Affinity

This disc is addictive, one that urges the listener to keep it on repeat as it gets better each time. Haken have stepped up their game and finally sound like a band. Sure the influences of others (DT, Gentle Giant) are still there but this release has all the band mates involved in writing and it is something special. Highlights include “1985” - killer syncopated riffs, odd time signatures, moments of 1980’s reverb soaked drums, and a driving groove that never lets up. “Lapse” is sort of a laid back tune with a tasty break and superb keyboard and guitar solos. “The Architect” is the longest tune on the album, and even though I roll my eyes and laugh when the thirty seconds of ‘guest growls’ happen, this tune is a stunner. Not all the disc is pounding crunch and riffage. “Red Giant” a quirky and purposely off beat tune where the drums and bass go crazy during the break, and “Bound by Gravity” a slow number, show there is more to Haken than heaviness.Now for the not so good… the mixing/mastering of this is sad. Haken have plenty of soft and loud passages that happen in the same song and because the final product is crushed with over-compression the impact of these segues are lost because everything is so freaking LOUD. Shame on whoever approved the final mixes. Perhaps instead of the second disc being instrumental how about a mix with tons of dynamics for those who know how a volume knob works? Regardless of how crushed the mix is, this is without question my favorite Haken album to date.

For "progsters" and progressive rock aficionados, this album is a must-have. It's a fantastic, modern prog band paying tribute to the 1980's in a way that leaves you loving every minute of it. They do a wonderful job of placing tracks where they should be, with long 9 or 15 minute tracks split apart by smaller gifts of 4 or 5 minutes. You can hear parts that will remind you of older prog bands like Genesis or Rush, and then they bring it home with parts that would remind you of the dueling keyboard/guitar you'd hear in Dream Theater. Just when you've been blown away by the first five tracks, they mellow it out a little and give you a false sense of 'ending' until they bring it all back again. The final track, while less progressive than the rest, is a sort of somber ending to a well fashioned album. This album was a departure from their previous successes with The Mountain and their EP, which is a good thing - because no one wants the same stuff in a different key. It's fresh, but nostalgic at the same time. 5/5

Even though Haken remain a relatively lesser known quantity in the realm of progressive music, they have made huge strides in the past few years (Visions and The Mountain) and Affinity is certainly going to be an album that propels them even further. There is no denying the raw talent from a musician’s perspective and there is certainly no lack of creativity. I think they’ve been able to stay away from some of the more cliché progressive trappings, and even more so with Affinity. Instead of leaning too heavily on 70’s prog influences and keyboard sounds, they’ve been able to grab something from all of the last 4 decades of progressive rock/metal and blend it all together in a mostly original fashion. For the most part, I really like these compositions, although at times the song structure gets a bit lost in the mix of wonderfully creative sounds. Speaking of sound, though, where is the kick drum in the mix? The low end in general is lacking, which is a bit surprising given the thematic nod to the 80’s where thick beats and pulsating bass ruled the day.After the haunting intro (“Affinity.exe”) and a solid “Initiate” the band enters into the brilliant “core” sequence of “1985,” “Lapse,” “The Architect” and “Earthrise.” The way in which 80’s pop musical themes are incorporated into this more modern sounding recording is exceptionally clever. The vast array of keyboard sounds uses by Tejeida is a standout feature to Affinity in general, along with Hearne’s incorporation of Roland percussion. “Red Giant” is a weaker song, not because of its softer texture but because I find myself losing interest about half way through. And while the djent meets dubstep “The Endless Knot” picks up the pace and intensity (drumming here a standout), “Bound By Gravity” seems a bit too drawn out to remain captivating for its lengthy duration despite Jennings’ soulful outpouring.Lyrically, the themes definitely resonate with those of us in Gen X. We grew up with the marvel of computers and all the promise of technology and the formation of the internet and such. At the time, these were tools to accomplish things never before possible, but little did we realize/consider all of the negative consequences, especially where relationships are concerned. “Affinity turned to toxicity.” That’s kind of my take on it but like most good lyrics, there is much left to individual interpretation.I have mixed feelings about the instrumental CD. Where some bands can really make that work well (Nightwish and Ayreon come to mind, along with other bands with very dense orchestration), I definitely prefer the vocal version of Affinity because I think the vocals are integral to the Haken sound, and I say this as a complement to the band. All too often, “prog” bands focus on the technical wizardry of the instrumentalists and have the vocals on the side to make their music more accessible. With Haken, Jennings’ voice is an essential part of the whole picture because of the way he uses his voice. In addition to carrying the burden of melody (which is expected), his voice brings a certain tension/mood to the mix that is really missing on the instrumental disc.Finally, from a purely graphic design standpoint the artwork/layout and concept is quite striking – the dot matrix/DOS text, along with the simple 2D images, perfectly convey the mood on this album and complement the 80’s themes going on here. Overall, mix/mastering/compositional issues aside, Haken continues to improve while simultaneously expanding their style/soundscape. I would have to also agree that Affinity gets better with repeated listens.

Hmmm. This album has been in my car the majority of 2016. Musically it is fantastic but I liked the 3 previous releases more.The 3 previous releases had a direction, had a story and had purpose.This album is amazing musically but is just everywhere. Electronic heavy song. Djent heavy song. It is just everywhere.I think the band members just got together and said,"Let's throw everything into this album."I like the album, but I like the previous releases more.