Review | Soen – Reliance

Silver Lining Music

The new rock year starts in style with ‘Reliance’, the 7^th album of Swedish prog-metal rockers Soen. The band around singer Joel Ekelof and drummer Martin Lopez have been around for some two decades now and slowly but surely established themselves as a growing force in the scene. When you have followed the career of Soen you will have noticed the progress they made album per album, with their 2023 release ‘Memorial’ and their DVD ‘Atlantis’ as their finest and most prolific releases yet.

RETURN

‘Reliance’ marks the return of bass player Stefan Stenberg who rejoined the group after a hiatus of a few years. Together with Ekelof, Lopez, US guitarist Cody Ford and Lars Ahlund (keyboards/guitar) Soen are ready for another chapter. One that defies the immaculate sound that not only has prog-metal shapes, but also flirts with melodic metal and a touch of melancholy. It is especially the intensity in the singing of Ekelof that is the key ingredient in the sound of this band. He can be forceful, he can be mesmerizing, he can be a storyteller or he can just belt it out, but always with a melody in mind. And the lyrics of the man are always interesting.

ONE WORD SONG-TITLES

As per usual the last decade or so, songs of Soen only are one-word titled tracks. I am not really sure why that is the case. It might be a certain strategy perhaps. Whatever it is  it works for them. ‘Reliance’ has just as its older siblings an intensity that is almost second to none. Take for instance ,,Axis’’ with its staccato drums and a riff that kicks up like a mule or the title-track that is about the current state of the world. What is also impressing is he stellar production of the album, done by Alexander Backlund. This man was able to bring the best of the musicians to the surface and has helped shape an album that has absolutely no weak points.

SOEN – THE CONCLUSION

If older albums such as the already mentioned ‘Memorial’ but also ‘Lotus’ and ‘Imperial’ have your blessing, make sure to check out ‘Reliance’. It has all the ingredients a modern melodic prog-metal record should have and a bit more. Mind you, as always is the case with Soen, you will need to invest some time as the music is not easy digestible. I needed some time and a bunch of spins, but when the penny drops….

Release date: 16 January 2026