Visions

Visions is the second studio album by British progressive metal band Haken. The album was released on 25 October 2011 but was shown beforehand at ProgPower USA on 17 September 2011. This was a tactic by the band's label at the time, Sensory Records, to boost interest in the young band and the album.

The album, along with its predecessor Aquarius, would receive re-issues by InsideOut Music on 3 February 2017.

Basis

Visions is a story-based concept album much like its predecessor Aquarius. The album tells the story of a young boy who seems a premonition of his own death in a dream and spends the rest of his life becoming increasingly neurotic in avoiding it. With time, the boy develops and learns to harness a strange ability to travel into people's dreams.

The album ends with the 23 minute title track which brings the album full circle, with the boy travelling into his own past to try and confront the killer, only to accidentally shoot his younger self, bringing him back to nine years of age and repeating the cycle anew.

Production

Unlike the album's predecessor, Aquarius, which was mostly written by Richard Henshall on piano, Visions was written with and for guitar. With an increased budget from Aquarius' minor success, the album features a string quartet and brass musicians, arranged and orchestrated by Diego Tejeida and Ray Hearne.

Tracklist

Pos.	Song Title	Length
	Total Length:	71:37
1.	"Premonition"	4:05
2.	"Nocturnal Conspiracy"	13:09
3.	"Insomnia"	6:03
4.	"The Mind's Eye"	4:04
5.	"Portals"	5:27
6.	"Shapeshifter"	8:08
7.	"Deathless"	8:04
8.	"Visions"	22:27

Personnel

Haken

Ross Jennings - vocals
Richard Henshall - guitars
Charlie Griffiths - guitars
Diego Tejeida - keyboards
Thomas MacLean - bass
Raymond Hearne - drums

Additional Personnel

Lucy Butcher - cello
Alison Comerford - violin
Chris Currie - voices
Patrick Harrild - voices
Jennifer Murphey - violin
Joey 'Dah Lipz' Ryan - french horn
Martin Wray - viola

Production and Design

John Papas - recording (drums, percussion)
George Balston - recording (piano, strings)
Mark Rainbow - recording (piano, strings)
Jonny Abraham - recording (french horn)
Christian Moos - mixing
Alan Douches - mastering
Dennis Sibeijn - artwork, design
Neil Palfreyman - photography
Bo Hansen - photography
Daniel Grey - photography

Quotes from the Band

"We recorded everything at home, in our own little mini studios. We'd send each other the parts. In that respect, it was quite well controlled. The stress wasn't apparent in the end result."

-Thomas MacLean

"Having said that, "Visions" is very symphonic. You can say it's quite guitar-based, but if you weren't told that… It's still huge symphonic music. Not necessarily more guitar-based..."

-Ray Hearne

Trivia

The album's title and closing track, "Visions" is the longest Haken song to date at 22:27.
Visions is the final album to have a cover designed by Dennis Sibeijn, with the artwork for every succeeding release being done by Blacklake.
The album is also the final album to have lyrics penned entirely by Ross Jennings.
The typeface used in the band's logo on Visions is called El Diablo, and the typeface of album title is called Agency FB.
Visions, along with Aquarius were the first Haken albums to be re-issued.
The album is dedicated to the mother of Charlie Griffiths, who passed away in 2011.