The Mountain is the third studio album by English progressive metal band Haken. It was released on 2 September 2013 through Inside Out Music. It is the last album to feature bassist Thomas MacLean.
Boasting two members of To-Mera, an ex-member of Linear Sphere and graduates from some of the world’s finest music conservatoires, this London-born sextet are the "prodigiously talented youths that will benefit prog." - Classic Rock presents Prog Magazine. Within months of their first show in July 2007, Haken were billed in support of Riverside and, in the following months, performed headlining sets to packed houses around London, including several sold-out shows at "the best live music venue in south-west London", The Peel. On the strength of these performances Haken were selected to open for King’s X in Wolverhampton and London in January 2009 only to join forces with Bigelf a few months later on their first UK tour, culminating in a sold-out show in London. Even before the release of their debut album, Haken had fast become well respected within the British metal community, and their unique and imaginative genre-bending approach has since earned praise from all corners of the globe.
In March 2010, Haken's debut album Aquarius enjoyed international release under Sensory Records. Mixed at Spacelab Studios (Germany) by Christian Moos (Delain, Wolverine, Everon) with artwork created by Dennis Sibeijn (Slipknot, Slayer, Disturbed) Aquarius has fast become a progressive metal favourite worldwide, receiving journalistic praise such as "progressive release of the year" (Fireworks Magazine - UK) and "so assured, you'd swear these guys had been around for a decade. Aquarius is extraordinary" (Decibel Magazine - USA). Topping the 2010 album chart on progarchives.com, the release of Aquarius led to shows with the Diablo Swing Orchestra and Freak Kitchen and soon earned Haken a slot on the bill of ProgPower Europe 2010, their first show abroad, and indeed their debut festival performance.
With their live show now well established and a debut album under their belt, Haken began to spread their music across Europe claiming "band of the weekend" at Summer's End Festival 2010 (UK) which also featured bands such as Agents of Mercy and Karmakanic. They performed on the same stage as Threshold and Vanden Plas at the new Fused Festival 2011 (UK), shared the bill with Guthrie Govan at Monkeyfest 2011 (UK), and also played alongside Exivious and Andromeda at Generation Prog 2011 (Germany).
Receiving an invitation to play at both Night of the Prog Festival (Germany) and ProgPower USA in the same year (2011) marked the pinnacle of Haken's live career to date. Having now played shows with Dream Theater, Anathema, IQ, Arena, Therion and Evergrey, the band surprised the prog world by releasing their second studio album a mere eighteen months after their debut.
Visions saw worldwide release in October 2011 and has since sparked off even more interest and enjoyment from the fast-growing Haken fanbase. "Haken throw themselves headfirst into some of the most complex, intriguing and beguiling progressive music that's been made this side of Close To The Edge. They really are that good!" - Classic Rock presents Prog Magazine, and it wasn't long before Visions joined Close To The Edge on Progarchives' top 100 prog albums of all time.
‘The Mountain’ was mixed and mastered by the legendary Jens Bogren at Fascination Street Studios, the studio chosen by Opeth, Devin Townsend, Symphony X and many more great bands
released August 30, 2013
Ross Jennings – lead vocals
Richard Henshall – guitars, keyboards, backing vocals
Charlie Griffiths – guitars, backing vocals
Thomas MacLean – bass, backing vocals
Diego Tejeida – keyboards, sound design, second voice (track 8)
Raymond Hearne – drums, percussion, backing vocals, cimbasso, tuba
Joey 'Dah Lipz' Ryan – french horn
Matthew Lewis – trombone
Barry Clements – bass trombone
Anthony Leung – recording (drums)
Jens Bogren – mixing, mastering
Diego Tejeida – mixing (tracks 10, 11)
Blacklake – artwork, design
Joanna Krause – photography
