In 2013, Haken’s third album, “The Mountain,” established the group as giants in the modern progressive metal scene. The album’s creative a cappella vocal parts, culled from cult prog classic Gentle Giant, gave cuts like “Cockroach King” which, nearly three years later, still sound entirely unique within the scene. Doubters who had previously called them Dream Theater clones were promptly shut down by the vocals, the quirky jazz sensibilities and an overwhelming sense of heart and emotion, which often lack in the sterile genre of prog metal.
Sadly, “Affinity” is not “The Mountain.” The unique nods to Gentle Giant are gone, replaced by a sound which, for better or worse, harkens back to “Images and Words,” Dream Theater’s 1992 prog metal classic.
The first nine-minute epic from “Affinity” — “1985” — opens with guitar and keyboard interplay which John Petrucci and Kevin Moore could have written. Add in a smattering of electronic drums reminiscent of mid-1980s’ Rush, and the track is essentially an electronic version of “Images and Words.”
This would be a bigger problem if Haken didn’t execute it all so well. The sextet still writes engaging instrumental sections, perfecting the balance between technicality and fun, which Dream Theater sorely lacks today.
A few other influences creep in to create a varied record. Around 10 minutes into behemoth track “The Architect,” an incredible guitar solo plays over an icy riff stolen from Opeth’s songwriting playbook, and the group briefly flirts with dubstep in the standout single, “The Endless Knot.” These little quirks make for an engaging listen, even if they’re never the basis of entire songs like previous work “Cockroach King.”
“Bound by Gravity” reminds listeners of Haken’s true potential. The nine-minute closer is almost entirely vocal-based, but singer Ross Jennings knocks it out of the park with backing harmonies and vocal arrangements. The climax is astounding and is guaranteed to leave listeners with goosebumps every time. It easily stands toe-to-toe with the equally phenomenal closer, “Somebody,” from “The Mountain,” and hopefully it gives some indication of where Haken will go next.
The climax of “Bound by Gravity” only diminishes its scope: it provides a peak, but not to “Affinity” as a whole. “Somebody,” however, works better because it feels conclusive to the entire journey “The Mountain” conveys; it gives the sense of someone who, after many trials and tribulations, found both humility and empowerment. In comparison, “Affinity” lacks the unity of its predecessor, and its impact as an album is weakened as a whole.
As a collection of Dream Theater-inspired jams, “Affinity” is worthy of a full recommendation, but it’s difficult to appraise as “The Mountain” looms in the background.
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