LIKE A DISNEY MUSICAL // Haken - Streams // Composer Reaction & Analysis
Вставка
- Опубліковано 15 чер 2024
- Bryan reacts to and talks about his thoughts on HAKEN - Streams (Album Track)
ORIGINAL VIDEO // • HAKEN - Streams (Album...
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
VOTE ON UPCOMING THEMES AND SONGS // / criticalreactions
SPECIAL SELECTION REQUEST // www.paypal.com/paypalme/criti...
OR // ko-fi.com/criticalreactions
LINKTREE // linktr.ee/criticalreactions
Contains links for Special Selection submissions, the CR Patreon, access to the CR Discord Server, the CR Mastodon profile, and more.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
0:00 Intro
00:40 Reaction
11:04 Analysis - Definitely Unexpected
12:52 Analysis - Wild Time Signatures
18:46 Analysis - Rhythmic Syncopation
21:17 Analysis - Reserved Harmonies
26:52 Analysis - Linear Structure
28:45 Analysis - Emotional Narrative
35:16 Analysis - Lyrical Dive
42:09 Outro
#reaction #haken #progressiverock
You would love the Aquarius album for sure! I've been a fan of Haken for over a decade now and this album still remain my favourite to this day. There was something quirky and fun, and meanwhile emotionally resonant with their first couple albums that we haven't really gotten since.
Those are some of my all-time favorite growls. So beastial, making me feel like I'm the prey here. I'm so sad they haven't gone down this route more, but rather in the opposite direction. Will never forget the first time I heard this, unprepared for what was coming, alone using headphones. There was like a chill down my spine. And it's one of those experiences you want to share. Eventually I got the wife to listen and, lo and behold, she had the exact same response!
I'm always so happy when you do Haken. They've really become my favorite band overall with so many interesting sounds and ideas over all the albums.
Ohhh yes more Haken. this i like, continue with the Critical Reactions and i keep watching
This is an era of Haken that I dearly miss. The last album from them I truly enjoyed was Affinity, and even that was starting to be a bit of a departure from what hooked me about them. Try checking out stuff from Richard Henshall, one of haken's guitarists and primary songwriter for their earlier work. He has a solo album called The Cocoon that is phenomenal and reminds me of older Haken. He has another album coming out this summer as well that I'm excited for
Happy to see you do another Haken analysis, absolutely adore those crazy bastards.
Thanks for doing this one from my all time favorite album. I am running out, so I can't watch the entire thing right now, but I will return for the full breakdown tonight. A great concept story and a band's debut album to boot. I just love how they are just having fun with it.
So glad you reacted to this, this Album blew my mind when I discovered it. It’s such a killer of a debut Album, Streams is my favorite Track on it. The first Time I heard that Organ Drop into the Death growls Part, I was hooked and consequently bought all Albums they released after. They have become my favorite Band in the Metal Genre overall. And what’s also fascinating to me is that the changeups in the Songs are mostly grounded in the theme of the lyrics going on, there’s always a reason in the Story for mood Changes.
Would love to see a full album reaction to Aquarius or Visions. Definitely my favorite albums by them. I also agree that their earlier material is more emotionally resonant.
You would probably also enjoy Visions. You are right about Haken shifting around. Aquarius and Visions are sort of "era 1" of Haken. The Mountain is sort of an "in between" eras album, with a musical identity of both earlier and later Haken, lacking a central narrative, but still based around an idea. Affinity, Vector, and Virus are kind of "era 2" of Haken, with another sort of progression, where Affinity is definitely more in the "new" style, but with more concrete influences from the "era 1" stuff, with Vector having less of that, and Virus feels pretty far removed from Era 1. Honestly, Fauna feels like another transition album, as, like The Mountain, it lacks a central narrative, and reverses some of the stylistic progression, having a larger variety of styles. My guess is that we are going to be moving into an "era 3" with whatever their next album will be.
One of my favourites from this album, for sure. It's interesting to hear his voice on this album - you can definitely tell his melodic voice has gotten stronger as he's aged. I wish they'd go that heavy at times even these days
I believe they met in a music school in London, which explains how they were already so technically proficient. There's also an earlier demo around.
Thanks again, Bryan!
Just wanted to bring your attention to a new release from Falling in Reverse called "Ronald" that seems to be taking UA-cam a bit by storm. This would actually also fit the theme of this week (you will know why if you hear it). Haha. Not exactly my style of music but it is certainly an impressive song.
You deserve more viewers and subscribers, my dude. :)
Peace!
To think that Haken started their discography with this album. Absolutely insane.
Warning long discussion here. I am enthralled by this album and my GOAT album. I absolutely love the theatrical Disney take. It probably won't come as shock for you to learn that The Dear Hunter and Haken are my two favorite bands. Listening to your analysis of the harmony and not being as technical as future albums, I 100% agree. Aquarius and Visions has that playful narrative driven feel I think is missing in the recent albums. I go back and forth on what actually happens in Streams. Knowing the full story we hear of the perspective of a fisherman in track 3 Aquarium where he discovers the mermaid, so I am of the belief that Streams is an internal struggle for the mermaid. Having just been born of human parents she is released to the water feeling happy where she feels she belongs, but in the chorus, she questions what her actual purpose is on this world. There is no other mermaids around, is it blood running through her veins, or water? Then it hits her. She has a higher purpose in life. I think of the harsh part as a realization of fate. She was put on this world for a higher purpose, and it wasn't for being free to swim away from humans. No her life and the human world are intertwined. Then in the last part she brushes it off a bit trying to convince herself that she has free will. The choice of listening to her fate or living freely is her choice. Come to find out in the next song, a fisherman decides her fate for her.
I've always thought of early Haken as Circus Metal. The Disney allusion never hit me before, but I guess that is a slightly different part of what they do.
7:36 When the vocals come in, it starts to sound almost like Tool without the prominent bass guitar.
Great song, great album.
My exposure to Haken is fairly limited, sorta like Bryan's, a few full albums here and there (Aquarium, Visions, Fauna) and then some songs off the rest, and I can't be further opposed to everyone in the comments (and Bryan, looks like!). Which in hindsight is kinda what always happens with long-time fans vs. new fans but I digress...
I've always struggled with Haken's vocals, there's something in his tone that I really dislike, but I guess I've grown used to it (or learned to put up with it rather) for the sheer musical bliss that all the other instruments (and vocals from time to time, don't get me wrong) bring to the table. To me, in these earlier albums, as he's trying to be more emotional and less technical it makes me cringe inside a bit. The first half of this song works really well for me though, I wished they wrapped it up after the second chorus... The growling and extended outro, I really don't get it. It comes out of nowhere (normally not a bad thing for me), but more importantly it's clear that whoever growled here is not really used to it - please correct me if I'm wrong. In any case, growls here are way overproduced, possibly to masquerade lack of skill?, mixed with a very uninspired (boring even... in Haken?!) rhythm section accompanying it. I'm SO GLAD they moved away from growls, it really didn't suit them IMO.
Enough yapping... I'm happy that you liked it enough to dive into their discography, Bryan. I always get a kick out of you being excited, especially for progressive stuff. Now get on Ayreon - Into the Electric Castle! lol
The growls are experimental for a young progressive band trying to be as juxtaposed in their music as much as possible. I'm glad they got away from it as well. Strongly disagree with his voice however. It might be different then what is expected of the genre, but I find his voice soothing. But I find Haken today with other modern progressive bands tend to be way more technical then they really need to be. These first two albums are older, but is a breath of fresh air as more orchestrated then technical for modern prog metal standards.
I'd rate the first Haken album 9/10, and the second 9.5/10. The third 7/10 for me and the rest is downhill from there.
I feel like the first two albums are progressive, but there's a story and a theme because they're concept albums, and the songs are great with memorable choruses, great melodies, fun solos etc. From the 3rd onwards it feels like they're more technical and progressive, just to be technical and progressive.
I would highly recommend checking out the first two albums in full, and read up on the story before listening imo.
And here I thought I was alone in the world. I do like The Mountain and Affinity, but pales in comparison to the first two albums.
I strongly disagree, but with a band like Haken, we're both right.
Aquarius is a 10, Visions is a 10, The Mountain is a 10 and Affinity is a 0 because I never listened to it.
Any other opinion is invalid.
@@steezydan8543 Listen to Affinity as if it is your first listen to Haken.
@@steezydan8543 So a band releases three 10/10 albums in a row, and you stop listening?
They have 7 studio albums and 1 EP, and no duds IMO.