Being unfamiliar with a band when seeing them live has become a preference over the 30 years I’ve been going to live performances. Favorite bands continue to surprise and dominate, and even sometimes disappoint, but going in blind to a show offers a special experience that cannot be rivaled. Moreover, not being particularly familiar with prog metal shows, I wasn’t entirely sure what the experience would be like as I set out to see Haken, the six-piece outfit Haken from the United Kingdom. Similarly, Arch Echo, the only other act on the bill, was a mystery to me as well.