Introducing
Haken,
one of the most exciting sounds to emerge
from the modern progressive movement.
Formed in 2007, Haken is a virtuoso and
eclectic progressive rock/metal band from
London, England, comprising some of the
country's finest young musicians.
Within
months of their first show in July 2007,
Haken were
billed in support of Riverside (Inside
Out) at Camden’s prestigious Underworld.
Since then they have performed headlining
sets to packed houses around London, including
several sold-out shows at "the best
live music venue in south-west London",
The Peel in Kingston, and on the strength
of these performances Haken
were selected to open for King’s
X (Inside Out) at The Wulfrun Hall in
Wolverhampton and at Camden’s impressive
Electric Ballroom in January 2009. Haken
is fast becoming well respected within
the British metal community, and its unique
and imaginative genre-bending approach
has earned praise from all corners of
the globe.
Haken
were honoured and excited to be invited
to share the stage as the main support
for Bigelf on their first UK tour in October
2009, culminating in a sold out show at
The Camden Barfly.
The members
of Haken are
established in their respective fields.
Richard
Henshall (guitars/keyboards) -
aka Hen’s fret-board mastery
is admired and respected amongst London's
guitar-elite. Hen’s keyboard
skills were recently employed by fellow
prog-metal band To-Mera in support
of Pain of Salvation and Adagio. He
has been a full time member of To-Mera
since November 2007. Hen lives in
a fantasy realm they call Nevrend,
in a deep underground cave where he
can create his music in peace.
Charlie
Griffiths’ (guitar) projects
(past and present) include Linear
Sphere, in support of Dream Theater
and Cynic, also runners-up in the
2002 Dream Theater song-writing competition,
and Anchorhead, personally acclaimed
by Mike Portnoy. Charlie teaches at
London's Guitar Institute and writes
for globally published Guitar Technique
and Total Guitar magazines. Charlie
is the legal guardian of the remaining
members of Haken.
During Spring, he enjoys going down
to the river to catch as many salmon
as he possibly can.
Tom
MacLean (bass guitar) studied
jazz guitar at Trinity College of
Music and is also the guitarist and
writer in To-Mera with the additional
experience of supporting Emperor and
Dream Theater. Tom enjoys long horse-back
treks through Scandinavian mountain
ranges in search of villagers to rape
and pillage.
Ray
Hearne (drums) studies at the
Guildhall School of Music. Ray won
the 2008 'Origin8' national composition
competition and consequently worked
alongside producers associated with
Kano, U.N.K.L.E. and Queens of the
Stone Age. Ray is also a phenomenal
tuba player and enjoys arranging and
orchestrating sections of Haken's
music for instruments usually unheard
of in rock/metal music. Ray enjoys
being a massive bell-end.
Ross
Jennings (vocals) has served many
unsigned UK bands. Ross is respected
for his charismatic stage presence
and diverse range of vocal styles
which he uses to execute his words
with clarity and passion. He is particularly
well known for his ability to eat
large amounts of dirty southern fried
chicken before singing to really enhance
his unique cowboy vocals.
Diego
Tejeida is a keyboard maestro,
composer and producer from Mexico,
based in London. He enjoys nothing
more than to sit back on a sleazy
brown leather armchair with a glass
of tequila in one hand, and a slice
of Texican pizza in the other.
March 2010
- Haken's debut
album was mixed in Germany at Spacelab Studios
(Delain, Everon, Wolverine) by Christian
Moos and mastered in Germany at Eroc's Mastering
Ranch. Graphics were created by Dennis Sibeijn
at Damn Engine to tie in specifically with
the Aquarius story.
Ken Golden
the owner and MD of Laser's Edge said this
about Aquarius:
"Haken’s
Aquarius arrived from the factory today.
Looks and sounds great. Eroc did a great
job mastering this sonic beast. The band
melds metal with progressive rock, drawing
influences from contemporary bands like
Dream Theater and Shadow Gallery 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 guitar work".
The album
has received excellent reviews in Europe,
Japan and The States.
- We opened
for The Diablo Swing Orchestra at The Camden
Underworld in May 2010.
www.theunderworldcamden.co.uk
- We played DAY 2 of PROGPOWER EUROPE 2010
on 2nd October in Baarlo Holland - with
the legendary Shadow Gallery headlining.
www.progpower.eu
- We played DAY 2 at SUMMER’S END
2010 on 9th October in Lydney Gloucestershire
- sharing the stage with Karmakanic and
Agents of Mercy, [featuring Roine Stolt
- the Flower Kings, Transatlantic - and
Jonas Reingold - The Flower Kings] plus
Unitopia and Ark.
www.summersend.co.uk
- We played a show on November 12th with
the legendary and insane Freak Kitchen at
The Camden Underworld.
www.theunderworldcamden.co.uk
- We have accepted an invitation to play
at FUSED the new UK progressive metal festival
at Lydney, Glos' in April 2011, alongside
Threshold and Vanden Plas.
www.fusedfestival.com
- We are particularly proud to be playing
with DREAM THEATER, ANATHEMA and IQ on JULY
9th at NIGHT OF THE PROG 6 at the stunning
LORELEY AMPHITHEATRE on the River Rhine
in Germany- a UNESCO World Heritage site.
www.wiventertainment.com/projekte/21-notp.html
- We are also booked for our first USA show
at PROGPOWER USA XII in Atlanta in September
2011.
www.progpowerusa.com
Thanks again
for your interest - it means a lot to us.
