Band:	Soen
Album:	Memorial
Style:	Alternative metal, Progressive metal
Release date:	September 2023

01. Sincere
02. Unbreakable
03. Violence
04. Fortress
05. Hollowed [feat. Elisa]
06. Memorial
07. Incendiary
08. Tragedian
09. Icon
10. Vitals

If you want to reach more people with your music, do you have to compromise the quality of said music? Memorial proves that you don’t necessarily have to, but it is also not easy to have your cake and eat it too.

Imperial was something like Soen’s Black Album (that black cover with the snake can’t have been coincidental), in the sense that, like Metallica did in 1991, it seemed to be Soen’s conscious attempt to break into a larger crowd and also to make their presence more known on the other side of the Atlantic. The difference was that, unlike Metallica’s album, Imperial was a truly exceptional release, which topped my best-of-2021 list, showcasing masterful musicianship and captivating songwriting. Memorial is going one step further toward striving for commercial success, but, luckily, it’s nothing like the dumpster fire that Load was. In any case, I am glad that we are not in the ‘90s, when bands who tried to branch out to new fans were automatically ostracized from the metal community for being ‘sell-outs’, committing a sin punishable by death.

Memorial is a natural progression from what the band did with Lotus and Imperial, which is metal that falls under the ‘alternative’ umbrella with various amounts of prog. Lykaia solidified a sound for Soen that set them apart from everyone else, and, at this point, they cannot be confused with any other band, which is something that can only be said for a very small and elite group of acts in the music business. The band’s tasteful music and thoughtful lyrics both rely on contrasts, balancing darkness with light, aggression with tenderness, and sadness with optimism. Memorial does this quite convincingly, being the band’s reflection on the current state of the world and addressing issues like war and conflict, the climate crisis, and the rise of human selfishness to the expense of the common good. The sophisticated, yet unsettling cover art is highlighting an antithesis; it is a post-apocalyptic image of two people wearing black and breathing through oxygen masks, but also caring for each other and sharing a vibrant red heart.

The good news is that if you have enjoyed Soen’s progression from Lykaia onwards, it’s very likely that you will appreciate Memorial too. The not so good news is that you may be deterred by the band’s more commercial approach, as it is reflected on songs such as “Unbreakable” and “Violence”, and the fact that the album features three ballads (even though all three ballads are splendid). Or you may find yourself unsatisfied and under the impression that, for the sake of digestibility, the music has become more ‘stripped back’ and ‘basic’ for prog standards, compared to what it used to be. And I will promptly explain what I mean.

Given the fact that Martin Lopez is the main songwriter, it seems that, as a drummer, he chooses to serve the songs and their purpose, without adding much extra prog spice, despite his unquestionable ability. More importantly, I feel that the band is not using Cody Lee Ford enough. While “Tragedian”’s instant appeal owes so much to his Pink Floyd-tinged playing, “Vitals”, which is a wonderful (entirely non-metal) ballad, desperately asks for some of that magic, and you hear him stroking the strings a little bit in the middle of the song, but it’s not near enough. The same argument can be used for other tracks, such as “Icon”.

And “Icon” is actually one of the standout tracks, not because it is probably the most aggressive one, but because it has a more proggy structure and Soen seem to be doing something more ambitious with it. Treading more familiar territories, songs like “Sincere” and “Fortress” are Soen doing what they do best, and the same applies to the title track, which also has some fantastic lead guitar work that sticks in the memory. All the choruses are soaring and grand, as expected, and Joel Ekelöf is trying some new things here, adding a little more grit to his delivery and some more layers. The vocal hooks are perhaps the major pulling force of the album, but by no means have Soen become a group of talented instrument players merely supporting an incredibly gifted vocalist (*cough*Leprous*cough*). Ekelöf’s duet with Italian singer Elisa on “Hollowed”, especially, is mesmerising, and this song has a pretty sweet guitar solo, which makes my ‘give-us-more-Cody’ point even stronger.

I don’t want this review to leave a sour impression because, despite my little disappointments and my general view that the band does not reach its full potential with this release, I still enjoy Memorial a lot. Its production is immaculate, and the band mostly manages to avoid the banality and entrapments that writing music for the masses (relatively speaking) often entails. I guess some of my reduced enthusiasm comes from my great expectations and the fact that Imperial has shaped up to be one of my favourite albums of all time. Memorial has been a grower, nonetheless, and I sincerely hope it will get more people to experience Soen’s music because this band is classy and elegant metal, and they fully deserve success.

“I need something to believe
Outside the world is dark
But we are cursing the sun”