Review HAKEN ” In a Fever Dream” – EP

Haken have established themselves as one of the leading names in progressive rock from the UK. The London-based band broke through with The Mountain and has continued to deliver ambitious records ever since. Following the highly regarded Virus and Fauna, Haken now return with In a Fever Dream, a new five-track EP. Well, “new” comes with a small asterisk: the digital version actually arrived on streaming platforms back in July. Now it’s finally time for fans who still like their music in physical form to get their hands on it.

Across its five tracks, In a Fever Dream highlights both the band’s technical command and their ability to move gracefully between heavy bursts and more inward-looking passages. “delirium” stands out with its roaring guitar work and intricate structures, while the melodic chorus provides a welcome counterweight to the heavier sections.

The EP begins on a much more delicate note. The title track starts quietly and with considerable emotional weight before gradually building in intensity. Interestingly, it’s not sheer volume that gives “in a fever dream” its impact, but the density of the arrangement and the atmosphere Haken create around it.

With “eclipsed by you,” the band demonstrates another side of its sound, constructing spacious musical landscapes that remain calm without losing their emotional pull. In many ways, the track serves as a counterpoint to the heavier “delirium” and fits naturally into the EP’s middle section.

There is a strong emotional undercurrent running through In a Fever Dream, which feels fitting given that the EP emerged from a period of reflection and regrouping. Haken have gone through several changes, including the departures of Conner Green and Charles Griffiths, and the band is currently operating as a four-piece. What they present here sounds like a group gradually finding its balance again.

That sense of vulnerability comes through particularly well on songs such as “lotus,” which can almost feel like a glimpse beneath the surface of the band itself. The lotus is a fitting metaphor: from dark, muddy ground, something fresh and beautiful can emerge. In that sense, In a Fever Dream feels less like the final statement and more like the first bud appearing above the water. Now it will be interesting to see what happens when Haken finally reaches full bloom again.