Haken are one of the leading lights of modern progressive metal. Formed in London in 2007, they have built a devoted global following with music of dizzying complexity and real melodic warmth — blending the technical ambition of Dream Theater, the playful intricacy of Gentle Giant and a thoroughly modern edge. Here is our fellow fan’s ranking of their finest songs.

The short version

If you only hear a few, make them “Cockroach King”, “The Architect”, “Falling Back to Earth” and “Celestial Elixir” — their beloved, Gentle Giant-inspired showpiece, a guest-starring fifteen-minute epic, a sweeping centrepiece, and the seventeen-minute closer of their debut. The full ranking is below.

Modern prog metal’s masters of invention

Since forming in London in 2007, Haken have become one of the most acclaimed and influential bands in modern progressive metal. Fronted by the soaring voice of Ross Jennings and built on the extraordinary musicianship of guitarist-keyboardist Richard Henshall, guitarist Charlie Griffiths and their bandmates, they fuse the technical grandeur of Dream Theater with the quirky, contrapuntal complexity of Gentle Giant, a love of vintage synths and a crushing modern heaviness. Across seven wildly ambitious albums — from the epic debut Aquarius to the fan-beloved The Mountain and the conceptual Vector and Virus — they have redefined what prog metal can be. These fifteen songs are the best.

How we ranked them

This is one fan’s order, weighing melody, ambition, technical brilliance and lasting impact. The facts are accurate; the order is a starting point for the debate.

The essential six

At the very top sits “Cockroach King” (2013), their most beloved song — a dazzling, Gentle Giant-inspired showpiece. With it: “The Architect” (2016), a fifteen-minute epic featuring Leprous’s Einar Solberg; “Falling Back to Earth” (2013), a sweeping, dramatic centrepiece; “Celestial Elixir” (2010), the seventeen-minute epic that closed their debut; “Messiah Complex” (2020), their ambitious, five-part magnum opus; and “Visions” (2011), a colossal, twenty-two-minute early epic.

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Reliably great

The next tier is essential too. “Atlas Stone” (2013) is a soaring, anthemic highlight; “1985” (2016) is a gleefully retro, synth-driven standout; “Streams” (2010) is an early fan favourite of dizzying variety; “Canary Yellow” (2020) is a lush, melodic gem; and “Nightingale” (2023) is a heavy, hook-laden recent highlight.

Deeper cuts

For the dedicated, these reward repeat listens. “Puzzle Box” (2018) is a punchy, riff-driven cut; “Nocturnal Conspiracy” (2011) is a relentless thirteen-minute epic; “The Good Doctor” (2018) is a catchy, off-kilter standout; and “The Alphabet of Me” (2023) is a dynamic, djent-tinged deep cut.

Every song at a glance

All fifteen songs, in chronological order — each linked to the album it comes from, so you can hear it in context.

Where to start

Begin with their breakthrough The Mountain, widely considered their masterpiece, and the 1980s-tinged Affinity, then the epic debut Aquarius and the conceptual pair Vector and Virus. Their early Visions and the recent Fauna reward deeper exploration.

The players

Haken revolve around a lineup of remarkable musicians: singer Ross Jennings, the multi-instrumentalist Richard Henshall, guitarist Charlie Griffiths, bassist Conner Green and drummer Raymond Hearne, with keyboardist Peter Jones a returning presence. Longtime keyboardist Diego Tejeida shaped much of their classic sound before departing in 2022. Together they combine jaw-dropping technicality with a genuine gift for melody, and remain one of the busiest and most beloved bands in modern prog.

Why they still matter

Haken have proved that progressive metal can be as intricate and heavy as it is melodic and heartfelt. Alongside modern peers like Leprous, Between the Buried and Me and Caligula’s Horse, they have pushed the genre forward while honouring its roots, and albums like The Mountain stand among the finest progressive metal of the century. Nearly two decades in, they remain at the very forefront of the form.

Go deeper

Keep exploring: rank their records with our guide to the best Haken albums, or place them in the bigger picture with the best progressive rock songs of all time.

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