When I heard the themes for this release and the heavier direction I was enthralled. Few bands are able to merge progressive metal and melody in a heavy fashion whilst maintaining an edgy, somewhat original vibe. Haken have solved that puzzle for the most part. Their penchant for heavy, dark metal shines forth on Vector, a conceptual piece based on one doctor’s (“Rex”) interventions with “patient #21” and that patient’s emotional (and physical?) response to his/her treatments. While critics and consumers of epic rock opera/concept metal won’t be blown away by originality of concept here, I think Haken have crafted a compelling and credible journey, both lyrically and musically. Thanks to the help of Adam “Nolly” Getgood (mixing) it all sounds wonderful.After a brief and slightly sinister instrumental intro (“Clear”), the stage is set for rock drama. “The Good Doctor” has plenty of lurching, rhythmic and at times djent-y riffing juxtaposed with Ross’s “pop” like melodic vocals and some of the electronic percussion deployed from the Affinity sessions. In a way, it makes this song the perfect transition from Affinity to the somewhat heavier vibe of Vector. “The Puzzle Box” starts out with a more laid back pace, but then summersaults into polyrhythmic frenzy around the 2:10 mark. The texture changes once again around 3:30 with plenty of electronic tweaking and twitching. But just when it feels subdued (almost medicated) the fury reignites, reflecting the emotional aggression eroding the patient’s sanity.“Bouncing off the walls/Latent memories erupting … Rawness in his eyes/Reeking stench of fear and regret”The lengthy “Veil” screams melodic progressive metal bliss, although one criticism might be that there is a noticeable Dream Theater quality, especially during the “Save Me/Take away the pain inside” chorus. And while they largely steered away from excessive technical passages on Affinity, that is not the case on this song in particular. Those observations aside, it is wonderful to hear musicians gel with this kind of speed and agility, and there are some really cool/ominous guitar tones during the closing moments of the song that set the stage for the quirky/insane Haken-infected instrumental “Nil By Mouth.” The outlier track would definitely be “Host,” which really slows things down and features eerie Flugelhorn passages, giving the song an almost Mark Isham meets post-progressive Duda/Steven Wilson quality. Lyrically it also represents the nadir of the patient’s state of mind.“I’m fading, I dissolve into the ghost/I’m waiting for the earth to be my host”Out of this “fog,” the music explodes with the brilliant closer, “A Cell Divides.” This may end up being my favorite track here because it so perfectly combines the more aggressive nature Haken have applied to Vector combined with the more experimental elements that really succeeded on Affinity. But at the end there is a brief pause … a cassette insertion … followed by presumably the Verbal Summator Test and the ? revealing of the identity of "patient #21." Fascinating stuff, to say the least and great creativity on all levels.Vector is an incredibly smooth album, condensed into a much smaller time-frame (45 minutes) than what we’ve been used to hearing from this band. But it’s an intense and emotionally charged experience from beginning to end, leaving nothing to speculation – this is progressive metal, at times, wearing its influences too apparently - fully energetic and unapologizing. The CD version comes in an extremely cool triple gate-fold digiak, the disc labels tape reels. Of course having the instrumental versions has become “the thing” with these guys and where the songs are so instrumentally dense (akin to Aquarius) it makes for good listening. The 20 page booklet is the icing on the cake – nice illustrations included which provide insights into the treatments (ECT) and the layout of the Mountview Institution. (Clever how the band worked their prior album titles into this saga). While fans of Affinity may be a bit disappointed in the musical direction this time, those who enjoyed the heavier and more conceptually based Aquarius and Visions should rejoice.Vinyl 2LP (Update 11/16/18)The double gatefold vinyl sports a matte finish and anti-static sleeves. The Mountview Institution “floor plan” takes up the inside covers and then there is a nice 4 page insert with lyrics and illustrations. My discs are white and extremely clear of surface noise. I would have to say that I have not always been impressed with the quality of the vinyl from Inside Out, but Vector is an exception. For those frustrated with the over-compressed mp3 and CD versions, look no further – these songs are rich and full in this format, probably because you’ve only got 2 or 3 songs per album side which equals wider grooves. Side 4 is the etched version of the cover image.