Welcome to The Progressive Subway’s first ever discography ranking, a feature we’re calling Station to Station because we chart a route through every stop in a band’s discography… because we’re a subway (like the railway system, not the sandwich store). For the last month or so, our writers have been busy listening to Haken on repeat, counting time signatures, evaluating track lists, and sleeping fitfully as an insectile voice whispers half-heard provocations to us in the night… Eventually we voted and worked out an Objectively Scientific ranking of Haken’s discography.

For anyone who likes paragraphs about methodology, we tried a few different weightings and methods but settled on a points system, assigning one point for eighth place, two for seventh… all the way up to eight points for first place. Each writer assembled a ranking and we aggregated the rankings to produce our result! We’ve shown the point total each album got in our overall ranking so you can be all the more offended by how badly your favourite album did!

Why start with Haken? Because their discography is shorter than Dream Theater’s. But that wasn’t the only reason! Haken are the quintessential modern progressive metal band: a group who have risen to the top of the scene by dint of having reached back into the annals of prog history and grasped forward into the genre’s future. Bridging influences from Gentle Giant to Meshuggah, Haken have consistently evolved and reinvented their sound throughout their career while still sounding indelibly themselves. No wonder then that they’ve become a scene favourite. What the future holds for Haken in the wake of losing several core members remains to be seen, and while new music is beginning to emerge, now seems as good a time as any to evaluate their discography so far. All aboard!

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8. Aquarius (2010) – 32 points

We begin our list with 2010’s Aquarius, which opens Haken’s discography with a grand overture. The Brits’ first impression is one of dramatic descending piano arpeggios, cresting guitars, and… a quirky carnival non-sequitur? Let’s be real, Aquarius is kind of a mess—the sideshow instrumentals are inarguably cornball, Ross Jennings occasionally stumbles over his vocals, and the record goes on for way longer than it needs to. And yet, Haken’s grandeur is both commendable and endearing. Aquarius exudes ambition, drip-feeding the listener motifs and quirky earworms that smoothly bring its funhouse pieces together. Morsels of crunchy djent guitar add a delicious texture to tracks like “Point of No Return” and “Streams”; penultimate ballad “Sun” is engulfed in intoxicating Floydian languor; and standout instrumentals abound, such as the spacey synths that set stage for the exciting quasi-power-prog bridge of “Aquarium”. (I even like the star-tinged circus jazz break midway through “Celestial Elixir”.) Aquarius probably won’t earn you any points on the aux cord with your friends, but its ambition and dedication to its point of view strongly hint at Haken’s future as a tour-de-force of modern progressive metal.
Write-up by: Dave

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7. Fauna (2023) – 45 points

Following the heavier Vector and Virus, and keyboardist Diego Tejeida’s departure and replacement by founding member Peter Jones, Haken’s most recent album carries a lighter, more playful demeanor. While passages of modern djent appear throughout Fauna, they’re often connected by airy, subdued sections of drifting guitars and keys coupled with Ross Jennings’ drifting vocal melodies. As a result, Haken struggle to create and maintain momentum compared to previous albums, with Fauna lacking a consistent flow and cohesion between tracks. “Beneath the Rainbow” and “Islands in the Clouds” are slow to develop and lack the flair and excitement that I have come to expect from Haken. Though when the infectious djenty-grooves of “Taurus”, “Nightingale” and “Sempiternal Beings” hit, they’re even more impactful and satisfying due to the scattered reprieves in sonic excitement. Jennings’ trademark sublime choruses (“Semptiternal Beings” and “Lovebite”) and emotionally impactful vocal delivery (“Eyes of Ebony”) remain, though there is a relative absence of guitar solos, apart from the transcendent ascending guitar run in “Lovebite”. As the last studio album with guitarist Charlie Griffiths and bassist Conner Green, Fauna represents the end of an era for Haken showcasing the band’s many talents but in a garbled, prismatic flux.
Write-up by: Clay

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6. Visions (2011) – 50 points

Outside of The Mountain, Visions was perhaps Haken‘s biggest breakthrough. Following the stumbling aspirations of debut album Aquarius, Visions reigns in Haken‘s influences, tightens their songwriting and performances, and synthesizes their unique personality all without compromising a single ounce of ambition. At the time of release, Visions was largely lauded as a ‘return to the pure progressive metal sound’, often uttered in the same breath as Dream Theater‘s seminal Metropolis Pt. 2: Scenes From a Memory. With fifteen years of hindsight, though, Visions clearly shows Haken still trying to find and perfect their sound, relying largely on genre tropes and wearing their inspiration on their sleeve. Visions was a bridge between worlds: on one side, genre giants loom in the form of epic song lengths, long sonic detours, and concept-driven songwriting; on the other side, whispers of modern djent techniques, squeaky clean production, dense technicality, and a quickly crystallizing personality press forward. While Visions has since been outclassed by other releases, it still remains as a clear look not only into Haken’s evolution of sound, but that of progressive metal as a whole.
Write-up by: Justin

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5. Vector (2018) – 70 points

After the infectious 80s-synth-fest that Affinity proved to be, Haken left behind their DX7s and their LinnDrums in favour of returning to their decidedly more metal proclivities, and determined to write the most riff-oriented album in their discography up to this point. Although Vector might feature the shortest runtime of their output, it doesn’t preclude it from the more traditional prog epic elements, as the band themselves have described the album as being somewhat of a rock opera and concept album. Indeed, elements of that are present within the endlessly varying moods on “Veil”, while “Host” takes the melodrama up a notch with its mid-paced melancholia. But if what you’re looking for is a quick headbanging session, you’re quite certain to find some of the heaviest tracks ever recorded by the band on this release, and even an instrumental piece replete with start/stop staccato riffs and double-kick triplets and all. Yes, for a brief moment, it seemed Haken were able to leave the circus troupe behind, and some of us were quite glad for it. Still, Vector couldn’t avoid the pitfalls of late-2010s prog metal, as in spite of its rhythmic complexity, some of the riffing felt a tad simplistic, with the band opting for a derivative, djenty-guitar-driven soundscape that was somewhat lacking in refinement. 
Write-up by: Francesco

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4. Virus (2020) – 75 points

Picking up conceptually and stylistically where Vector left off, Virus sees Haken continue to explore a heavier sound—and they nail it this time. Punchier than Vector and more cohesive and compelling than Fauna, Virus is the modern-Haken sweet spot, deftly balancing added heft with melody and atmosphere. “Prosthetic” romps, and “Invasion” moves like a heavy storm; yet “Canary Yellow” finds the band as tender and melodic as ever. Meanwhile, the prog dial still gets turned up to eleven: “Carousel” offers more than ten minutes of winding songwriting full of all the Haken-isms covered throughout this list. But it’s the “Messiah Complex” suite that takes Virus over the top. Spanning nearly seventeen glorious minutes, the boys cycle through some of the strongest riffs and passages they’ve ever written, peppering in easter eggs and callbacks along the way. The breakdown in the middle of part iii, “Marigold,” deserves a particular shout as one of the single best moments in Haken’s entire catalog. Virus is simply the modern, 2020s prog metal style done right. The fact that it’s only fourth on this list shows just what a tear the band were on a bit earlier in their career. 
Write-up by: Cory

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3. Restoration (2014) – 86 points

How did a relatively short EP best five full-length albums on this list, you ask? Truthfully, the nineteen-minute epic “Crystallised” alone was enough to do it, a track which holds its own against other fan favorite prog metal epics like “A Change of Seasons” (Dream Theater), “Graves” (Caligula’s Horse), “Milliontown” (Frost*), or any other you can name. “Crystallised” keeps the quirkiness and identity of Haken’s previous LP, The Mountain, with joyously bouncy riffs, silly flutes, weird polyrhythmic funk breakdowns, and as much Ross Jennings scat singing as you can handle; but the track also works in the long lineage of older prog metal epics, using leitmotifs, shreddy solos, and a euphorically triumphant ending. It’s inarguably one of Haken’s most complete and majestic works. Oh yeah, Restoration has two more great tracks—although they sound tonally different from “Crystallised”—the djent heater “Darkest Light” and more atmospheric slowburner “Earthlings,” a unique style in Haken’s discography, and an intriguing one at that. The three songs capture everything there is to love about Haken’s sound; really, the only problem with Restoration is that there isn’t more of it. 
Write-up by: Andy

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2. The Mountain (2013) – 89 points

The Mountain was my first introduction to Haken, and I don’t think I appreciated at the time what a high point it would end up being. This seminal album puts Haken’s signature enigmatic style at the forefront, perhaps most notably in fan-favorite “Cockroach King”—goofy a capella sections and all. However, The Mountain’s most notable peaks reside within its longer tracks. From the off-kilter 11/8 opening groove of “Atlas Stone” to the intricate, ever-shifting rhapsody of “Falling Back to Earth” and the stutter-stepping instrumental bridges which connect the disparate segments of “Pareidolia,” The Mountain is an unparalleled showcase of progressive songwriting. Moreover, despite the emphasis on technical prowess and structural complexity, the album doesn’t lack for stirring moments. The aforementioned middle sections of “Pareidolia” twist and turn mysteriously, deepening the atmosphere into an ever more psychedelic maze of vocal and instrumental contributions, and even “Atlas Stone” gives way in its later parts to triumphant anthems that feel like the theme for a movie hero cresting the final step in their ascent. Elsewhere, the shorter tracks show a softer side of Haken’s composition. Piano showcases, like the opening to “In Memoriam” and the theme and reprise of “Somebody” offer contrast to the bombastic prog metal aesthetics with their unassuming yet intricate melodies. Although the crown still waits for our final album, The Mountain remains very nearly equal in quality and significance—a landmark prog album in its own right.
Write-up by: Doug

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1. Affinity (2016) – 93 points

And atop The Mountain, Affinity cannot be moved. Admittedly, it was neck-and-neck between the two iconic records throughout our voting, and the duo feel like spiritual siblings. Where the former drew deeply from the well of classic 70s prog, Affinity boots up a retro, 80s synth aesthetic. A smorgasbord of Yes, Rush, and even Depeche Mode influences round out Haken’s fourth full-length which explores technological themes, bolstered by the pivotal contributions of (now ex-)keyboardist Diego Tejeida whose contributions run the gamut from atmospheric ambiences to ornate synth solos to dubstep-esque textures. The rest of the band are on top form, too: Ross delivers some of his best vocal lines, Charlie and Richard’s riffs flit between jazz and djent, while Ray and Conner’s rhythm section proves a pivotal yet often undersung backbone. Meanwhile, Jens Bogren—the mix/mastering master himself—has Haken sound dazzling at their most confluent, while Einar Solberg (Leprous) screams his lungs out after an Opeth allusion on mid-album epic “The Architect”. From the jangly Yes-esque rhythms of live-favourite “1985” to the electro post-rock build-up of “Red Giant”, Affinity sees Haken operating at their apogee. It’s the Brits at their most playful and yet most academic. Not many bands make a masterpiece; that Haken have two fighting so closely for the top spot says it all. 
Write-up by: Christopher

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Haken’s links: Bandcamp | Facebook | Instagram

Label: Inside Out Music

Haken through the years have been:
– Ross Jennings – lead vocals (2007–present)
– Richard Henshall – guitars, keyboards, backing vocals (2007–present)
– Raymond Hearne – drums, backing vocals, tuba (2007–present)
– Peter Jones – keyboards, backing vocals (2007–2008, 2022–present)

Former members
– Matthew Marshall – guitars (2007–2008)
– Thomas MacLean – bass, backing vocals (2007–2013)
– Diego Tejeida – keyboards, backing vocals (2008–2021)
– Conner Green – bass, backing vocals (2014–2026)
– Charles Griffiths – guitars, backing vocals (2008–2026)