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Soen have had an interesting career trajectory. Formed by ex-Opeth drummer Martin Lopez, their debut album, 2012’s Cognitive, was reminiscent of Tool’s mathematically influenced art-metal.
Over the next few albums they developed their own sound, albeit one that took some influence from Lopez’s former outfit; 2014’s Tellurian, 2017’s Lykia and 2019’s Lotus represented a wonderful run of form that saw them wrap progressive tendrils around an air of melancholy and complex, ever-shifting songs.
They started to change in the current decade. Imperial was a fine record on its own terms, but it was also more streamlined and compact – the anthemic metal quotient up, the proggier elements down. That direction of travel was maintained through 2023’s Memorial.
It’s holding firm here too. Fans who have enjoyed the more recent mix of shiny bombast and melodic subtleties will find a lot to love in Reliance, but those longing for the more involved songwriting and lengthier compositions will be disappointed.
Primal kicks things off with a nicely chugging riff and strong vocal hooks. It’s driving, effective and well-constructed, but also pared down and a little predictable.
Mercenary crashes through in a similar vein, with a stomping power metal groove and a nicely poetic lyrical bent as they discuss the cyclical nature of violence: ‘Covering our eyes, we cannot see/ While we betray our legacy/Crowning vultures into kings,’ croons Joel Ekelöf, whose range and power remains a distinct selling point.
The songs themselves remain largely outward-looking, dissecting and deliberating on the challenging times we’re living in. And there remain plenty of deviations and interesting moments packed into a set of songs that, once more, decline to stray much beyond the four-minute mark.
Discordia provides breathing space with whispering, key-stroked lulls and a floaty synth break amid the heavy breakdowns. Axis brings a shade more complexity to the riffage and features a lovely transition from rock god soloing to bluesier, more reflective passages.
And Vellichor is a particularly strong and distinctive closer, building in a choral vocal, atmospheric effects and a slow build towards an epically melodic crescendo.
The musicianship is exemplary throughout and there’s an attention to detail in the arrangements and production that’s altogether admirable, but it’s too often funnelled into predictable patterns: riff, quiet bit, big anthemic hook, repeat.
Reliance is another strong, melodic showing by a band who have deliberately chosen their path – it just isn’t a hugely progressive one.
Reliance is on sale now via Silver Lining Music.
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