Prog Metal news & releases(Ministry Of Lost Souls)

Within months of their first show in July 2007, they were billed in support of Riverside (Inside Out) at Camden’s prestigious Underworld. Since then they have performed headlining sets to packed houses around London, including several sold-out shows at "the best live music venue in south-west London", The Peel in Kingston, and on the strength of these performances HAKEN were recently selected to open for King’s X (Inside Out) at Camden’s impressive Electric Ballroom in January 2009. In its brief existence, HAKEN has become respected within the British metal community, and its unique and imaginative genre-bending approach has earned praise from all corners of the globe.

The members of HAKEN are established in their respective fields. Richard Henshall (guitars/keyboards) - aka Hen’s fret-board mastery is admired and respected amongst London's guitar-elite. Hen’s keyboard skills were recently employed by fellow prog-metal band To-Mera in support of Pain of Salvation. Hen has been a full time member of To-Mera since November 2007. Tom MacLean (bass guitar) studied jazz guitar at Trinity College of Music and is the guitarist in To-Mera, with the additional experience of supporting Dream Theater. Charlie Griffiths’ (guitar), projects (past and present) include Linear Sphere, in support of Dream Theater and runners-up in the 2002 Dream Theater song-writing competition, and Anchorhead, personally acclaimed by Dream Theater’s Mike Portnoy. Charlie teaches at London's Guitar Institute and writes for globally published Guitar Technique and Total Guitar magazines. Ray Hearne (drums) studies at the Guildhall School of Music. Ray won the 2008 'Origin8' national composition competition and consequently worked alongside producers associated with Kano, U.N.K.L.E. and Queens of the Stone Age. In his former band, Ray supported Enter Shikari. Ross Jennings (vocals) has served many unsigned UK bands. Ross is respected for his charismatic stage presence and diverse range of vocal styles which he uses to execute his words with clarity and passion.