The Endless Knot

"The Endless Knot" is a song by British progressive metal band Haken. It was the second single and the eighth 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.

"The Endless Knot" follows the point at which humanity has relalised they have no chance of survival. In a frenzy, humanity desperately looks to a saviour for their survival but are instead left to suffer their fate alone. The name of the song draws from the Eternal knot of Buddhist symbolism and also draws from the album's central theme of connectedness.

The song is notable for being the only Haken song to contain heavy use of Dubstep.

Production

While little is known about the song itself, the music video was created by Crystal Spotlight and according to the band represents the life-cycle of a star.

Lyrics

"The Endless Knot" lyrics [Click here]
We dream of places we can't get to
We crawl, we swim, it's neverending
The crests of tidal waves are raging
The bitter lake is ever changing

A conscious ocean covered planet
Of memories flooding back to drown me
Uncertain lost in deep confusion
Is this the past that's passing through me?

Close your eyes
Stand your ground
Face the wind
Never looking back

The ancient prophecy unfolded
Distracted minds ignored the warnings
Confronting facts to prove the fiction
Right to the point of mass extinction

We flirted with the edge of darkness
Offered ourselves unto the harvest
The shepherd led, we blindly followed
Into the world of no tomorrow

Break me down to pieces
And strip me of my freedom
I fall back on my instincts
But never know the reason why

All hope disappearing
Gives the power of healing
I'll walk among the breathing
But never understand what it means

We need a story to believe in
We need a hero to prevail

Our design shifted frame by frame
Across the line our cycle starts to fail
Our design shifted frame by frame
Across the line we die to live again

We need a story to believe in
We need a hero to prevail
We need a challenge we can overcome
It takes a tragedy to make us one

Personnel

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

Quotes from the Band

"The Endless Knot explores ideas of human survival instinct and the power of unity in the face of extinction. Musically, you could say this is new territory for us as we've taken sounds from dance and electronica music and blended them with our own brand of rock/metal."

-Haken

Trivia

  • "The Endless Knot" is the only Haken song to be released as a single twice, first on Affinity in 2016 and then L-1VE in 2018.

Links
"The Endless Knot"
Single by Haken
Released 11 April 2016
Album Affinity
Genre Progressive Metal, Dubstep
Length 5:50
Live Plays 95 (#11)
Affinity
Red Giant << "The Endless Knot" >> "Bound by Gravity"
Haken Singles Chronology
Initiate
(2016)		 << "The Endless Knot"
(2016)		 >> "The Good Doctor"
(2018)


"Initiate" music video

"We need a challenge we can overcome, it takes a tragedy to make us one"

The Endless Knot, from Affinity