History & Biography Offbeat progressive band Haken hails from London, England. Haken was a school project for Ross Jennings (vocals), Richard 'Hen' Henshall (guitar and keyboards) and Matt Marshall (guitars). The band was formed in 2007 by members of To-Mera and Linear Sphere and issued a self-titled demo in 2008. Keyboardist Peter Jones left. Guitarist Matthew Marshall was soon out. Indeed, the band opened for To-Mera as well as King’s X. The band had given its very first show at a London pub in July of 2007. The group obtained a contract with the Sensory label of East Coast US and entered the Guildhall School Of Music And Drama’s studio to record its album, which was issued in the middle of 2010.
Haken would issue its sophomore full-length concept album, entitled Visions, through Sensory in October. Visions would be made available early to fans in attendance at that year's ProgPower USA festival in Atlanta, Georgia, on September 16th where Haken was to make its North American debut live appearance alongside label-mates Creation's End and Voyager, as well as Therion, Labyrinth, Ihsahn, Dream Evil (soon cancelled due to visa issues), Sanctuary and more. Green joined in 2014. Virus was out in 2020. Keyboardist Diego Tejeida left in 2021. His replacement was early member Peter Jones. The band was playing shows as the opener for Symphony X in the USA in 2022. Fauna was mixed and mastered in Sweden. Its cover depicted man's cousin and other animals. Touring was cancelled here. For extra bucks fans could shake hands, etc. through a VIP package. The band toured North America as An Evening With... Haken. The band was performing its entire new album. Support came from Arch Echo.. Then it was off to Asia and Australia (with I Built The Sky).
Reviews HAKEN - AQUARIUS - SENSORY 
Haken is a new and young English band from London. The band is something special for sure, although that is paradoxically standard stuff with Sensory/Laser’s Edge. It is good that the label takes a chance with bands like this, although Haken is largely a miss.
The album is a story or concept about water, a siren, a mermaid, a lover and comes with the appropriate packaging and art. The front cover is beautifully rendered and poignant. The music, though, is, well yes it is strange, but that is not a surprise; rather it is bizarre. At times the six-piece sounds like a troupe of clowns poking fun at themselves or the listeners with the oddball music. Imagine Dream Theater going nutso and going for an Insane Clown Posse discharge with a dosage of Faith No More-gone-prog thrown in. The band’s sounds, beats, hoots and beeps is just plain silly and goofy. The group does get harder and congruously more serious, but in a very limited fashion. On Drowning In The Flood singer Ross Jennings even comes across as a John Bush sound-alike before darting into another direction. His voice, generally, though is flat and could use more range. The vocal harmonies often abet the delivery. Incidentally, the songs allow for the whole variation thing with its 72-minute length. The band might or might not be named after a mathematician. Metal fans beware. - Ali “The Metallian”
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