Red Giant

"Red Giant" is a song by British progressive metal band Haken. It is the sixth song from the band's 2016 album Affinity.

Basis

NOTE: Some of the following may fall into the realm of fan speculation. The band has left much of the song's meaning unclear.

"Red Giant" follows the fast expansion of the sun that, due to the Affinity satellite's awakening to sentience, humanity was unaware of until it was too late. Like the song before it, "Red Giant" covers topics of existentialism and survival, and also delves into the battle between nature and technology and its effects on humanity.

Production

Little is known about the production of "Red Giant."

Lyrics

"Earthrise" lyrics [Click here]
Blood red sun
My companion
Feel my love
Through the static
For we rust
And dismantle
Salvage us
From the ash

A trial by fire
On shoulders of giants
We're scalded and burning
Yet she keeps on turning
If doom is impending
What are we defending?

Desolate their communion
Gaia mourns her children

Everything that ends
Beckons a revival
Sustain or to descend?
Nothing's decided
When I escape myself
How much will be remembered
Of Heaven and of Hell
Of what it really means to be?

Desolate their communion
Gaia mourns all her children

As time decays
Ticking lives away
All that we know eroded
Dreams that we made
Gently start to break
But they'll never fade

Personnel

Haken
  • Ross Jennings - vocals
  • Richard Henshall - guitars
  • Charlie Griffiths - guitars
  • Diego Tejeida - keyboards, sound design
  • Conner Green - bass
  • Raymond Hearne - drums

Trivia

  • According to Spotify, "Red Giant" is the least listened to song on Affinity and (as of May 2022) the only song on the album to have under one million listens.
"Red Giant"

"Red Giant" Promotional Art
Song by Haken
Album Affinity
Genre Progressive Metal, Progressive Rock
Length 6:06
Live Plays 42 (#24 [tied])
Affinity
"Earthrise" << "Red Giant" >> "The Endless Knot"

"If doom is impending, what are we defending?"

Red Giant, from Affinity