MEMORIAL

Swedish prog rock/metal heavyweights Soen are back with their sixth studio album, Memorial - and it's yet another masterpiece in a catalogue that is growing to be one of the most impressive and consistent in the whole genre. With Memorial, the Swedes continue the subtle evolution of their sound towards heavier modern metal territory they started with their previous LP Imperial, merging a harder American alt-metal edge with the unmistakable Scandinavian melancholy and majesticness that has always characterized the band's output.

The contrast between these two aspects of Soen's sound has never been starker, which is part of what makes Memorial such a splendidly dynamic and wholly entertaining record. There are very few traces left of the mid-paced songwriting and mild-mannered delivery that have characterized much of the band's pervious records. These have been instead replaced by a fury and raw energy that pervades nearly all aspects of the new songs. Martin López dispenses with much of his signature syncopations and polyrhythms to instead favour a steadier and more direct drumming style, providing a mighty solid backbone to the arrangements. Meanwhile, Joel Ekelöf injects tons of rasp and distortion in his normally silky and restrained vocal delivery. The melodies he sings on the new songs are also more direct and rudimental than what he has used us to, which suits perfectly his harsher signing style. Perhaps even most notably, many of the songs are fast-paced and infused with a cornucopia of very headbangable riffs that give the guitars a dominant role in the arrangements ("Sincere", "Unbreakable", "Fortress", "Incendiary", "Icon"). Even Cody Ford's solos often stray away from his typical Gilmouresque approach and towards more uptempo and dissonant playing.

Against this backdrop, the sparse moments of melancholy and mellowness acquire an even stronger and more spellbinding presence. "Sincere", "Unbreakable", "Fortress", and "Incendiary" all contain sudden drops in volume and intensity, as the fury of the songs' verses and choruses gives way to delicate, semi-acoustic passages in the bridges. Meanwhile, songs like "Hollowed", "Tragedian" and "Vitals" slow down the tempo to ballad-speed, providing cleverly-placed changes of pace to the album as a whole. The progressive and experimental elements of the music also gain prominence in the context of the generally heavy and hard-hitting songwriting, like the sinister and dissonant instrumental bridge of "Icon", the computerized vocals on the verse of "Violence", or the majestic use of synthetized strings in the title-track that provide a chilling throwback to the use of Mellotron in classic prog rock (King Crimson).

Memorial is a phenomenal album that works on many different levels. It's lot of fun to listen to, by virtue of the sheer energy of its songs. But there are also tons of different layers in the music, which get better and better with each new listen as one uncovers new depths in the arrangements and songwriting. The first six tracks, in particular, are among the best the Swedish band has ever penned, with the title-track and the emotional ballad "Hollowed" (featuring a beautiful cameo by Italian pop singer Elisa) deserving special mention. The album's second half may be a touch less compelling, as tracks like "Incendiary" and "Tragedian" cannot perhaps reach the level of awesomeness of earlier songs. But the progressive tour-de-force "Icon" and the incredible soul/jazz ballad "Vitals" close the album in a spectacular way, almost compelling the listener to press "PLAY" again. In fact, I am finding it nearly impossible to put this record down: it has been haunting my CD player for weeks now, with no intention to leave any time soon. Album of the Year? Very, very possibly so.

[Originally written for The Metal Observer]

Swedish rockers Soen now have their sixth studio album 'Memorial' out and continue their trend of releasing a new record every couple of years. The band has gained some attention in and outside the world of progressive metal, although their style is mostly a blend of prog and alternative rock, to categorize it in a way. Mixing up their obvious appreciation for Tool with their leanings to Opeth and Katatonia, as one could hear these bands' influence embedded in Soen's output. However, most recently their albums do sound more like the band itself, meaning that a more or less recognizable identity of their own has been forged.

'Memorial' is an average collection of heavier tracks with a stronger leaning towards the alternative side of the band's sound, not necessarily overly satisfying, revolutionary, or imaginative. They do manage to present themselves in a respectable manner, and obviously the production of the album is quite good, but it also signifies to me that all subsequent Soen releases will sound the same and very similar to this one as well as the last two albums. Which takes out of the equation the element of surprise, depending on who you ask.

With this being said, one really has to mention how intricate and playful the drumming is, but Martin Lopez is a well-known and very experienced metal drummer. The guitars also sound very crisp and bright, some of the riffs are quite fine! The bass gets a bit lost in the final mix, which is a pity for a band that has previously released albums as strong and nuanced as 'Lykaia' or 'Tellurian'. I am not particularly fond of the vocals on this one or of how predictable and mostly straightforward and monotonous the songs are. The first couple of tracks are a good example of this. I can't help but feel like I am listening to any alt rock/metal album produced by a major label nowadays. Things do in fact get better around the end, where the band give us the slightly more adventurous tracks like 'Icon', 'Incendiary', or the title track.

'Memorial' is a good album for what it's worth and it does certainly indicate the sonic image that Soen have acquired and built for themselves over the years, also meaning that their future releases could be painfully similar to this one. I could not regard this album as highly as some of the past releases of the band, but most people could like and enjoy this one.

Soen is one of the most highly skilled progressive metal bands in the world and with a unique and complex progressive metal style. Memorial is another great release by the band which includes the song 'Hollowed' featuring the Italian vocalist Elisa which is the first guest appearance I can think of for the band. This release follows the band's trend from Lotus and Imperial which was a bit of shift from the sound of Tellurian and Lykaia. Joel Ekelof's vocals are amazing with a huge range and varied presentation styles. Personally I don't see a much of a similarity with Tool other that at a technical level but if you like the sound of Opeth and other Swedish & Norwegian progressive metal bands like Leprous, Green Carnation, Pain of Salvation and Evergrey you should definitely give Soen's latest release 'Memorial' a listen.