Haven (Marianas Trench album)

Did You Know?

• The band announced the Force of Nature Tour on May 28, with support from Cassadee Pope and Grayscale in the US and LØLØ in Canada.
• On August 21, the band hosted an exclusive premiere of Haven in Toronto, performing the songs live for fans.
• A fall leg of the Force of Nature Tour will be supported by the Summer Set from September to October 2025.

Background

After touring across Canada, including performances at the Calgary Stampede and Malkin Bowl, the band entered the studio in July 2022 to work on their sixth album. By September 2022, one song was completed and five more were in progress. Like previous releases, Haven is a concept album inspired by Joseph Campbell's The Hero's Journey. Lead vocalist Josh Ramsay began developing ideas for the album while writing his debut solo album, The Josh Ramsay Show, in 2022. After studying Campbell's book, Ramsay was struck by how the concept applied to every story and used one plot point from the hero's journey to guide each track. The album is also autobiographical for Ramsay. Lead guitarist Matt Webb said the group aimed to one-up themselves and pushed for a "high gain, high energy, unfiltered and unapologetic" sound. The album was influenced by "all walks of life," with the band wanting to evoke "real inner struggles." Ramsay noted that he had seen the hero's journey in literature and film but never in music, leading to more revisions than on previous records, and he found the process "significantly more ambitious than he'd anticipated."

Composition

Haven contains 13 tracks, all written and produced by Ramsay. The album layers synthesizers and includes contributions from the Vancouver Film Orchestra conducted by Hal Beckett. Bassist Mike Ayley said the band wanted a "cinematic kind of feel" with guitar and orchestral sounds, and that hidden references to older songs and melodies appear as the album progresses. The opening track, "A Normal Life," runs nearly seven minutes and is described as glam rock and progressive rock; Ramsay wanted it to be "as bold as possible." Its lyrics convey a feeling of not belonging in one's place in life and knowing one was meant for something more. "Down to You" is a symphonic rock track resembling the band's earlier work on Masterpiece Theatre and Ever After. "Lightning and Thunder" was written about Ramsay learning he and his wife were expecting their first child, with the message of "a call to adventure." "I'm Not Getting Better" blends pop punk, dancepop, and synthpop, reflecting on self-doubt and overcoming obstacles, corresponding to the third plot point of The Hero's Journey. "Turn and Run" ends in a crescendo reminiscent of the title track from Ever After. "Worlds Collide" is piano-driven and references material from Masterpiece Theatre. The closing track, "Haven," was compared to the last track of Astoria, "End of an Era," and references earlier work.

Release

On April 26, 2024, the band released the first single, "A Normal Life," their first song since 2019. "Lightning and Thunder" followed on May 24 as the second single, peaking at number 38 on the Canada CHR/Top 40 and number 22 on the Canada Hot AC chart. The third single, "I'm Not Getting Better," was released on July 12. On July 23, the music video for "Lightning and Thunder" premiered via VEVO, directed by Ben Knechtel. On July 26, the band announced Haven, originally scheduled for February 2024 but delayed by six months due to events in Ramsay's life. The album was released on August 30, 2024, via 604 Records and Warner Music Canada. The fourth single, "Down to You," was released on August 16. After the album's release, the group released pseudo/music videos for "Stand and Fight," "Remember Me By," "Nights Like These," and "Turn and Run." A lyric video for the title track premiered on April 4, 2025, and a live version of "Nights Like These" was released as a single on April 25.

Critical reception

Haven received positive reviews from music critics. Nick Anastasia of Melodic wrote that the album "feels like the spiritual successor to 2011's magical Ever After," noting that the 80s-inspired sound of Astoria, the dark moodiness of Phantoms, and the rock sound of Masterpiece Theatre are all present, and that Ramsay and the band fused the best of their work into a "powerhouse album." Stuart Derdeyn of Vancouver Sun observed Queen-like vocal flights in "Into the Storm," a Toto-ish pulse in "Ancient History," and rousing balladry in "Nights Like These," indicating extensive time spent shaping the results. Zee Caine of New Noise Magazine remarked that the album mixes a feel reminiscent of previous work with a more grown-up tone, showing growth as musicians while the sound remains largely unchanged but the lyrics have matured. Mercedes Chircop of The Spill Magazine praised the band's ability to paint vivid imagery with music and lyrics, noting Josh Ramsay's signature raspy scream and the band's trademark harmonizing vocals. Raniel Santos of Earmilk called the album their "best work," stating that Marianas Trench still has magic to sustain them and that their adaptation of The Hero's Journey is faithfully executed with a personal touch, showing their ability to blend pop and symphonic rock for multiple kinds of stories.