AQUARIUS

Haken is a prog rock/metal band from England that takes the term "progressive" and soars to the heavens with it. Take Dream Theater, Opeth, Rush, Spock's Beard, Kansas, and a dash of Porcupine Tree and throw them in a blender. The result is Haken, one of the most promising bands to come along in some time.

Aquarius is sensory overload. It takes a few spins to appreciate the intricacies of this record, and some of the tonal shifts may seem jarring at first, but it all works. The best example I can give is the song Streams, which starts out with a bubbly, absolutely joyous melody reminiscent of something that Moon Safari or The Flower Kings would put out, and then halfway through completely tosses aside the happiness for death growls and some monstrous riffs. But god damn it, it works!

And that's what's so mind-blowing about these guys. They wear a ton of different influences on their sleeve but still find a way to create their own sound and make it all work in a cohesive, very listenable manner. What's more incredible is that this is their FIRST ALBUM. Most bands take years, even decades to find their voice and find such a tight, unique sound. The fact that these guys have already knocked out what many are already calling a milestone in modern prog on their first at-bat is a truly amazing feat.

Haken is poised to be a huge band in the future. Let's hope that Aquarius isn't a fluke.

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