IMPERIAL

SOEN is the Swedish super-group with its own sound; he has been working in progressive metal, in post-metal experimental since 2004 and released his first album in 2012, a mix of prog, dark, doom clearly indicating their repeated listening to PINK FLOYD and other SEPULTURA, surely also those of ANATHEMA , TOOL for a melodic, heavy, complex and singular sound. SOEN that I have known since 2012, this "Cognitive" with a doom-dark-heavy prog sound that had pleasantly struck me, his unprecedented alternative-metal experiment, SOEN who comes to tell us a covid and distressing slice of life. SOEN which is not in the lace.

"Lumerian" begins with a heavy rhythm, metal and the soft voice of Joel which buffers at first, then an instrumental passage with energetic riff and the drums that go with it; soaring atmosphere, return to the basic tune and this catchy chorus, final with a soothing synth. "Deceiver" for a more poised and nervous track, built on the double pedal put forward, a melodic track called stage in my opinion because there is nothing extraordinary just the musical fishing that transcends you. "Monarch" and its end-of-the-world siren bringing a strong rhythm again, letting the voice round off the angles, a bit of KATATONIA to explain the approach of this group starting from an agreed metal sound and injecting it with progressive components like this melancholy violin which can be guessed at the end of the course; violin that can make you think about the merits of compassion and kindness in this world. "Illusion" for the melancholy-depressive rhyme ballad, a title that passes without realizing it, which may make you think about this ramshackle world we live in, I hope that is not the goal though! Note the greasy solo that will melt the brutes and other followers of the blind-blind society, solo that reminds me by its texture that of "Rough Boy" of ZZ TOP, it is so.

"Antagonist" returns to a more soenesque, stormy rhythm, the drums seem to indicate the direction to take; the vocals are higher here, the guitar riff more chiseled; we could stop there and say that it's a good hard rock band but the break arrives delicate aerial, Lars keyboards give in the emotional, the beauty, the spleen, the intimate. 6 minutes to remake the world is worth it. "Modesty" and a synthetic rhythm that changes, vintage and monolithic keyboards, ah here is in my opinion THE solo of the album, enjoyable, squirting on the speakers; the sound brings a depressive sound that risks slipping you under the duvet to wait for the end, end of pandemic, end of violin which amplifies this state? "Dissident" and the return to a wild rhythm, an animal riff, an almost spoken voice, the drums remind us who it is, break spleen which surprises you and makes you want to listen to the title again, the more plaintive voice of a knock; the final returns to the same frame giving an almost surprising melodic air given the initial flood. "Fortune" and the romantic title which would have passed in the last millennium like a slow; Obviously, the 2nd most beautiful solo takes place here during the progressive declination, slow descent ululated by Joel, the keyboards, the group who bow down here. Strange title because releasing a sound that hammers at the ears.

SOEN sets musical notes to make us reflect on our perceptions of life, our world and our place in it with the highly significant double impact artwork, living without thinking? temptation or fighting against this dehumanizing society. Songs yes, well-structured songs that denounce this world tortured by the pandemic; a much more metal album whose progressive stops further amplify the singularity of this tortured sound in the image of today's world. An album mixed by the genius of the controller Kane Churko, powerful therefore, poetic in the dark side of humanity, accomplished, SOEN.