Soen - Lotus Review

Being relatively new to this whole metalhead thing makes for an interesting position in writing about it. In the scope of 5 years, I have learned a lot and listened to so much music. After hearing what the standards were, I branched off from the mainstream and delved into the more underground side of things. One of the first albums to catch my eyes and ears during that time was Soen’s Lykaia. This Swedish supergroup was formed in 2010 by ex-Amon Amarth/ex-Opeth drummer Martin Lopez, ex-Death/Testament bassist Steve Di Giorgio, former vocalist of Swedish rock band Willowtree Joel Ekelof, and newcomer guitarist Kim Platbarzdis. While Di Giorgio and Platbarzdis had left the band by the time I heard their third album, I was regardless hooked on the intricate and heavy prog band. When learning about this band, the two bands that came up often in chatter when discussing their influences were Tool and Opeth. The latter being somewhat expected, seeing as Mr. Lopez was with the Swedish progressive death band for 7 years over the course of 6 albums. The blend of these two chief influences an interesting concoction of intense and melodic prog, and dare I say, rock, that invokes a somewhat youthful Adam listening to Aenima and Blackwater on repeat. However, the bands uniquely sensational playing and catchy choruses hooked me and ended up being one of my favorite albums of the year. When the single “Martyrs” was released in late 2018, I was more than thrilled to hear where this band would go next. The resultant album, Lotus, is in some ways, perfect for me. It not only highlights the strengths the band previously showcased on albums like Lykaia and Tellurian, but also the evolution that has taken place in their songwriting, and the band's performance. This artistic growth always gets me excited as a listener, as I get to listen to these performers change their sound for the better (or worse, in the cases of some other bands). Similarly to Astronoid’s Air (yes, the self-titled review is coming soon), I was there for the release of Lykaia and hearing Lotus is not only somewhat nostalgic but also helps me as a reviewer, as I can confidently refer to their older content for my ideas. Now that we got that out of the way, let's see where these Swedes go next.

The album starts with “Opponent”, which begins with some ominous reverb, lasting for a small time before the riff kicks in with that classic Soen punch. Like most cuts on this album, the guitars pull back in the verse to make way for the vocals to lead the track. The instrumentation on this song particularly reminds me of the melodic sections in earlier Opeth, where the chugging and melodic guitars are equally represented in all parts of the track. In addition to this, the drums play Danny Carey-esque polyrhythms all the while. The chorus is big, flashy and epic, complete with soaring vocals and a great hook. The bridge then is almost completely the opposite, where a single clean guitar accompanies the soft vocals. This song reminds me heavily of Lykaia and particularly tracks like “Orison” and “Sectarian,” where a lot of the other tracks here go in a different direction. This is a “classic” Soen track if I could say that. Accessible, heavy, and great.

“Lascivious” begins by fading in with soft vocals and drums, while a groovy bassline protrudes in the mix, preparing one for what’s to come. This continues, and it builds with a few occasionally quiet synth lines, ultimately crashing down into the timeless “double chug.” Where two quick notes are played to begin the heaviness of the following section. This short section is filled with chugging and intense drums. The chorus on this song is easily one of the most memorable moments on this album. Joel’s vocals truly soar to amazing heights, the bass still attacks hard in the mix, and the intense riff and complex drums sound great. This band does a great job of building and breaking down their songs, as the following verse matches that of the first verse. The bridge adds some more synth and brings the intensity WAY down. It almost turns the song into a softer tune, but this is short-lived, and the powerful riff returns swiftly to match the pre-chorus. This song is in some parts both a little heavier and a little more reserved than a lot of what was on their previous album and the former song as well. This duality between the sounds is overtly present on the album, from the album cover depicting two opposing lunar phases, to the ebb and flow presented in each track.

Soen’s use of dynamics on this album is one of their most unique and engaging qualities. The softer and more melodic sections bring in the influences of rock and alternative metal, like Tool, while the louder and more “heavy” sections showcase their use of progressive metal. A band that does similar things is the previously mentioned Opeth. By utilizing both progressive rock and death metal influences, they are able to create a sound that is uniquely recognizable, but also uniquely their own. Soen accomplishes a similar feat, and by using these influences, are able to similarly craft a special take on the genre. With most progressive metal bands in 2019 consisting of the djent, “noodley” instrumental or Dream Theater worship variety, this band can use these sounds to create intense buildups and emotional climaxes that are unrivaled in similarity in the modern metalscape.

The lead single, “Martyrs”, charges right in with a great riff that sounds very familiar as a Tool fan, yet fresh at the same time. The guitars between the verses sound very similar to an early era Tool cut; “Aenema” or “Stinkfist” come to mind. This song, like many tracks by this band, is very formulaic. The band has mastered the verse-chorus-verse structure, and generally, I am not a huge fan of this. Soen, however, has taken this and ran with it, making it interesting all the same, with well-crafted songs that are as pleasing as they are addictive. The “medium” verses provide strong build-ups leading into the loud choruses, and the bridge later in the track is almost always far quieter with lighter instrumentation. The following title track, “Lotus”, deviates from this, as the verse creeps in with a very quiet, acoustic feel. Eventually, the chorus comes in and builds up to a killer solo at about the halfway point to the track. This is not too common for the band, and while I don’t generally listen to much music with solos, it fits perfectly here. This track ends just as quiet and leads really well into the next track “Covenant”

            Halfway through the album, and we have our fifth track. It begins with some synth creating a very Lateralus-era Tool vibe (much akin to “Mantra” or “Eon Blue Apocalypse”), and a low mixed guitar to lead into the main riff, which keeps the synth above the track, creating a very interesting addition to the song. This song also has some of the heavier moments on the album, and the pre-choruses on this song are so reminiscent of Tool in terms of riffs and rhythm, that it is almost distractingly good. A fair homage to their influences. It makes me even more excited for the somewhat probable 2019 release of said band's 5^th album. Nevertheless, this cut is a great Soen track. It’s well placed in the center of this album, and the use of quiet and loud sections, which the band love to separate, is perfected on this track. Also, the bridge on this song is without question the best on the album.

            “Penance” begins with an atmospheric synth, which fades into a killer drum fill that then leads into the verse, where Joel’s vocal line sounds the best it has yet on the album. This is one of the more reserved tracks on the album, however, its instrumentation brings the intensity up during the chorus. This song is just plain beautiful, as the lightly strummed riff and soft but effective vocals create a flowing and atmospheric vibe that resonates perfectly with the synth and light percussive elements. However this is a small relief, as the second pre-chorus brings the heavy, similarly to many a Soen track, only to pull it back once again. This song is very good, but for me, it lacks a certain memorability that prevents it from sticking in my mind.

            “River” is an interesting track as it begins as, essentially, a piano ballad. It starts with an echoing synth accompanying Joel’s voice, and an acoustic guitar follows suit soon after. Also yes, this song contains my favorite chorus. I’m a sucker for ballads, and especially ones where the main melody transitions well into the main song, while still incorporating it. After the first chorus, the rest of the instrumentation comes in to continue what the piano started. The song isn’t too complicated otherwise, however, the outro sounds amazing with the piano playing a beautiful melody over the track, and the fade out with the words “Let it all wither” is both haunting and beautiful and provides an awesome ending to this simple, but effective song.

            The second to last track, “Rival”, starts quickly with a riff that pummels the listener after it fully hits. It’s groovy, hooky and intricate, and sounds tremendously like something Mikael Akerfeldt would cook up for Opeth in the early 2000s. This plays to the band's strength and its transitions between verse, pre-chorus, and chorus are continually engaging.  The hook here is astonishingly strong, and it makes me want to put this song on repeat. I cannot praise this song enough. The drumming is intricate and crushing, the vocals create an amazing hook, the riff has an epic progression which makes headbanging that comes with it feel instinctual. This is everything I could want in a Soen song. Easily planting itself as my favorite track in the list, it leads nicely into the final track.

            So, the last cut of this album is interesting. I say this because “Lunacy” starts off very strong, with a building verse and clean guitar which builds before the introduction of drums and bass. All with what is perhaps the best vocal line on the album. The track then erupts with a wave of heavy guitars to lead into the chorus. This hook might be the most catchy yet, and soon after the opening melody by the single guitar returns with the rest of the instruments to compliment. Again, this is great. What is peculiar, however, is how the sound ends halfway through its track length. The track is eight minutes, however, the song basically ends after four. There then comes some atmospheric guitar work, and about three minutes later vocals come back for a final line or two, and then the song ends with the atmospheric guitars. I don’t dislike this, but it is a little awkward when Lykaia ended off with perhaps its strongest track, Gods Acre. While I do commend the band on this amazing album, if I could personally change anything, it would be the ending to this song. Overall though, this conclusion is but a small hiccup in an amazing album.

           Lotus is perhaps the first great album of 2019. As January came and went, there were few if any albums that stood out as strong AOTY contenders. This album has not only proven itself as a worthy successor to Lykaia, but it has also placed itself firmly as one of the best albums of 2019. If this is not on my end of the year list, it will have been an exceptionally good year for music. Regardless, this album is fantastic, and Soen’s latest offering will easily cement them as one of the stronger progressive metal bands of today’s age.

Overall Rating: No wolves, but the moons definitely make up for it

Favorite Songs: "Rival", "Covenant"