Haken: Virus

I’ve been following Haken since I was blown away by the masterful Visions back in 2013, and they’ve made a pretty dramatic change since then. A companion piece to 2018’s Vector, which I loved, Virus finds the band refining the sound that they’ve settled into on the last three albums. As befits an epic prog record, a track-by-track review is the only way to unpack it.

1. Prosthetic

As the opening riff plays, two things are immediately certain: this is not your father’s Visions-era Haken, and Dino Cazares is going to expect his check in the mail. The whole track has a progressive Fear Factory vibe, from the Burton C. Bell-esque chorus to the militant drumming that has Ray Herrera written all over it. Add in a tasty solo mid-way through that includes tinges of Opeth and some keyboard hits straight out of Strapping Young Lad, and you’ve got the recipe for a great opener. 10/10

2. Invasion

After the punishing first track, ‘Invasion’ slows things down quite a bit. This is where the djent influence kicks in, with Tool a clear reference early and an obvious Meshuggah vibe later on. You could tell me the guitar break in the mid-section was lifted off of Nothing and I would believe it. It’s a solid track, but is missing a little bit of the punch of the opener. 7.5/10

3. Carousel

The Toolshuggah continues, but this time with a bit more punch. The 10 minute running time gives the track more room to breathe, especially around the 5 minute mark, when it shifts into an Animals as Leaders-esque break that would make Tosin Abasi proud. This is Virus’ answer to ‘Veil’ from the last record. 9/10

4. The Strain

We start off with some Tool vibe, but it quickly morphs into an Anathema feel with tinges of Our Oceans, particularly in the mid-section. Quite a good song that gets a little lost between the two excellent tracks that bracket it. 8.5/10

5. Canary Yellow

This track really leans into the Anathema vibe, which is right up my alley. The melancholic feel is a nice change of pace from the aggression that surrounds it and hits in all the right places. One of the band’s very best. 10/10

6. Messiah Complex i: Ivory Tower

The most ambitious track that the band has ever undertaken, ‘Messiah Complex’ is Haken’s answer to Dream Theater’s masterpiece ‘Octavarium’. If you’re at all squeamish about prog excess, this 17-minute epic in five parts is where the projectile vomiting will begin. We start off with a Dream Theater-esque track with a great chorus. The ending bit does a Steven Wilson that hits perfectly… an excellent way to start the journey. 10/10

7. Messiah Complex ii: A Glutton for Punishment

And now we’re firmly in Dream Theater territory, harkening back to the Train of Thought-era. It’s pure prog metal: intricate, but punchy and well-crafted. 9/10

8. Messiah Complex iii: Marigold

In just over two minutes, the band gives us a bit of everything: a quiet interlude, followed by a metalcore breakdown, and ending with a full-on prog metal freak-out that would make John Petrucci proud. 8/10

9. Messiah Complex iv: The Sect

The aural schizophrenia continues here, including the band’s trademark section of Gentle Giant vocal harmonies, 8-bit video game bleeps, and even some blastbeats. It’s a bit too all-over-the-place for me, but thankfully, it’s a short section. 6/10

10. Messiah Complex v: Ectobius Rex

The affair is wrapped up by returning to the theme from the beginning, this time punctuated with a down-tuned Meshuggah riff. The solo that kicks in at 1:20 is wonderful: intricate, but with loads of emotive feel. The outro is straight out of The Incident-era Porcupine Tree, and an excellent way to close out the journey. 10/10

11. Only Stars

The final track is a brief coda that serves as a callback to Vector's ‘opening track ’Clear'. Think Steven Wilson or Anathema at their moodiest, and you’ll be in the ballpark. The album ends with questions, and a fitting close. 9/10

Ultimately, if you’ve been a fan of what Haken has been doing over the past few years, particularly Vector, you’ll find a lot to love here. I’m not sure I like it better than Vector, but the more I listen to Virus, the more it grows on me. I find myself drawn to a different track each time I listen to it, which is always the hallmark of a great record. This is a fitting end to the story of the Cockroach King.