VISIONS

Haken's second album, Visions, is something of an improvement over its predecessor, in part because it offers a more focused and cohesive sound which focuses on the band's strengths. I hear less of a power metal influence this time around, the band perhaps leaning a bit more on their proggy side after the positive reception they received from the progressive rock community. The overall sound reminds me a bit of a version of Dream Theater in which technical showboating is much less pronounced (and more subtle when it does occur) and which draws more influence (particularly in the keyboards) from neo-prog outfits - particularly groups at the heavier end of the neo-prog spectrum like Arena. At the end of the day I'm still not quite ready to embrace Haken as the saviours of prog metal, but here they are drifting in the right general direction.