Album Review // 2023-05-04

Haken

Fauna

Released: 2023-03-03

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Apparently, this was the first time the band hammered it out together for a full week, 14 hours a day, and the most time they had seen each other, post-pandemic. This album was a cooperative effort.

The name Haken comes from the guitarist's imagination. It was the name of a character he and his friends came up with as kids. I would have thought maybe the band got the name from the German meaning, hook, as in grabbing attention or catching something. 

The title of this album, Fauna, stems from the animals of a region. As you can see in the song's titles and artwork, animals were on the minds of this band. How does it tie in, exactly?

Album Art

A bright, colourful, and busy piece of artwork. The focal point is the monkey, but there are so many other things to see. If you look hard enough you will see many different kinds of bugs and birds. I think they were placed almost camouflaged in some cases, and so they take time to see. Such as the fly on the hand of the monkey. Some eggs in a nest are unexpected shapes. The framed elephant to go with the song title. A mechanical nightingale sitting on the finger, looking animated. I think this is well thought out and every detail can be found within the lyrics.

Mood

The mood, to me, actually fits the artwork. It is very flamboyant, clean, and gleaming. It is kind of in your face, but there is some hiding distraught emotion behind it. It reminds me of an extravagant parade, but there is actually something vile being hidden on some of the floats, behind the things getting the attention.

Vocals

This vocalist is having the time of his life because he is getting to use his voice to its fullest. The enunciation and pace are reminiscent of the catchiness of some popular rock bands, and pop music. At times it reminded me of power metal vocals or even something you might hear on Broadway. High-pitched parts are the least likable, for me.

Music

This band has done a good job of capturing the upbeat, clean sound. The busyness and agility make it hard to describe as stale. Some songs are more predictable, but many also were far from expectation. The eccentric qualities were often unanticipated. Weird timing such as in Beneath the White Rainbow. Taurus and Lovebite are skippable, for me. They rub me so wrong. This band uses each member in the songs, it doesn't feel lumped together or hard to pick out elements. Lively progressive music that varies from song to song!

Taurus

I know Taurus is an astrological sign. The song encourages not giving up, and moving on, so maybe they are tying persistence and determination to a Taurus. I wonder who in the band is a Taurus?

We'll be a million faces
A generation lost
A path of self-destruction
The Taurus runs amok

Don't look back
A new life's waiting
All not saved will be lost
If it's a nowhere road
We'll find salvation
Somewhere in Avalon

Nightingale

This feels like a mock nightingale, designed to lure you in. An authentic nightingale is known for its beautiful song. I think this song points to a false sense of security the song the bird sings gives.

A mechanical animal
A dangerous game
That clockwork song it sings
Will send you to your grave

Dig in with your claws
I push my talons into your skin
Heal me with your song
You are forgiven for all your sins

The Alphabet of Me

This seems like a song about an abuse of power in a relationship. It sounds like an explanation of how you could leave it at any time, like giving your defense for staying in a situation where you are being used.

It's time to wake up and die or regenerate
You're never gonna retire your power games
Power games, no
Slip from the scene of the crime like a rattlesnake
From all this deafening silence I walk away
Walk away, walk away, oh

A room without a view
A version of the truth
That is all I am to you
I'd flee if I wanted to
Retire from being used

Sempiternal Beings

I get the feeling that there is a closeness to danger here, but the excuse for being so close to it is that you are somehow going to last forever. They say when you are young you often have this nothing-will-happen-to-me attitude, but this seems different. You are aware that you are being perilous, but you are doing it anyways.

Stoned by her gaze
The queen of despair
Oh, chimeless bell of snakes
Delight the liquid air
She emanates the squall and serene
Consuming no more
Then she wants or she needs

And I'm seven less heartbeats away
But no one's keeping time
The lengths I would go through to meet with you
In another life
And the ocean between us is where
We find inner peace
When will we cease to convince ourselves
We're sempiternal beings?

Beneath the White Rainbow

I think this is talking about realizing a relationship is ending. You have to solidify that it is a done deal. And it does seem like there is a sense that the idea that it could have worked was a crazy idea, like seeing a white rainbow, which is said to be rare.

My grief at leaving you is boundless
But I must never return
So in the forest you will find me there
I'll leave a trail that leads you home

Now burn the bridges end to end
Fall to the river below
For I was nothing but an impostor
Wide-eyed and chasing white rainbows

Island in the Clouds

The island in the clouds seems to be a place to escape, to be ignorant, to be lost. 

Fear in our hearts, the lost are rarely found
We're never far from the island in the clouds

It's symbolic
I never thought that life could find a way
Now it dawns on me
No creature here was built to be contained
I've seen the way you propagate
A need for empty paraphernalia
So fall upon me
Too blind to see the error of your ways
In this smog of blame

Lovebite

A tale of a poisoned relationship, where the members involved know they are just destroying each other.

How many others came before me?
You know the pleasure’s always in the hunt
So make it quick and kill me softly
Is this your idea of true love?

You and I cannibalise
My heart's still beating on the outside
(The devil's at your throat)
We consummate, decapitate
I taste the venom of your lovebite
(I'll tear apart your world)

Elephants Never Forget

Feels like the desire to please and not be a failure to others is so strong here, that you are willing to become something different or hide whatever is undesirable. I think it is sad, but common, for people to want to be what others want them to be.

He, hidden by a veil of misery
Woven by a thousand threads of ire
Forced to live a life of
Secrecy in abnormality

If I should fail in pleasing you
Could I create myself anew?
Would I be measured by my soul?
Could I be treasured in your home?
Take me

Eyes of Ebony

This song seems to be the most positive song on the album. It seems someone has left an impression and motivation on someone. I think this is great when this happens!

The ash clouds have blown away
As the sun rises on a new day
You gave me the power to believe
As we climbed to the mountaintop

You left your footprints in the sand
Immortalised, you'll never walk alone
You gave me the power to dream
As we strode to the mountaintop

Playlist Pick

This album is interesting in the way it sounds so cheerful superficially, but really isn't in its message. It is a fascinating expression of working through some hard things. Certainly a different way to do it.

Sempiternal Beings will make it to my playlist. The vocal was reminiscent of some power metal I have liked in the past, and the song is catchy and memorable.