Aquarius

There are perhaps a handful of debut albums that when you hear them completely blow you away!
I was fortunate to see Haken live at the Fused Festival (UK) earlier this year - their brilliant live performance got me to buy their album and what an album!!!!
They are classed as Progressive Metal but this definitely leans towards the Progressive side - sure it has its heavy moments but these are seamlessly blended with all manner of instrumental workouts; jazzy keyboards, lush orchestral intros, weird 'circus music', heavy riffs and death metal sections (and thats just the first song - 'The Point of No Return)
Second song Streams is a definite highlight; a light poppy hook which paves way for a seriously dark (death metal) section before an ambient passage gives way to a lighter mellower section.
If you like the sound of this from the first two songs, you will LOVE this album!
Everything merges seamlessly and a special mention to the vocals which are brilliant from the aforementioned 2 songs and especially 'Sun' an incredibly haunting and beautifully sung song.
I positively love this album and their next 'VISIONS' is out in October and is definitely my most anticipated album of the year!! Enjoy!!

I've seen this band live and they really are exciting to hear and watch. This is the best debut album I've heard in a very, very long time. Each musician is most talented at what they do and the album is a fabulous story and fun to listen to as it follows a gripping tale (you'll have to hear it yourself!). The last track 'Celestial Elixir' is the great crescendo to end on and truly epic as it is a masterpiece in itself. Enjoy...

I've been playing this album constantly for the last week. After listening to the teasers and keeping an eye on the Myspace page I was concerned that because of the hype that was building around this release I would only be let down. Well I have to say I am stunned.

This release has affected me in the same way as the debuts by Marillion (Script - how I remember sitting down with that when it came out), It Bites (the first time I heard the solo on You'll Never Go To Heaven) and Frost* (Milliontown - Black Light Machine anyone?).

This band deserve to be huge and I'm sure any fans of Dream Theater will absolutely love this. Give it a go

Haken are arguably the most exciting sound to emerge from the modern progressive movement. Formed in 2007 Haken is a virtuoso progressive rock metal band from London England comprising some of the finest young musicians.

Featured in the band are members of To-mera and Linearsphere. In July 2007 Haken showcased their music for the very first time to a packed out London bar with a great response - followed the next week by a sold out show at The Peel in Kingston. Within months of this double debut performance Haken were billed in support of Riverside at Camdens prestigious Underworld.

Haken continued performing sets to packed houses throughout London and on UK tours in support of cult metal bands Kings X Bigelf and To-Mera and continue to extend their fan base. One of the bands demo tracks was featured on the cover CD for the second issue of Classic Rock presents Prog magazine in 2009.

The band melds metal with progressive rock - drawing influences from contemporary bands like Dream Theater and IQ as well as old school icons Genesis and Queen. Aquarius is their debut release - a 72 minute larger than life conceptual sci-fi - fantasy work filled with bombastic keyboard flourishes - stunning vocals and lethal guitarwork. The album was recorded in Germany at Spacelab Studios (Delain, Everon, Wolverine) and mastered in Germany at Erocs Mastering Ranch. Graphics were created by Dennis Sibeijn at Damn Engine to tie in with the Aquarius story.

In their brief existence Haken are already highly respected within the British metal community and their unique and imaginative genre-bending approach to music has garnered praise from all corners of the globe.

WATER IS THICKER THAN BLOOD

Check out a full track from the album by visiting the bands myspace site [myspace /hakenmusic] and the Laser's Edge site

this album will blow your mind!!! it'll broaden your views of life and music in a way you thought only a good acid trip could. i don't know who the lead guitarist is but he's the best man to have held a guitar since jimi himself, truly amazing!!...... the only problem with this album is that it'll take the shine off all your other records, they just won't seem to sparkle the same way after you've listened to this. make a note of this band you'll be hearing a lot of them.