This is the ultimate head trip and it follows in a long history of enigmatic and amazing releases from the band to date, and this may just top the lot.
The nine tracks on the album bring you on a journey from the abstract to the sublime all while drawing you deeper and deeper down the rabbit hole. The one thing about any kind of prog is that you know you’ll get bass in spades and this is no different and opener “Taurus” buzzes with a heavy bass that is intertwined by some stunning guitar and drum work with a healthy dose of keyboards, Ross Jennings vocals are amazing as he changes his tone to suit the verse or chorus expertly whether it be up or down, this is a cracking opener and sets the bar for the album.
“Nightingale” is a complete mind-bender as it goes from a keyboard funky opening to a heavy drum and guitar riff to a jazzy affair all in the space of a minute, soaring chorus’ with some excellent interplay between the keyboard, guitars and bass offer a fantastic musical trip but the hard rock influence comes to the fore at the breakdowns; it is at the midpoint where all hell breaks loose as a funky jazz infused metal crossover of epic proportions will blow your mind, there are so many genres mashed up in here that you can only admire the ability of these guys to do what they do and in such an amazing fashion.
“The Alphabet Of Me” is one of the best tracks on the album, R&B stylings thrown together with crunching riffs, thick bass and drums with a hint of 70’s style keys and Tears For Fears vocals, it is so out there that it is simply mind-blowing. The ethereal meanderings of “Sempiternal Beings” make this one of my favourite tracks as it moves from a sleepy sloth to a savage beast; going from Jenning’s silky vocals and quiet restrained instruments to grinding riffs and thumping drums with a killer bass line as Jennings powerful vocals come into play, it takes a few listens but it grows on you big time. “Beneath The White Rainbow” is more of a rocker than anything that has come before, bass-driven with a nice kick from the drums and brilliant grinding riffs, but it still manages to throw things out of kilter with a weird funky midsection that threatens to go off the rails as it descends into chaos only to be brought back to normality as the track comes to a close.
“Island In The Cloud” is another atmospheric slow grower that takes a few listens to get used to, from its otherworldly opening to its soaring chorus’ it is another example of the band’s ability to create an amazing song out of a mashup of the genre, the calming breakdown midway through and the brilliant keyboard at the end really add something extra to the song. The synth and bass combo on “Lovebite” is unreal, it creates a funky groove that defies you not to move, this song is up there for the track of the album as it hits all the right spots, from Jenning’s phenomenal vocals to the funkiness to the heaviness and all in between it’s just amazing. “Elephants Never Forget” is where you take everything you know about prog rock and leave it at the door and check in for an eleven-minute mind trip the likes of which you will never experience again, there is so many different things going on at once that it bamboozles you and all you can do it sit back and enjoy it; it’s weird, it’s funky, it’s rock, it’s metal but most of all it’s outstanding. The album closes with “Eyes Of Ebony” a more subdued track than most on the album, yet in saying that it has its moments where it comes out of its shell and gives you glimmers of the band’s power none more so than the midpoint where it builds to a crescendo with some powerful drums and great guitars with a weighty bass which fades out as quickly as it started, a cracking way to finish the album off.
“Fauna” is a great album, the only criticism you could level at it is that there are a few tracks that run a little long even from a prog album.
“Fauna” is out on the 3rd of March Via Inside/Out Music
Review: Conor
Pre-order the album here:
The tracklisting is as follows:
1. Taurus 04:49
2. Nightingale 07:24
3. The Alphabet of Me 05:33
4. Sempiternal Beings 08:23
5. Beneath The White Rainbow 06:45
6. Island In The Clouds 05:45
7. Lovebite 03:49
8. Elephants Never Forget 11:07
9. Eyes Of Ebony 08:32
‘Fauna’ will be available on several formats, including Ltd 2CD (incl. instrumentals), Standard CD, Gatefold 2LP & as Digital Album. The albums stunningly detailed artwork was created by Dan Goldsworthy (Charlie Griffiths, Sylosis)
Pre-order now here: https://haken.lnk.to/Fauna
The band have announced tour dates for North America and Europe.
Find the full list of tour dates here: https://hakenmusic.com/tour/
HAKEN are:
Ross Jennings
Richard Henshall
Charlie Griffiths
Pete Jones
Conner Green
Ray Hearne
HAKEN online:
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INSIDEOUTMUSIC online:
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