Review | Sole Syndicate – The Reckoning

El Puerto Records

Swedish melodic hard rockers Sole Syndicate return with their fourth studio album, ‘The Reckoning’, and from the opening chords of ,,On the Back of an Angel” it becomes clear that this record is their declaration of intent. The band has built its reputation on groove, soaring melodies, and lyrical depth, and here those qualities are sharpened into razor-edged songs that balance arena-ready hooks with introspective storytelling. The way they blend melodies and progressive timing with soaring vocals and memorable hooks is impressive. Add to the flavour a dose of Soen-reminiscent phrasing in the vocal delivery, and you have an album that will turn heads and make metalheadz bang out loud.

EMOTIONAL ROLLERCOASTER

Swelling keys and soaring vocals open the track. Crooning with intense soar, Jonas belts out the opening lyrics: ,,In the eyes of a dreamer, you see the light of a thousand stars. At the end of a broken dream, you can count the scars”. It immediately grips and sets the tone for an emotional rollercoaster through the band’s sonic spectrum.

Thunderous drums and wonderful bass lines set the song in motion, with scorching guitars at the helm. Pumping into the chorus with its nesting melody and gigantic hook, Jonas’ vocals drip with the same searing melancholy as Soen’s Joel Ekelöf. The rougher edge he deploys adds to the song’s lyrical drama. Midway, the track breaks into Floydian instrumentation with subtle orchestration and powerful guitar chords. The vocals pour into the song’s towering agony, with tension building back to form.

CAREFULLY CONSTRUCTED

The opener leads into a 10-track album carefully constructed into the orbit of ‘The Reckoning’. ,,The Way That You Are” is built around Phrygian-scaled chords that discharge atop its riff-heavy foundation. The guitar melody is absolutely wonderful and the towering chorus, like so many on this album, is instantly nesting. The vocals, phrased for maximum impact, pull the song forward with intensity. The pulsing groove displays Alfredo ‘Fred’ Souza’s skillset as a drummer, anchoring the song’s dynamics. He interacts with bass player David ‘Gus’ Gustafsson to blend power with precision. Gus’s playing is subtle, his countermelodies and chordal discharges injecting a soulful growl, while Katja ‘Cat’ Rasila enhances the texture with her supportive keys. It’s this chemistry that propels the tracks, allowing Jonas Månsson to shine brightly.

Lead (video) single ,,The Voice Inside”, lyrically ties to the album’s title, showcasing the band’s knack for marrying darkness with irresistible melody and wonderful hooks. Its heavy yet polished production and emotional weight make it a natural centrepiece, the commanding vocals jabbing at you constantly. Above a spitting clean bass line, Jonas roars with grit and authority before a guitar solo breaks forward in contrasting tone. Ebbing keys add a thicker crust to the muscular riffs and guitar melodies, fading with agony in the breakdown.

BROODING DRAMA

Where earlier albums like ‘Into the Flames’ leaned more dominantly on groove and dynamic arrangements, ‘The Reckoning’ broadens the scope. ,,Rise Like a Phoenix” is a prime example with its uplifting, cinematic, and anthem-like drive, signalling resilience in a world on edge. The melody nests instantly, enriched by string arrangements in the chords. The guitar delivers a memorable solo of weeping notes, erupting unexpectedly with dazzling arpeggios.

By contrast, ,,Eye of the Storm” offers brooding drama beneath scorching guitars and heavy bass interplay. The drums double-kick the turbulence into action, while keys rain into the mix. Jonas ups the ante with raw vocals and soaring melodies, making the song an explosive mix of drama and agony. Piano swirls in a cinematic setting, growling bass chords echo distorted beneath Jonas’ soaring voice. The solo rips and the track grows into towering drama and eloquence. Its chorus crashes like thunder, spilling its energy into the moody ,,Love is Only”, where heartfelt vocals cut across restrained instrumentation, gradually swelling into a melodic heated crescendo. The vocal interaction between Cat’s clean register and Jonas’ emotive depth makes the song as compelling as it is reflective. Guitars echo atop stomping drums and bass thundering in the song’s low end, while short, lush acoustic drops add to the constantly cascading emotion. Simply wonderful!

CINEMATIC SCENERY

Opened with tribal chants and instrumentation, the brooding bite and groove-laden discharge of ,,The Mob Rules” reminds listeners that Sole Syndicate can snarl as effectively as they soar. The pumping organics of a Hammond organ add a contemporary flavour at the heart of the scorching riff and groove. The vocals are anger-packed and detonate in its chorus. ,,Valley of the Kings” brings a majestic flair forward, invoking imagery of timeless battles. The piano sets the cinematic scenery in motion, and the enormous opening is phenomenal. String arrangements reverberate through the blend of guitar melodies atop the scorching riffs. Built on that riff, that could easily fill an arena, the track unrolls wonderful guitar licks and enthralling lyrics. This is Jonas front and centre with guitars and vocals pouring. The jabbing piano strokes return in the scenic breakdown of the track, packed with melancholy and epic imagery.

AGONY AND STRIDE

The album never loses steam. ,,Heavy Is the Heart” is drenched in melancholy, with throbbing bass and memorable hooks. It’s a reflective track that balances pain with grandeur, encapsulated in Jonas’ heartfelt crooning. Guitar themes and pitching licks, underscored by slamming bass, create richness. Modern (synth) keys weave texture and atmosphere into the seam of the song. ,,Heavy is the cross I’m bearing, Heavy is the heart”, Jonas belts with equal doses of agony and stride. It hits you in the gut!

The closing ,,Miracle” ties everything together, ending the album on a hopeful yet powerful note. Piano and strings, laced with Jonas’ emotive vocals, drone low while chants meander alongside growling bass chords. The piano melody recalls Dream Theater’s ,,Wait for Sleep”, before the song erupts with pulsing bass and guitars atop a marching drum groove. The guitar solo soars with taste and memorability, while Jonas’ phrasing drips with Ekelöf-alike inflections yet emits a different emotion. The breakdown is enormous, powering up with repetitive vocal harmonies and layered instrumentation, a grandiose endgame to ‘The Reckoning’. It is an emotional curtain call that lingers long after the last chord fades.

SOLE SYNDICATE – THE CONCLUSION

‘The Reckoning’ continues the band’s tradition of clarity and punch while pushing its own boundaries. Guitars snarl and shimmer, riffs hit heavy and fierce, while the rhythm section is tight and muscular, injecting dynamics and time changes. Cat’s subtle keys add warmth without oversaturating, her atmospheric pads and motifs enriching the soundscape. The balance, and sometimes contrast, between instruments heightens the listening experience. Jonas Månsson’s vocals deliver both grit and grace, anchoring each track with authenticity. Switching register effortlessly, he impacts the songs’ cathartic patterns and emotional swings.

With ‘The Reckoning’, Sole Syndicate prove that their blend of melodic hard rock and heavy grooves is not only alive but thriving. The album delivers fire and finesse, heart and heaviness—a balance many bands strive for but few truly achieve. It makes ‘The Reckoning’ an engaging record that affirms Sole Syndicate’s place among modern melodic metal’s strongest voices.

Release date: 26 September 2025