Haken's 'Fauna' - Album Review

In some ways, I cannot believe that it has taken me until the release of Haken's seventh album to properly feature the British prog band on this blog. I was actually a relatively early fan of the band, picking up their second album Visions, from 2011, the year after it came out - and I also caught them live later in 2012 in Leicester where they played the album in full as part of a short co-headline tour with Headspace. For whatever reason, though, I soon dropped off the Haken wagon. I liked Visions quite a lot at the time, but after seeing the band live I rarely revisited it. I remember also listening to 2010's Aquarius around the same time, and spinning 2013's  The Mountain a couple of years later - but really my love for Haken never really left 2012. I am not sure exactly why I fell of the wagon so fast. I remember the show being extremely impressive, but I think that possibly, at the time, I found Haken too techy for me. The band have always straddled the line between progressive rock and metal - and the prog metal which they tend to indulge in is the more discordant, dry, tech-heavy side which is generally not the type prog metal I like. I prefer my prog metal to be more bombastic, symphonic, and lush - with Haken's more angular riffing and cold synths not borrowing much from the 1980s roots of the genre. I was happy to have seen the band live in a very small venue, as that 2012 Leicester show took place at The Musician, but I was also happy to move on - content that Haken were not really for me. I always respected the band, though, and was happy to see their star rise over the years. I think it is fair to say that they are one of the biggest movers and shakers in modern prog rock and metal - and it is great to see a British band being one of the genre's leading lights, given Britain's history with the development of prog in general. I am not sure what made me return to Haken, but for some reason last year I decided it was time to try again. I have not returned to any of the albums which I already owned again yet, but I picked up 2016's Affinity last year and enjoyed it. I will always prefer the warmer end of prog, but Affinity had more of a 1980s influence than their earlier stuff, and the retro synths and poppier hooks drew me in. I have not yet picked up 2018's Vector and 2020's Virus, but instead decided just to jump ahead to the band's latest. Fauna, the band's seventh studio album, was announced late last year and released earlier this month. It is the six-piece's first album in three years, and it is also the first to feature keyboardist Peter Jones. Jones was actually the band's original keyboardist, playing on their revered Enter the 5th Dimension demo from 2008 - only to leave Haken later that year. He seems to have remained close to the band over the years though, and has popped up occasionally doing bits and pieces on some of their albums, so seemed to slot back in naturally after long-time keyboardist Diego Tejeida left in 2021. Whilst I cannot compare Fauna to Haken's most recent work, it certainly feels less metal than some of the band's earlier work - with a strong focus on atmosphere throughout, as well heavy emphasis on the diverse and melodic vocals of frontman Ross Jennings.

As is to be expected, Fauna is made up of a mix of longer and shorter songs. Haken generally favour a longer-form piece, but there are some punchier songs here - with album opener Taurus being one such example. The track is also a good showcase of the band's heavier side, with that tech metal sound previously described on show from the off. Guitarists Richard Henshall and Charlie Griffiths open things with some discordant guitar stabs, which soon morph into a busy, mechanical riff - backed by some off-kilter drumming from Raymond Hearne. Nothing about Haken's music is ever truly expected, and even throughout the shorter Taurus the band take many twists and turns. A strong chorus showcases Jennings' vocal control and smoothness, letting Jones' keyboards fill the mix, whilst the verses mix atmospheric sections and techy riffing perfectly - with later renditions expanding on the song's opening riff, pushing it further melodically. A later bridge section focuses again on Jennings, his dramatic, thespian delivery during this section being vastly different from his more controlled approach used elsewhere - with this contrast established thanks to the chorus returning immediately after it. There are no big solos here, but the track is full of interesting ideas - and the album is only just getting started. Expanding from the off, then, Nightingale follows - and the longer song opens with some subtle keyboard melodies, which soon give way to a knotty guitar riff. Despite the riffing, though, the song overall is not as heavy as the opening cut. This is generally prog rock rather than prog metal, and the focus throughout is on strange rhythms and chiming melodies. Jennings' voice is used to great effect during the verses, his bouncy melodies offsetting the busy, somewhat funky, bass playing of Conner Green and the occasional whistling guitar melody. There is something whimsical and sing-song about the song's verses, which is a contrast to the chorus which does up the heaviness somewhat. A retro-sounding synth riff backs the chorus, and Jennings attacks the lyrics with more power here. The guitars are tougher, but the song overall still does not feel all that heavy - although some of this riffing is later built on during a busy instrumental section. This section revisits some of the retro synths from the chorus, as well as including some barrelling riffing and double bass drumming. It is a good reminder of the band's heavy side, but the song soon returns to the gentle, bird song-like, approach of the bulk of the piece, calming everything down, before a final chorus brings the song to a close. The Alphabet of Me is somewhat similar in tone, and again the piece opens with a keyboard melody. Here, though, Jones' synths stab out a staccato rhythm, which Jennings soon starts to sing over - whilst occasional clean guitar melodies add depth. The song soon opens out, though, but the quirky rhythms from the previous song are somewhat retained. They are much more percussive here, though, with electronic-sounding drums adding a retro touch. The verses really dance around the beat here, with flickering guitar melodies and a big bass presence backing Jennings' atypical vocal melodies - whilst the chorus ups the heaviness with some more traditional big guitar riffs, injecting a metal flair. Wordless vocal hooks and lots of harmonies help the song to stand out, too, and the track also includes some horns courtesy of Miguel Gorodi - with his playing dominating the song's jazzy, largely instrumental, outro.

Sempiternal Beings also opens slowly, but this time the guitars provide the main musical backing. Gentle clean guitar arpeggios and a stark drum groove back Jennings' emotional vocal delivery, whilst the song moves towards a more expansive and heavy sound. A big guitar riff soon kicks in, upping the energy for a few bars, before the verse settles down into another strong groove - featuring prominent guitar melodies and some spiky bass playing. There is perhaps less variation in the grooves here, but the rhythms and a focus on heavier guitars help the song to remain interesting - with the verses always creeping towards the looming chorus. The chorus is more expansive, and it explodes with a barrage of drums and heavy guitars - before Jones' synths provide a warmth and Jennings' lets rip with a powerful vocal delivery. The vocal melodies throughout this song are perhaps less strange than elsewhere on the album, but the simpler approach allows them to be memorable. The song's chorus feels pretty anthemic in the context of the band's typical sound, and this suits the overall heavier approach taken throughout. It also includes the first genuine solo of the album, with a relatively lengthy guitar solo that starts off fairly melodic before getting more chaotic as it moves along - with an appropriately off-kilter synth backing increasing its presence as the solo progresses. Clearly wanting to keep the heaviness at the fore, Beneath the White Rainbow opens with a bang - which comes as a surprise following the quiet opening of the previous few songs. Whilst the piece is typically dynamic, it certainly feels heavier overall than much of the album. The guitars are much crunchier here, and a big riff is never too far away. There is also an urgency throughout, which is perhaps best showcased during parts of the verses. Swinging, fast-paced drum beats dominate, with a high-energy bassline behind them, whilst the chorus sees more of a symphonic approach taken thanks to Jones' keyboards. Things get heavier after the chorus though, and a relatively lengthy instrumental section takes over - which features lots of metal riffing, as well as some thrashy drumming from Hearne. This section feels like true prog metal, with some gloomy, ringing piano melodies later offsetting the guitar riffs to enhance the sombre mood. Jennings' briefly joins in, with some strange, effects-heavy vocals, but, for me, the best moments of the song are the heavier instrumental sections - as they feature some of the best riffing and drumming of the album. Island in the Clouds returns to the more quirky approach taken elsewhere on the album. Green's bass playing dominates early on, his smooth playing providing the foundation for everything as Jennings' distant vocals and the laid back guitar playing add colour. There are bursts of heaviness here, but the ferocity of the previous song is not revisited. The riffing here is more mechanical, and the guitar tones are warmer - allowing Jones' synths to compliment them nicely, as well as letting Jennings continue with his floaty vocal approach. This is a song that is focused more on groove than on heaviness, and the riffing throughout is more to further the song's grooves than to up its heaviness. As such, the guitars are part of the song's overall texture - constantly promoting a more rhythmic approach.

Lovebite, the album's shortest song, then takes a bit of a different path - revisiting some of the 1980s tones that were featured on Affinity in the process. It certainly goes for a much poppier approach throughout, and lots of focus is placed on Jennings' vocal hooks - and the song's chorus is one of the album's most instantly-memorable moments. Despite this more melodic approach, there is still a lot of prog here. The guitar riffing throughout the verses, despite being memorable, is still pretty off-kilter - whilst the rhythm section switch up their approach regularly to make even the poppiest of Haken songs a musical journey. As the song moves forward, the hooks only increase, too. Wordless vocals from the band often interject between Jennings' main lyric lines, whilst a soaring guitar solo is also packed full of melody. The song's simpler structure and focus on hooks does make Lovebite stand out, but it is a fun piece that showcases a different side to Haken - and it is the sort of song which is likely to go down well live. Elephants Never Forget is almost the opposite of Lovebite, with the album's longest song following its shortest. At over 11 minutes, Elephants Never Forget is the album's epic. Haken have written many long pieces before - so it is perhaps strange that only one song here breaches the 10 minute mark. That being said, though, this album has been packed with prog - and Elephants Never Forget is no different. The song actually opens in pretty typical prog metal fashion, too, with some lengthy guitar leads and a fairly bombastic approach. Haken do not usually take such an approach, but it works well - and this bombast hangs around throughout. Jennings' also returns to the thespian vocal approach featured earlier on the album - and there are moments here that remind me of some of the more off-the-rails moments of the first few Queen albums. There is certainly a lot going on here, but there are some extremely playful moments that are very British in approach, whilst other moments return to a funk-led feel thanks to Green's prominent bass playing and some dancing synths. There are heavy moments here, too, and a big riff is never too far away - with the riffs here being very much out of Haken's general comfort zone. It is also good to hear more instrumental showboating throughout the song, too. Jones lays down a few shredding synth solos, whilst the instrumental sections feel busier overall. This is in contrast, again, to the album's closing piece Eyes of Ebony - which reins in the explosiveness of the previous song to focus more on atmosphere. Whilst the song's choruses are more expansive, and feature more riffing alongside strident vocals, much of the song is relatively minimalist. Some parts feature chiming guitar melodies and fuzzy synths, whilst elsewhere the spotlight is shone on the rhythm section - with Green's bass taking the lead for a lengthy period. The aforementioned chorus is hooky, but I do not think that much of the rest of the song could be described as such. It has a strange overall atmosphere, and at times I think it feels quite unsettling. It may be a strange way to close out the album, but I like the starkness of parts of the song as it again showcases a different side to Haken's playing and songwriting. Overall, then, this varied album contains a lot to like. I am glad that I have started to revisit Haken's catalogue, and Fauna includes a lot of dimensions on show - meaning that it gives a good overview of their many faces. I am certainly going to go back and revisit those early albums again - and it seems that the time is right for a true Haken re-evaluation.

The album was released on 3rd March 2023 via InsideOut Music. Below is the band's promotional video for Taurus.