AQUARIUSHakenHeavy Prog4.04 | 1178 ratings |
From Progarchives.com, the ultimate progressive rock music website
Bonnek
Special Collaborator Honorary Collaborator |
The album hit-list of the running year is always a frenzied affair, with albums jumping up and down
depending on the supply of exaggerated 5 star fan ratings or the equally irrelevant 1 stars hoping
to bring down the album again. A few rare exceptions not withstanding, I can't say I have been very
impressed by any of these 2010 chart-wonders, but Haken looks like an album where I can understand
some of the high esteem it receives. The album features bombastic operatic prog-metal that is not entirely my kind of thing, certainly not if the AOR influences come to the fore, which happens all too frequently during the chorusses. On the plus side, this band clearly oozes quality and attitude. Their creativity and playing pleasure is obvious, and while they often indulge in prog-clichés, there's always something unexpected, something twisted, weird and captivating happening when you least expect it. In a way it makes them similar to a band like Between the Buried and Me, which also suffers from the typical over-eclecticism which seems to be quite in fashion these days: the band masters a dazzling range of styles but somehow they feel compelled to slap us around the ears with that on each and every track, shifting from opera to jazz to death metal to mellow prog, all in the course of a minute. I'd rather prefer it all to be a bit less really; and certainly less AOR obviously :) This is the kind of release that will excite lovers of the prevailing heavy-prog and neo-prog/metal tastes. But I'll wait till the band grows out of their youthful need for bragging. Till then I'd recommend it to fans of what I call 'Glossy Prog', such as Transatlantic and Ayreon.
Bonnek |
3/5 |
MEMBERS LOGIN ZONEAs a registered member (register here if not), you can post rating/reviews (& edit later), comments reviews and submit new albums. You are not logged, please complete authentication before continuing (use forum credentials). |