Haken guitarist Charlie Griffiths unveils new Tiktaalika project

Haken guitarist Charlie Griffiths has unveiled his new solo project Tiktaalika, sharing a video for Gods Of Pangea, featuring Texture’s Daniël de Jongh on vocals.

For the follow-up to 2023s debut solo album of the same name Griffiths has adopted the name Tiktaalika and will release his second solo album, Gods Of Pangea, through InsideOut Music on March 14.

The new album sees Griffiths exploring the connection between the metal he loved as a youth and its connection with the progressive music he makes with Haken. As well as de Jongh, the album, which is more song-based than Tiktaalika, features Tommy Rogers (Between The Buried & Me), Rody Walker (Protest The Hero) and Vladimir Lalić (Organised Chaos).

"This time around I wanted to be more song-oriented, rather than having an overarching concept," Griffiths explains. "Although I had a rough blueprint for the shape of the album in my head and was always conscious of the balance and flow of the album experience; starting with a fast thrasher, following up with a longer progressive track, then a slower sludgy song, followed by a softer track and so on. I finished all the music first and really focused on each section be there for a good reason, with a guitar riff that propels the song.

"I was able to allow them to really percolate in my mind before moving on to the lyrics and vocal line demos. I’m very specific with melodies and word placement so the singers can focus on just delivering it 100% without having to figure too much out. Of course every single track came out a thousand times better than I’d hoped; everyone did an incredible job!"

The album was mixed by Adam ‘Nolly’ Getgood and mastered by Tony Lindgren at Fascination Street Studios.

Gods Of Pangea will be available as a limited edition CD (including a bonus track), gatefold LP and as a digital album.

Pre-order Gods Of Pangea.

Tiktaalika: Gods Of Pangea
1. Tyrannicide feat. Daniël de Jongh
2. Gods of Pangaea feat. Daniël de Jongh
3. The Forbidden Zone feat. Vladimir Lalić
4. Mesozoic Mantras feat. Vladimir Lalić
5. Fault Lines feat. Rody Walker
6. Give Up The Ghost feat. Daniël de Jongh
7. Lost Continent feat. Tommy Rogers
8. Chicxulub (Bonus Track on CD & Digital)

Artists

Writer and broadcaster Jerry Ewing is the Editor of Prog Magazine which he founded for Future Publishing in 2009. He grew up in Sydney and began his writing career in London for Metal Forces magazine in 1989. He has since written for Metal Hammer, Maxim, Vox, Stuff and Bizarre magazines, among others. He created and edited Classic Rock Magazine for Dennis Publishing in 1998 and is the author of a variety of books on both music and sport, including Wonderous Stories; A Journey Through The Landscape Of Progressive Rock.