Haken (band)

File:Haken_2009.03.21.jpg.]]

Richard Henshall, Matthew Marshall, and Ross Jennings had grown up as friends in their teenage years and first had the idea to form Haken in 2004, when they would regularly play together in "casual bedroom jams".{{cite interview|url=https://www.guitarguitar.co.uk/news/140576/|first=Richard|last=Henshall|title=The guitarguitar Interview: Haken|date=18 January 2019|work=guitarguitar|access-date=13 February 2019}} Henshall mentioned on some occasions that "Haken" was the name of a fictional character he and some friends came up with in their school days, under the influence of alcohol or weed.{{cite web|last1=Francis|first1=Basil|title=Haken (Richard Henshall)|url=http://www.dprp.net/wp/interviews/?page_id=1787|website=Dutch Progressive Rock Page|access-date=15 November 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180622032905/http://www.dprp.net/wp/interviews/?page_id=1787|archive-date=22 June 2018|url-status=dead}} At the time the three considered the jams a hobby, but they eventually chose to focus on studying their instruments and rejoined three years later to form the band. Early on, Jennings ended up parting ways with Henshall and Marshall as their guitar skills far eclipsed his own. He would later be asked to re-join as solely a vocalist.{{Citation|title=A Conversation with Ross Jennings {{!}} The Daily Doug (Episode 298)| date=28 December 2021 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gMg_46P4rIg|language=en|access-date=2022-02-07}} They completed their lineup with a keyboardist they met on an online forum, Pete Jones, as well as Jones' close friend Raymond Hearne.{{cite interview|url=https://www.seaoftranquility.org/article.php?sid=1565|title=Interview with Prog-Rock's Newest Sensations, Haken|interviewer=Pete Pardo|date=10 May 2010|first=Richard|last=Henshall|work=Sea of Tranquility|access-date=13 February 2019}} To-Mera guitarist Thomas MacLean became the band's bassist.{{cite web |url=http://www.allmusic.com/artist/haken-mn0001369015/biography |title=Haken |first=Eduardo |last=Rivadavia |publisher=AllMusic |access-date=24 January 2017}}

Haken recorded a demo in 2007, followed by a full-length demo titled Enter the 5th Dimension in 2008. Later that year, Marshall and Jones left the band to pursue other careers.

Charlie Griffiths, the guitarist for the band Linear Sphere and Anchorhead, became a full-time member of the band. Griffiths parted ways with Linear Sphere because he wanted to go in a different direction musically.{{cite interview|url=https://www.seaoftranquility.org/article.php?sid=2016|title=Haken's Charlie Griffiths Talks About the New CD Visions|first=Charlie|last=Griffith|interviewer=Pete Pardo|date=6 November 2011|work=Sea of Tranquility|access-date=13 February 2019}} Keyboardist Diego Tejeida auditioned and eventually joined the band in late 2008 as well.

Ken Golden of Sensory Records offered them a record deal after a referral. They began recording for their debut album, Aquarius, soon after and released it in March 2010.{{cite web|url={{Allmusic|class=album|id=r1729679|pure_url=yes}}|title=Allmusic: Aquarius (overview)|last=Rivadavia|first=Eduardo|work=Allmusic|access-date=18 August 2010}} Haken released their second album, Visions, in October 2011.

Haken announced their third album, The Mountain, on 20 June 2013.{{cite tweet|number=347715781288677376|user=Haken_Official|title=Time to share: The Mountain! Out 2.9.13 |accessdate=23 June 2013|date=20 June 2013}} The album, released on 2 September by Inside Out Music, was mixed and mastered by Jens Bogren.{{cite web|url=http://www.progrockmag.com/news/haken-get-ready-to-tackle-the-mountain/ |title=Haken Get Ready To Tackle The Mountain|work=Prog Magazine|access-date=23 June 2013}} On 25 September, Haken announced that MacLean would be leaving the band after completing the Prog Stage Festival in Israel in October 2013.{{cite web|url=http://www.progrockmag.com/news/haken-part-ways-with-bassist/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130925203851/http://www.progrockmag.com/news/haken-part-ways-with-bassist/|url-status=dead|archive-date=25 September 2013|title=Haken Part Ways With Bassist! - News - Prog Magazine|date=25 September 2013|access-date=4 July 2018}} After a series of auditions, his position was filled by Conner Green.{{cite web|title=Haken announcing new bassist|url=https://www.facebook.com/HakenOfficial/posts/10203085693723955?stream_ref=1|work=Facebook|access-date=8 March 2014|date=8 March 2014}}

File:Ino Rock Festival - Haken (2).jpg

Haken released Restoration on 27 October 2014. This EP contained three reworked tracks from Enter the 5th Dimension.{{cite web|last1=Martin|first1=Kielty|title=Haken detail Restoration EP|url=http://prog.teamrock.com/news/2014-09-08/haken-detail-restoration-ep|website=Prog|publisher=Team Rock Limited|access-date=8 September 2014|date=8 September 2014}} "Darkest Light", a reworked version of "Blind", was released with a music video featuring footage from the recording process of Restoration on 24 September.{{cite web |url=http://hakenmusic.com/blog/post/restoration-ep-darkest-light-video-released |title=HAKEN | Darkest Light video released | HAKEN |website=Hakenmusic.com |access-date=2017-01-24 |archive-date=24 December 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141224075840/http://hakenmusic.com/blog/post/restoration-ep-darkest-light-video-released |url-status=dead }} Shortly before, the band announced on Facebook that they had begun writing their fourth album.{{cite web|title=Facebook post|url=https://www.facebook.com/HakenOfficial/posts/10152776232849744|website=Haken's official Facebook page|publisher=Facebook|access-date=8 September 2014|date=8 September 2014}}

On 9 February 2016, a press release along with a micro site called "Haken OS 4.0.1" was released with information of Affinity.{{cite web|url=http://hakenmusic.com/haken-album-four-press-release|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160212024907/http://hakenmusic.com/haken-album-four-press-release|url-status=dead|archive-date=12 February 2016|title=HAKEN OS v4.0.1|date=12 February 2016|website=HakenMusic.com|access-date=4 July 2018}} To promote the album, a long series of teasers had been posted by the band, jokingly referring to the new album as Verbatim.{{cite web|url=https://www.facebook.com/HakenOfficial/photos/a.102809109743.113889.102787549743/10153958586594744/?type=3&theater |title=Facebook |publisher=Facebook |access-date=2017-01-24}} The official music video for the lead single, "Initiate", was released online on 18 March 2016.{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-7pEXGCtnnk |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211221/-7pEXGCtnnk |archive-date=2021-12-21 |url-status=live|title=Haken - Initiate (Official Video) |publisher=YouTube |date=2016-03-18 |access-date=2017-01-24}}{{cbignore}} It was released on Inside Out Music on 29 April 2016. Affinity is seen as the first release on which all members of the band contributed to its songwriting. During this period, Jennings formed the side project Novena, which released the EP Secondary Genesis in 2016.{{Cite web|date=2020-01-16|title=Novena, featuring Haken's Ross Jennings, announce new album|url=https://gratermag.com/novena-featuring-hakens-ross-jennings-announce-new-album/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200923010047/https://gratermag.com/novena-featuring-hakens-ross-jennings-announce-new-album/|url-status=usurped|archive-date=23 September 2020|access-date=2020-10-16|website=Metal, but Grater|language=en-US}}

Haken began to tour with Dream Theater drummer Mike Portnoy and Neal Morse Band guitarist Eric Gillette in 2017, performing the Twelve-step Suite in its entirety (among other Dream Theater songs), the outfit named Mike Portnoy's Shattered Fortress.{{cite web|title=Mike Portnoy Performs Dream Theater's '12 Step Suite' Live on Cruise to the Edge|first=Joe|last=Divita|date=13 February 2017|url=http://noisecreep.com/mike-portnoy-peforms-dream-theaters-12-step-suite-live-on-cruise-to-the-edge/|work=Noisecreep|access-date=13 February 2019}} They also reissued their first two albums that year.{{cite web|url=http://www.insideoutmusic.com/newsdetailed.aspx?IdNews=18572&IdCompany=8|title=Haken: launch remastered version of "Streams"; look back on Aquarius|date=27 January 2017|work=Inside Out Music|access-date=13 February 2019|archive-date=14 February 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190214174257/http://www.insideoutmusic.com/newsdetailed.aspx?IdNews=18572&IdCompany=8|url-status=dead}}

On 13 April 2018, the band announced the release of their first live album, titled L-1VE. It was recorded and filmed on 13 April 2017, at the Melkweg venue in Amsterdam during their tenth-anniversary tour. The live audio was mixed by Neal Morse and The Winery Dogs alumnus Jerry Guidroz.{{cite web|url=https://hakenmusic.com/blog/post/l-1ve-live-album-2018-announcement|title=HAKEN announce 'L-1VE' album & work on next studio album|website=Hakenmusic.com|access-date=4 July 2018|archive-date=5 July 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180705033137/https://hakenmusic.com/blog/post/l-1ve-live-album-2018-announcement|url-status=dead}} The album was released on 22 June 2018.

Haken also revealed that they started work on their fifth studio album:

{{quote|We're currently getting our teeth stuck into the writing process for Album 5 and great ideas are forming and evolving as we speak. It's still early days but there is a sense among us that Haken may take a darker path with this one. However, the playing field is still wide open and the direction this record takes could alter at any point. One thing is certain: We will endeavor to stick to our mandate of strong melodies and Killer riffs!}}

Vector was released on 26 October 2018 with positive reviews. The second album by Jennings's side project Novena, Eleventh Hour, was released on 6 March 2020. In August 2019, Henshall released a solo album titled The Cocoon, featuring Jennings on vocals in one song.{{Cite web|last=July 2019|first=Jerry Ewing15|title=Richard Henshall premieres new solo track Twisted Shadows with Prog|url=https://www.loudersound.com/news/richard-henshall-premieres-new-solo-track-twisted-shadows-with-prog|access-date=2020-10-06|website=Prog Magazine|date=15 July 2019 |language=en}} After some delays, Haken's sixth studio album, Virus (which is linked to Vector), was released on 24 July 2020.{{Cite web|url=https://www.facebook.com/pages/category/Musician-Band/HakenOfficial/posts/|title=HAKEN|website=Facebook.com|access-date=15 October 2020}}

On 26 August 2020, a Japanese-exclusive version of Virus was released, including, as a bonus track, an acoustic version of the song "Canary Yellow" featuring Bent Knee vocalist Courtney Swain, who provides backing and chorus vocals.{{Cite web |url=https://twitter.com/sonimetaloud/status/1298568108806795264 |title=ソニメタラウド部|access-date=1 September 2020 |archive-date=26 August 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200826103020/https://twitter.com/SoniMetaLoud/status/1298568108806795264 |url-status=dead }} Jennings announced his own upcoming solo album that same month.{{Cite web|title=Instagram post by ＲＯＳＳ ＪＥＮＮＩＮＧＳ • Oct 3, 2020 at 4:06pm UTC|url=https://www.instagram.com/p/CF4zFwkn13c/ |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/iarchive/s/instagram/CF4zFwkn13c |archive-date=2021-12-24 |url-access=limited|access-date=2020-10-06|website=Instagram|language=en}}{{cbignore}}

On 22 November 2021, the band announced that keyboardist Diego Tejeida had parted ways with them due to both parties having "very different musical visions".{{cite web |last1=Ewing |first1=Jerry |title=Haken part ways with keyboard player Diego Tejeida |url=https://www.loudersound.com/news/haken-part-ways-with-keyboard-player-diego-tejeida |website=Prog |publisher=Future plc |access-date=22 November 2021 |date=22 November 2021}}

On 31 December 2021, Jennings announced on Instagram page that a seventh Haken album was in the works, along with his second solo album.{{Cite web|title=ＲＯＳＳ ＪＥＮＮＩＮＧＳ (@rossjenningsofficial) on Instagram {{!}} Ghostarchive|url=https://ghostarchive.org/iarchive/instagram/rossjenningsofficial/2739626598439077749|access-date=2022-01-04|website=ghostarchive.org}} Founding member Peter Jones was announced to return to the band in 2022.{{cite web |last1=Ewing |first1=Jerry |title=Haken announce return of original keyboard player Pete Jones |url=https://www.loudersound.com/news/haken-announce-return-of-original-keyboard-player-pete-jones |website=Prog |publisher=Future plc |access-date=19 January 2022 |date=19 January 2022}}

On 26 April 2022, the band released their single "Nightingale".{{cite web|url=https://twitter.com/Haken_Official/status/1518907644152631296?s=20|title=It's release day! Our new single "Nightingale" is out now on all your favourite streaming services|website=Twitter.com|access-date=17 May 2022}} On 30 August 2022, the band announced The Island in Limbo Tour, a co-headlining European tour with Between the Buried and Me, scheduled to start in February 2023.{{Cite web |last=Ewingpublished |first=Jerry |date=2022-09-14 |title=Haken announce European co-headline tour with Between The Buried & Me |url=https://www.loudersound.com/news/haken-announce-european-co-headline-tour-with-between-the-buried-and-me |access-date=2022-10-12 |website=loudersound |language=en}}

On 24 November 2022, the band launched a game whose prize was an excerpt from a piece called "The Alphabet of Me" on their upcoming album Fauna (released on 3 March 2023){{cite web | url=http://www.metallized.it/notizia.php?id=80894 | title=HAKEN: Annunciano i dettagli di Fauna e pubblicano il singolo The Alphabet of Me }} and its cover art.{{cite web | url=https://www.h7ken.com/thankyou/ | title=Reveal Haken's upcoming album cover! }}

Haken is known to occasionally release short videos of rehearsals and writing sessions on the members' respective public social media accounts. The following was asked to the members during a Reddit "Ask Us Anything"{{cite web|url=https://www.reddit.com/r/progmetal/comments/26ji3m/_/chrm5kd|title=Hi! We're Richard, Charlie, and Conner from Haken. Ask us anything!

|website=reddit.com/r/progmetal|date=26 May 2014

}} in May 2014:

{{cquote|My question is what is the writing process like for you guys? Do you all write as a group or write alone and bring your ideas to the table?}}

To which Richard Henshall replied;

{{cquote|I usually write the initial arrangements for each track using MIDI, we then take the songs to the rehearsal room twist things around a little till we're all happy.}}

Haken has been featured on the Classic Rock Magazine subsidiary "Classic Rock Presents Prog" a few times. At first, the magazine presented a song from the first Haken demo on their free CD.{{cite web|url=http://www.classicrockmagazine.com/news/track-of-the-day-haken/ |title=Track Of The Day: Haken |work=Classic Rock Magazine |date=15 April 2010 |access-date= 2010-08-17}} They have opened for a few notable progressive outfits, such as King's X and Bigelf. The band's debut album has received positive reviews from Allmusic and Classic Rock Magazine. Additionally, the band hosted an [https://www.reddit.com/r/progmetal/comments/26ji3m/hi_were_richard_charlie_and_conner_from_haken_ask/ "ask me anything"] on Reddit in 2014.

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; Current members

• Ross Jennings – lead vocals (2007–present)
• Richard Henshall – guitars, keyboards, backing vocals (2007–present)
• Raymond Hearne – drums, backing vocals, tuba (2007–present)
• Peter Jones – keyboards, backing vocals (2007–2008, 2022–present)
• Charles Griffiths – guitars, backing vocals (2008–present)
• Conner Green – bass, backing vocals (2014–present)

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; Former members

• Matthew Marshall – guitars (2007–2008)
• Thomas MacLean – bass, backing vocals (2007–2013)
• Diego Tejeida – keyboards, backing vocals (2008–2021)

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; Live members

• Pete Rinaldi – bass, backing vocals (2014)

{{col-end}}

• Aquarius (2010)
• Visions (2011)
• The Mountain (2013)
• Affinity (2016)
• Vector (2018)
• Virus (2020)
• Fauna (2023)

• L-1VE (2018)
• Liveforms (2025)

• Restoration (2014)
• L+1VE (2018)

• Demo (2007)
• Enter the 5th Dimension (2008){{cite web |url=http://www.hakenmusic.com/music#enterthe5thdimension |title=Discover our music | HAKEN |website=Hakenmusic.com |date=2014-10-15 |access-date=2017-01-24 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140419211726/http://www.hakenmusic.com/music#enterthe5thdimension |archive-date=19 April 2014 |url-status=dead }}

{{Reflist}}

• [http://www.hakenmusic.com Official website]
• [{{Allmusic|class=artist|id=p436006|pure_url=yes}} Allmusic Guide page]
• [http://www.prog-sphere.com/2011/08/01/hakento-mera-interview-with-richard-henshall-and-tom-maclean/ 2011 interview with Haken on Prog Sphere] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111005164210/http://www.prog-sphere.com/2011/08/01/hakento-mera-interview-with-richard-henshall-and-tom-maclean/ |date=5 October 2011 }}
• [http://www.prog-sphere.com/2011/11/21/hakens-visions/ An interview with Richard Henshall and Ross Jennings on Prog Sphere] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111127193532/http://www.prog-sphere.com/2011/11/21/hakens-visions/ |date=27 November 2011 }}

{{Haken}}

{{Authority control}}

Category:English progressive metal musical groups

Category:English progressive rock groups

Category:Progressive metal musical groups from London

Category:2007 establishments in England

Category:Musical groups established in 2007

Category:Inside Out Music artists