Haken - The Mountain

I heard another track from The Mountain this morning, a wonderful prog-rock gem called "Cockroach King" that I could probably fool people into thinking it's a new Gentle Giant song. They've borrowed the madrigal vocal style that GG used and they pull it off perfectly. These guys have REALLY been studying their early 70s progressive rock and I appreciate the effort!

Liking this better, musically speaking, than the previous records, but still sort of wish the band was solely instrumental..

I think the vocal arrangements are very nice on this record, that was an element I wasn't expecting.

The vocals are what really have put people off in the past, although i dont hear it.

Prog Magazine has a stream of the full album...

http://www.progrockmag.com/news/haken-album-premiere-the-mountain/

This is the funniest damn music video I've seen in ages!

Brilliant.

S.D. wrote:

I heard another track from The Mountain this morning, a wonderful prog-rock gem called "Cockroach King" that I could probably fool people into thinking it's a new Gentle Giant song.  They've borrowed the madrigal vocal style that GG used and they pull it off perfectly.  These guys have REALLY been studying their early 70s progressive rock and I appreciate the effort!  

Blue Mammoth

Just bought this. I like it. Still absorbing it. First listen/buy for this band.

journeyman wrote:

Just bought this. I like it. Still absorbing it. First listen/buy for this band.

I think the album is very good but I really like their previous efforts

On first listen this album ruled my world, I was so in love with it. I've heard it several times now and like it very much. Unfortunately it's one of those albums that wears out its welcome after some time. Very different from previous efforts and much less metal, which isn't a bad thing at all, but the intricacy and spontaneity is lacking. Also a lot of light piano and vocal sections that kind of stretch too long while you're in anxious wait for the full band. It has some beautiful moments and great homage points, but in the end Visions remains their best album.

exact33 wrote:

journeyman wrote:

Just bought this. I like it. Still absorbing it. First listen/buy for this band.

I think the album is very good but I really like their previous efforts

I think this album shows a serious growth in maturity of their songwriting.  The first 2 albums are very good, but they sometimes have trouble mixing in their various homages into the songs smoothly...that has been fixed on The Mountain.  Both of the previous albums are very good, but The Mountain is truly excellent and I think points the way toward a very exciting future and continued growth.  

The Mountain will easily make my top 5 records of the year, it's one of the few albums that has REALLY impressed me this year.

I also prefer the less-metallic nature of this album.  They are a good prog metal band...but they could be a MAGNIFICENT progressive rock band.

S.D. wrote:

exact33 wrote:

journeyman wrote:

Just bought this. I like it. Still absorbing it. First listen/buy for this band.

I think the album is very good but I really like their previous efforts

I think this album shows a serious growth in maturity of their songwriting.  The first 2 albums are very good, but they sometimes have trouble mixing in their various homages into the songs smoothly...that has been fixed on The Mountain.  Both of the previous albums are very good, but The Mountain is truly excellent and I think points the way toward a very exciting future and continued growth.  

The Mountain will easily make my top 5 records of the year, it's one of the few albums that has REALLY impressed me this year.

I also prefer the less-metallic nature of this album.  They are a good prog metal band...but they could be a MAGNIFICENT progressive rock band.

I'm thinking that, as much as I prefer Visions over this, they've actually found their footing (no pun intended) and comfort zone. As though this is where they're meant to be. Which is a good thing, of course.

I can't be bothered to even compare. It's a great album. Their previous albums are great, too.

I finally got around to listening to this one, and I've gotta say, it's a fantastic album. Easily better than their first two (and I really love Aquarius & Visions).

Eyesore wrote:

I can't be bothered to even compare. It's a great album. Their previous albums are great, too.

I'm really digging this one, so I think I may have to check out the other two. I would agree, this is a top pick.

journeyman wrote:

Eyesore wrote:

I can't be bothered to even compare. It's a great album. Their previous albums are great, too.

I'm really digging this one, so I think I may have to check out the other two. I would agree, this is a top pick.

I think Aquarius is excellent as well. visions was good but not up to Aquarius or The Mountain.

I guess I'm in the minority. I thought Visions was epic, full of unpredictable spontaneity and complex flourishes.

I've just been spinning Visions and Aquarius. I really like them. Yes, they are both slightly different angles than The Mountain. I'm really digging on this band. I'd say all three releases are worth getting.

journeyman wrote:

I've just been spinning Visions and Aquarius. I really like them. Yes, they are both slightly different angles than The Mountain. I'm really digging on this band. I'd say all three releases are worth getting.

 

I agree - three very good albums.

How representative is Cockroach King of the whole album?

Haken are a band who by all rights I should like, but the songs I'd heard just didn't do anything for me. But I'm really digging Cockroach King after hearing it on a Prog Magazine sampler, and maybe it was the song I needed to hear to turn me onto the band.

Citanul wrote:

How representative is Cockroach King of the whole album?

Haken are a band who by all rights I should like, but the songs I'd heard just didn't do anything for me.  But I'm really digging Cockroach King after hearing it on a Prog Magazine sampler, and maybe it was the song I needed to hear to turn me onto the band.

Cockroach King IMO is a standout track. It has it's own unique style compared to the other songs on the album..

Citanul wrote:

How representative is Cockroach King of the whole album?

Haken are a band who by all rights I should like, but the songs I'd heard just didn't do anything for me.  But I'm really digging Cockroach King after hearing it on a Prog Magazine sampler, and maybe it was the song I needed to hear to turn me onto the band.

While the song does stand out on it's own (the madrigal style vocals ala Gentle Giant is the primary factor) it fits in beautifully with the album as a whole.

When I first heard Haken back around 2011 or so I had the same reaction as you, I thought they were good but it didn't really click with me. The Mountain changed that and has quickly become one of my favorite albums this year, will easily make my top 5. I've since gone back and revisited their first couple records and I'm liking them more with each listen, The Mountain is a big step forward though.

I can't recommend it highly enough.

S.D. wrote:

Citanul wrote:

How representative is Cockroach King of the whole album?

Haken are a band who by all rights I should like, but the songs I'd heard just didn't do anything for me.  But I'm really digging Cockroach King after hearing it on a Prog Magazine sampler, and maybe it was the song I needed to hear to turn me onto the band.

While the song does stand out on it's own (the madrigal style vocals ala Gentle Giant is the primary factor) it fits in beautifully with the album as a whole.

When I first heard Haken back around 2011 or so I had the same reaction as you, I thought they were good but it didn't really click with me.  The Mountain changed that and has quickly become one of my favorite albums this year, will easily make my top 5.  I've since gone back and revisited their first couple records and I'm liking them more with each listen, The Mountain is a big step forward though.

I can't recommend it highly enough.  

i would second that recommendation. You cannot go wrong with their catalog in general.

My favorite tracks are Cockroach King and Somebody. Also dig the latter's acoustic rendition, Nobody. It's a bonus track on the album.

I revisited this yesterday after leaving it alone for some time. I fell in love with it so much upon first purchase that I spun it 1-2 times a day. Eventually it wore a little. But yesterday it felt like a fresh listen. It really does deserve a lot of attention. This is the kind of music I wish was truly popular these days.

S.D. wrote:

This is the funniest damn music video I've seen in ages!  

Brilliant.

I don't know how I missed this, but wow this is killer!!! It takes me back to when I was discovering bands like Spock's Beard, Ad Infinitum, Echolyn, Porcupine Tree and all that other stuff in the early 2000s.