Haken guitarist Charlie Griffiths will be releasing his debut solo album Tiktaalika on June 17 (InsideOutMusic). While prog lovers will naturally wonder what Griffiths can do outside the realm of Haken’s progressive metal domination, Tiktaalika boasts the sounds of the guitarist’s roots: early thrash, industrial metal, and alternative rock. Zig-zagging back, forth, and around the outer edges of melody, heaviness, and the avant-garde, the album is a well-rounded offering from Griffiths.
The latest single from the album, "Luminous Beings," featuring vocals from Danïel De Jongh (ex-Textures). You can watch the video above. Griffiths had this to say about the track (via Inside Out): “[It’s] the most proggy track on the album; I think of it as Gentle Giant meets Cynic, with a blend of big odd time riffs and technical, detailed guitar parts and jazz harmony. Lyrically this is a love letter to the amazing planet and natural world we find ourselves in and also reflects on that intangible ‘force’ which drives us and inspires us to keep moving forward, despite the many obstacles we’re all dealt. But as someone once said, ‘life finds a way!'
"I’d long been a fan of Danïel De Jongh’s vocal work with Textures and I was incredibly lucky to have him lend his awesome, soulful voice to this track and bringing it to life. Underpinning it all is Drummer Darby Todd (Martin Barre, Devin Townsend), who delivered the perfect blend of power, world class groove and fusion chops to the track.”
A previously released track from the album, ‘Arctic Cemetery’ includes guest vocals from Tommy Rogers of Between the Buried & Me. You can watch the video now below, as well as a video for the instrumental title track here. The album includes stunning artwork from Dan Goldsworthy, and will be available as a limited-edition CD, a gate-folded 180 gram double LP, as well as a digital album. Pre-orders for the album are now available here.
