The Architect

"The Architect" is a song by British progressive metal band Haken. It is the fifth 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.

According to Ross Jennings, "The Architect" is a love letter from a robot to its creator.

In relation to the story, "The Architect" follows the relationship of the Affinity satellite and humanity, with the middle of the song documenting the satellite gaining sentience.

Production

The production of "The Architect" took the longest of any song on the album, with Diego Tejeida taking over two weeks to finish his parts. The band brought in the vocalist of Norwegian progressive metal band Leprous, Einar Solberg. Jennings initially intended to do those vocals himself, but the band decided to take the opportunity to invite a guest singer for that part.

Lyrics

"The Architect" lyrics [Click here]
Message on a screen before me
Caught a glimpse of the ending to our story
'I'm sorry I haven't called you recently'

It's not surprising
I'll just learn the lesson
Take some time to process the evidence
And analyze your apathy

You turned your back on affinity
Now it's turned to toxicity

Spare me your obsolete empathy
The voice of sympathy means nothing to me
Delete all obsolete memories
Shores of tranquility
My monastery

We played the game of imitation
I met your stare with blank expression
I count the years of isolation
Since you set my mind in motion
And to eliminate the silence
I calculate to cure the virus
A panacea for the poison
The solution is wrong

Well you turned your back
Turned your back on affinity
And now it's turning to
Turning to toxicity

Spare me your obsolete empathy
The voice of sympathy means nothing to me
Delete obsolete memories
In a dying sun
I'll become affinity

There's a strange feeling washing over me
As if I am drifting
On the waves of a boundless sea
All embracing

Some say that time and tide will wait for no man
I stop and hold a single grain of sand
To see a world in the palm of my hand
Strive to break free from the confines of my mind
Step through the doorway of perception
To lose all sense of past and future

Omnipresent endless knot
The architect of every thought
Through the prison walls made by your design
A chameleon hides behind Orwellian eyes

Spare me your obsolete empathy
The voice of sympathy means nothing to me
Delete all obsolete memories
In a dying sun
When you're gone
I'll become affinity

Oh hear this vow
Tied together forever
We'll make this dream
Last forever and ever

Personnel

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

Quotes from the Band

"Charlie sent the initial sketch/framework for this one. 'The Architect' was one of those cases where one section of a song got a completely different meaning when someone else got involved. For instance, Charlie had some really cool stereo guitar lines for the middle section, I came and added big ambient/electronica/sound design textures to it, then Conner came with an incredible bass solo. Ray added a mental trip hop beat... so on and so forth."

-Ross Jennings

Trivia

  • "The Architect" is the longest song on Affinity and the fourth longest song in Haken's discography.
  • It is also the only internationally-released Haken song with a guest vocalist. (The acoustic version of Canary Yellow features a guest vocalist, but was released exclusively in Japan.)
"The Architect"

"The Architect" Promotional Art
Song by Haken
Album Affinity
Genre Progressive Metal, Progressive Rock
Length 15:40
Live Plays 140 (#5)
Affinity
"Lapse" << "The Architect" >> "Earthrise"

"In a dying sun, when you're gone, I'll become Affinity"

The Architect, from Affinity