings...
- Darren Moore - Trumpet
- Jon Roskilly - Trombone
- Dave Ruff - FluteFluteThe flute is a musical instrument of the woodwind family. Unlike woodwind instruments with reeds, a flute is an aerophone or reedless wind instrument that produces its sound from the flow of air across an opening...
Discography
- AquariusAquarius (Haken album)-Main Band:*Ross Jennings - Vocals*Richard "Hen" Henshall - Guitar and Keyboards*Charlie Griffiths - Guitar*Thomas MacLean - Bass Guitar*Ray Hearne - Drums, Tuba, Djembe*Diego Tejeida - Keyboards-Guest Musicians:*Craig Beattie - Trombone...
- 2010 - VisionsVisions (Haken album)Visions is the second studio album of English progressive metal band Haken. The album is set to be released exclusively for attendees of ProgPower USA on September 17, 2011, with an official release date set for October 24, 2011.- Track listing :...
- 2011