The EP is meant to stand as a whole. This morning I took the journey through the songs and loved the ride. It made me think something I haven’t heard much about. It’s been reported the departure of Charlie and Conner was on good terms. Reflecting on the themes of the EP it makes me wonder if the “creative tension” was deeper than it seemed. The EP takes us through powerlessness and toxicity to rebirth and freedom. I wonder just how personal this journey was for Ross and the others. Just a thought. I’m really enjoying the EP. Still hungry for more Haken.

@mike portnoy
@haken
@angine de poitrine

Been listening to them for about a year, so 'in a fever dream EP' is my first new release from them. From lurking in this sub for a while I realized I have a very different opinion from a lot of you guys, so I thought it might be interesting to share.

Few clarifications:

- I'm not trying to create any controversy or to be contrariant, just to give my perspective and see some reactions to it.

- I enjoy all of Haken's music so a low ranking doesn't mean negative opinion.

- I believe music taste is entirely subjective, if you think that haken's crowning masterpiece and greatest song is 'Affinty.exe', that's as valid an opinion as any. So obviously I don't expect or demand of anyone to agree with me.

My ranking

1. The mountain

This is a weird one for me, because it includes two of Haken's greatest songs in my opinion, those being 'Falling back to Earth's and 'Somebody'. Other than that 'Cockroach king', 'Atlas stone' and 'Pareidolia' are all very good too. So why so low? Because for some reason it just doesn't work for me as an album. The songs feel disjointed from each other and the quieter transition songs kill the album's momentum. It's not that quiet transitions can't work, it's just that here they don't do it for me.

1. Aquarius

Haken's first album is full of twists and turns and crazy circus prog sections but it's noticable that it's the first. It can be messy at times and production and vocals are good but improved dramatically in later albums. It can also feel weirdly one note because every song tries to do everything that the album aims for. Anyways, 'at the point of no return' and the final song 'celestial elixir' are both highlights and incredible songs.

1. In a fever dream EP

Haken's newest is interesting and unique but unfortunately includes some of their weakest work with 'delirium' and 'eclipesed by you'. It's saving grace are the amazing title track and closer 'lotus' which mirror each other beautifully and make the whole EP come together as a fun and impactful listening experience. Could have toned down the vocal effects tho.

1. Vector

Really great album with a clear direction and identity but it's maybe too short to be fully realized. 'veil' is the clear highlight, and is one of their best epics, even if it's relatively short.

1. Visions

It took Haken just one more attempt to fully realize the potential of their early sound. Vocals are great, instrumental sections are absolutely insane and each song has it's own unique identity while serving the whole. 'Nocturnsl conspiracy' is one of the best songs of the entire discography and 'Visions' is the perfect closer, both incredibly epic and a little silly. The only reason the album is in fifth place is because of how good this band is overall.

1. Restoration EP

It's wild how much variation they got out of just three songs. 'Darkest light' is really fun and energetic with interesting lyrics. 'Earthlings' is entirely unique in their catalog or outside of it and gives me such specific emotions that I can't even describe. And of course, 'crystallised' is just out of this world and maybe the best crazy long Haken song.

1. Virus

Takes the sound of Vector to a whole new level and every song is a banger. 'Carousel' is so much fun and of course the entire 'Messiah complex' suite is maybe the most complex thing they have ever written and ties perfectly a journey of more than two albums with endless callbacks and insane riffs. Also, Shout-out to 'Invasion', really cool song.

1. Fauna

The album that finally sold me on Haken after a few failed attempts. It's eclectic but works as a unit and every song is a journey of it's own. 'Elephants never forget' is maybe my favorite of all their songs and 'The eyes of ebony' is a perfect, emotional finisher. Other highlights include the incredibly catchy 'Lovebite' and the epic 'Sempiternal beings'.

1. Affinity

One of the best albums I have ever heard, I can gush endlessly about almost every song here but the biggest ones for me are 'Lapse' and 'The architect' with the incredible feature of Einar Solberg. Every song is placed perfectly within the album and the loose returning themes tie it together so well. The different 80's influences give the album a nostalgic, warm vibe, even though I wasn't born yet in the 80's.

It's also coming up on Metallum hopefully (submitted it today for review), but here it is on my site!

https://codexderelict.github.io/vgmr/feverdream.html

Let me know what you think, I'd love to talk about it!

I see this work as a piece of art, painting a picture of anger, loss, resentment, regret, and renewal. “Silver Sky, Chrome Dawn.” Such beauty. Amazing.

Has anyone heard comments from the band on if this was written about the breakup, or was this something else? It really seems that recent events have shaped what this EP lays out. Just curious whose cage we were locked in.

I was initially pretty put off by the EP, but I'm kinda beginning to enjoy it. That being said, this one is less a "I need time to digest the complexity of it" and more "they're using a set of sounds that I need time to become accustomed to."

If I were to offer my criticism, I do want the band to experiment with more varied audio toolkits, but I would encourage them to go further away from mainstream, y'know? Get weird with it. I love my weirdo roachcore curcusoidal jazzmash shit.

This is exactly hat the new EP is.

It doesn’t pigeonhole Haken necessarily to any musical direction per se, but it allows them to explore other venues without pot committing themselves.

It is quite possible that this is a sneak peak of what is yet to come.migh not .

Haken might be putting their proverbial fingers in the air and going whatever which way the wind is blowing .

The metrics might influence their direction . If In a fever dream or delirium single is able to reach new viewership in an extraordinarily condensed amount of time, why would they walk it back?

People are trying to compare this ‘born again’ moment to Sleep Token, but judt because they worked with the producer doesnt mean their music is gonna run on the coattails or even have a kernel of semblance moving forward.

I don’t know where the cards are gonna fall, but this EP doesn’t necessarily indicate anything other than the project itself and functions as somewhat of a placeholder

I love that song, best among the 'bleeding sky'. Athmosphere is on point. Nice dynamics and chord progressions / chords. Only low point in lotus is the bass track that does its job but has nothing special.

What are independent or colab projects within the past or present members that are recommended? All the members rip and I could imagine there are side projects that I can help expand my creepy obsession.

I'd only listened to my copy from Qobuz. Wasn't hearing any. A bit squashed yeah, but no clipping.

(additional image of the whole EP below in the comments)

ETA: if both were identical, ie both clipping or both not, this post 10000% doesn't even get made, for the record.

• The mixing is bad - valid (while you have to give it credit for accomplishing an ambience previous albums didn't, the over compression really overrules that fact)
• It's not prog - valid (it is prog, but nowhere near as prog as the band typically is. It's fine to be disappointed with the band for not delivering on a lot of what it consistently has on in the past -- ....On a side note why is Muse considered prog again?)
• They're selling out - invalid (artists can explore elsewhere creatively and sometimes that might be perceived as selling out. But I think Portnoy put it best - sometimes a band can 'sell out' by NOT daring to deviate away from what the fans want, sacrificing creatively exploration in exchange for giving you what you're accustom to. If you think that Haken thinks they can make a break as the next big pop rock/metal act with this EP.... What the fuck?)
• It's SLOP - incredibly valid (for real what are you even still doing here at this point the band's clearly dead and you're free to move on to all those other much better prog metal bands you like, enjoy!)
  

I honestly am beginning to love it. Didn’t at first… but I did find myself compelled to listen on infinite repeat yesterday. I think I’ve listened to the whole thing probably 8-10 times.

I guess I can’t quite adequately explain exactly why I got hooked. It’s an addictive little release. There are actually a lot of cool little details that, while not as flashy or complex or virtuosic as many of the details from previous Haken albums, are nonetheless very nice to discover on subsequent listens.

The symmetry of the track lengths, the mirrored themes on opening and closing tracks, the synths in the middle track, the cool angular half-step interval motives in guitar throughout such on as album opening track, the piano to open the ending track, the ghostly glitchy fade out at end of album, some great muscular streamlined Henshall riffs in title track and bleeding sky (3:08-3:53 might as well be a drug, the swirling background vocal harmonies above Henshall’s guitar chugs is just so satisfying), a great vocal performance from Ross all around including excellent harsh vocal parts. And perhaps I’m just highly suggestible from cover art, but I feel like I really do hear colors of black and red throughout. The artwork suits the overall sound perfectly - moody, angry, dreamlike.

Yes it sounds decidedly modern - and I understand many people don’t like that. The compression on the production etc is definitely a departure from the more retro production Haken has been known for. But that compression really makes some of the guitar riffs POP when they hit. I myself like plenty of the more “modern” style of metal (Olympus Lenticular, Spiritbox, Sleep Token etc) so while it’s a different overall sound for Haken, it doesn’t bother me and has its own kind of appeal. And in fact it represents an interesting new progression for Haken to me, especially since I’m assuming this is not some kind of “new normal” for them, but just one of many explorations they’ve taken over the years. Even the “metalcore” 2nd track, while probably my least fave track, is undeniably catchy.

I don’t know man, it’s a bit of a sleeper hit for me. It’s streamlined, moody, muscular, and an easy first listen that still opens up on subsequent listens. Ok I g2g listen again, enjoy your weekend y’all

🩸
🌌

The EP fucks! Stoked for the new direction.

It’s okay and also kinda mid

EDIT: I would like to also add a statement that reveals my own parasocial projections about some guys that I’ve never met before

Yeah it lacks MANY things that make Haken Haken. But as a stand-alone project I think it is quite enjoyable and it puts me in a quite unique mood.

In a Fever Dream and Bleeding Sky are, in my opinion, great songs even on their own. And then there are many interesting production choices, especially in Eclipsed by You and the aforementioned Bleeding Sky. It feels interesting. Not in the way that Haken music usually feels, but still interesting. Yes, the singles felt quite generic to me as well when they came out, but as a whole the EP works well for me.

I wouldn't really want the band to double down on this type of stuff for the next LP, but if it's a way to explore a specific sound in order to make partial use of it, I think it's a good idea.

Again, songs like In a Fever Dream and Bleeding Sky are really good imo and wouldn't feel out of place in a bigger album. So overall I was quite reserved but the whole thing is growing on me.

1. In a Fever Dream is the only single. Bleeding Sky and Delirium are only meant to be listened to as part of the whole. Forget everything you thought about those two songs before listening all the way through.
2. Don't think about what's not in it, or about what you're "waiting to hear" from a new Haken release.

I think it goes together pretty well as a whole. Even accepting the style, I think Ross's vocals were over-compressed for Bleeding Sky, considering its position within the EP and the theme of the songs. My opinion has changed completely about Delirium when listening to it as a part of the EP. Still hard to say at this point if it will have the same re-listenability as Restoration EP. I wouldn't count them out of cooking a lot more prog wankery in the future, but I think lotus is adventurous enough with its bridge around the 2 minute mark to make traditional Haken fans happy. Right now I'd give it a solid 8.5/10, but my rating has improved after each listen.

I've not listened to it yet as I've had a majorly busy week. Thus, my opinion is that I don't have one yet.

Hope this adds to the discourse.

That is all.

Just Let know. What do You think? On this new EP there is completely no typical instrumental sections. There are only ambient bridges. Even there is no solos.

Despite this is really good album I really miss longer instrumental sections.

From my unmatched musical taste, my unparalleled knowledge of music, and my vast experience in the field, here I am to deliver the one and only objective, unquestionable verdict on Haken's latest "effort."

This album is basically a half-baked attempt at imitating the success of other bands. I'd call it *performative*. It tries to appeal to everyone while failing to truly resonate with anyone. Probably not even with some of the band's former members, who decided to leave almost a year ago. It's also completely detached from the band's original vision and ideals. You can clearly hear the influence of Sleep Token's producer—some sections sound like they were lifted straight from *Even in Arcadia* or *Take Me Back to Eden*. Even the mixing is sloppy, drowning everything in effects on both the vocals and the instruments.

What a disappointment.

I'm so disappointed that, as far as I'm concerned, Haken are dead. I'm done seeing them live and I'm unfollowing them everywhere. It's obvious they're ashamed of their old material and decided to chase TikTok trends just to go viral and make money. They're literally not Haken anymore—they've sold out and taken the easy way out!

---

**OKAY, OKAY... PUT THE PITCHFORKS DOWN. NOW LET ME BE SERIOUS.**

Everything above is basically an exaggerated (although not *that* exaggerated) summary of what I've been reading and hearing ever since *In a Fever Dream* was released, with the discussion completely exploding once the EP finally came out.

While this isn't my favorite Haken release, I definitely wouldn't call it a disappointment, let alone a betrayal of what the band stands for.

Before getting into my thoughts on the EP itself, I want to address a few things I've seen people saying.

I've seen people acting incredibly self-righteous, making outrageous claims, exaggerating everything, and even spreading misinformation.

First of all, the electronic elements shouldn't really be credited to George Lever as much as they should to Pete. If you haven't already, I'd highly recommend checking out his project *Nested Shapes* if you want to hear where a lot of that influence comes from.

What's even crazier is seeing people compare this EP to Sleep Token's last two albums just because George Lever was involved. The funny thing is... Lever worked on Sleep Token's *early* material, not on their last two records.

Second point: Conner and Charlie left the band *before* these songs were written. That alone shows how eager some people are to read way too much into things that simply aren't there.

Another thing that really surprised me is seeing people complain that Haken are known for constantly reinventing themselves and making every album different... only to turn around and say that this EP "doesn't sound like Haken."

Which is it?

Personally, I think this is Haken's most experimental release to date. And no, I don't mean in the history of progressive music—or music in general—before someone deliberately misunderstands me.

I simply mean that they've explored sounds and approaches they've never embraced to this extent before. You don't have to like it—that's completely fair—but claiming they're "not Haken anymore" because of it feels absurd to me.

Then there's another thing I find honestly depressing: seeing people write off an entire discography as if the band had personally betrayed them.

This might sound harsh, but if you genuinely feel offended by a twenty-minute EP to the point where you're ready to erase twenty years of incredible music and the work of immensely talented musicians simply because "it's not your thing," then you're acting like a spoiled child. And the band hasn't really lost anything by losing you as a fan.

That would still be true even if this EP were objectively terrible.

Yes, artists should listen to feedback.

No, they shouldn't become slaves to it.

Artists have to remain free to create the music they genuinely want to make. Otherwise, *that's* when they actually lose their identity.

As for the mixing, I honestly believe most of the criticism comes down to artistic choices rather than poor craftsmanship. You might dislike those production choices—and that's perfectly valid—but that doesn't automatically mean the mix is badly done or rushed.

So, after all that...

What do I actually think about the EP?

Mixed feelings.

I've listened to it and I enjoyed it, just not as much as many of Haken's previous releases. There are plenty of albums in their catalogue that I still prefer and will probably revisit much more often.

But that doesn't mean this EP isn't good.

I think it's perfectly normal that, sooner or later, an artist releases something that doesn't resonate with you as much as their previous work. The important thing is to look beyond personal taste and try to put things into context.

Besides, the EP literally came out today. I'll need several more listens before I can fully process it—just like I did back when *Vector* was released.

I have a huge amount of respect for Haken and for everything they've created, and I honestly find it sad to see so many fans attacking or belittling their work simply because it doesn't align with their personal tastes, while presenting those opinions as objective facts.

We live in a time where pleasing everyone is harder than ever.

Which is exactly why I believe artists should prioritize pleasing themselves before trying to please everyone else.

Thanks to everyone who made it this far.

Cheers. (Hey, Ariich ! Good to see you too!)

Each single is indeed, as suspected, better as part of the whole. But I don't agree with how many singles we got. This thing is CLEARLY meant to be heard as one thing. I had a similar criticism of Fauna's launch and this is a far shorter release so it's even more notable. The title track should have been the only single.

The keyboards are the best thing about it by far. I love all of the synth sounds and honestly everything Pete does on this is delicious.

My main criticism is to do with things that aren't really much to do with the songwriting. The lyrics being more repetitive than usual don't bother me, that's clearly part of the theme. Even the total lack of guitar lead sections is fine, Haken haven't been a solo-oriented band in a long time. But oh my god I hate the stupid brickwall compression, the clipping distortion on the guitars, and every vocal effect that deprives us of hearing Ross's actual voice. It feels like everything in post-production was engineered to hide the Haken magic.

I don't like how the lack of an official bass player means there are no interesting or "section-defining" bass parts. I don't think I mind much whether or not they go back to having two guitar players, but they really need a bassist.

Lotus being IAFD but essentially backwards is a really fucking cool idea.

The bookend tracks are by far the best. In fact, I think if you took the middle three tracks out and just made it one 14/15 minute long thing comprised of IAFD and Lotus, it would be a far better release. My opinion on this is likely to change, Red Giant took a while to grow on me so I know the slower ones can do that.

All in all, it's fine. It's the worst of Haken, which is still better than most bands' bests. There is a better EP hidden there somewhere, but it's being obscured by some godawful post-production blunders.

I've seen wide range of discourse on the new EP on both sides of the spectrum, both people who are happy with it, and those who are dissatisfied. While I understand how disappointing it can be to wait as long as we have for an EP that sounds drastically different from the normal discography, I'd like to remind everyone that This band doesn't owe us anything.

A lot of critics have been saying things that border on insulting or demanding of the band. I get it, disappointment sucks, but these guys are artists, not businessmen. As a professional musician myself, it grinds my gears HEAVILY when people demand creative ideas from a band.

Haken doesn't write music for us. Haken writes music for themselves, and we get the privilege of listening to it.

I haven't personally listened to the EP all the way through yet, so I won't be engaging in opinionated discourse until I do, but I just wanted to say something about this, hoping we can cut down on some more toxic language (a huge ask from reddit, I'm aware).

Bottom line: Respect the artists. They've put their hearts into this work, even if it's not what we expected.

Be excellent to each other, and party on dudes 🤘