A Shadow Of My Future Self [CD]【Japan Special Edition w/ OBI】

As lead vocalist and co-songwriter of the hugely successful modern progressive metal band HAKEN, ROSS JENNINGS needs no introduction in some circles, having released 1 ep, 1 Live album and 6 full length studio albums of consistently high quality with the band, HAKEN have been climbing that mountain with grace and gusto, albeit on the fringe of mainstream rock and metal. In 2019 HAKEN won ‘Best UK Artist’ at the annual PROG awards, with their latest release ‘Virus’ reaching #2 in the UK rock charts and entering the US Billboard Hot 100 at #52.

On the back of this release ROSS JENNINGS set out to write, record and self-produce his debut solo effort ‘A SHADOW OF MY FUTURE SELF’ with an ambition to become a new household name and keep mainstream classic rock alive and well.

One undeniable element to the success of HAKEN is undoubtedly ROSS JENNINGS’ uniquely soothing yet versatile voice and captivating lyricism that has won the hearts of many and the minds of those who dare to unravel the layers of poetry and cryptic narratives within HAKEN’s Repertoire.

Never one to shy away from his influences, ROSS JENNINGS has openly disclosed his love for American AOR and mainstream ‘90s MTV’ arena rock, his passion for modern Indie/pop such as Coldplay, U2 & R.E.M., and even his affinity with the Nashville Country music scene. Ross’s influences and tastes are vast, coupled with a strong desire to have an outlet to expand his songwriting away from Prog-metal and into these arenas, A SHADOW OF MY FUTURE SELF finds Ross on a musical journey his fans have not heard him explore professionally before, writing very personal songs in what can only be described as a love letter to the aforementioned popular genres that were the foundation to Ross’s musical inspiration. This album will take you on a journey that starts on a country road, navigating indie pop, anthemic rock, power ballads and epic prog.

Ross has the following to say about the project: “Despite my history, I rarely regard myself as a metal singer, but somehow the marriage of my voice on HAKEN’s music has worked wonders! However, I was in desperate need to scratch a long time itch and make a record that appeals to the broader spectrum of my music tastes. With A SHADOW OF MY FUTURE SELF, I unashamedly wear my influences on my sleeve but this is the kind of music I always imagined I’d be making before I took the path less travelled into prog metal!”

Written and recorded in the space of about 4-5 months between April - August 2020 the crux of the inspiration for the A SHADOW OF MY FUTURE SELF was born out of some difficult personal times.
“Not only was the planet turned on its head due to Covid-19, a fact that actually allowed the process of writing the album to happen, but some significant relationship breakdowns were occurring in my personal life at the same time. Without being too specific, the lockdown forced me to confront these life issues in the face and in the flesh, resulting in a wealth of emotions that inspired much of the lyrics on this record. I went on a very emotional and spiritual journey to overcome and make peace with certain things, which ultimately led to a very positive space. It was very cathartic and therapeutic to work through my issues and create something positive out of some very negative circumstances.”

The album art was photographed by Yulia Jennings and designed fulfilled by longtime HAKEN collaborator BLACKLAKE. A full album design and layout has already been fulfilled.

Whilst A SHADOW OF MY FUTURE SELF was all written in full by ROSS JENNINGS and boasts not only vocal but also guitar performances from himself, some other choice up and coming guest musicians were hired to fulfill the backing band duties for the record. Featuring Simen Sandnes (The Shining, Vola, Arkentype) on drums, Vikram Shankar (Redemption, Silent Skies, Lux Terminus) on keyboards and orchestral arrangements, plus prolific YouTuber and session bass extraordinaire Nathan Navarro (Devin Townsend) fulfilling bass duties. These fine musicians make up Ross’s core band, with some notable guest performances from Norwegian brass outfit ‘Blasemafian’, mixed by Karim Sinno at The AudioLoft and mastered by HAKEN collaborator Ermin Hamidovic of Systematic Productions (Vector & Virus).

The album is a very diverse mix of Alternative Pop, Arena Rock and indie ballads with infectious melodies that won’t leave your brain. A truly bold statement from a prog rock/metal musician with ambition to take a giant leap into the mainstream, following the footsteps of his heroes such as Phil Collins, Peter Gabriel, David Gilmour, Chris Cornell & Steven Wilson.