The modern world is a very complex place. Filled with distractions, false idols, and vices, we often believe we are happy, but underneath the surface, we know something is off. Medicating (whether through substances or some other diversion), we are lulled into thinking that the ways of the world are right, but do we ever stop to consider that it is the core of our fragmented mental state?
It is a lot to consider, but you do not need to be a spiritual person to understand that something is terribly wrong with humanity in the modern age. Whether we choose to let it continue to drag us down a dark hole is up to us, but the first step in finding a better way is disengaging from the machine and reengaging with fellow humankind. It may seem difficult, but fortunately, there is light in darkness to help open doors in our mind, like through the music of Soen.
Active since 2010, Soen is a band led by former Opeth Drummer Martín López and Willowtree Vocalist Joel Ekelöf (and currently including Keyboardist/Guitarist Lars EnokÅhlund, Guitarist Cody Ford, and Bassist Stefan Stenberg) who released their debut album, Cognitive, in 2012. A record that caught the attention of the underground Metal scene, it revealed that Soen had deep meaning in their thought-provoking songs. Matched with a sound that blended Progressive and Alternative Metal, their songs have always had a darker mood, yet an uplifting element has remained. Enticing you with atmospheric textures, each album since 2012 (which includes 2014’s Tellurian, 2017’s Lykaia, 2019’s Lotus, 2021’s Imperial, and 2023’s Memorial) has seen more and more around the globe catch on to Soen.
Successfully engaging broader Metal fans and forming a deep human connection, their latest album, entitled Reliance, continues to follow suit. Soen’s seventh album, Reliance, was announced back in September 2016, along with the release of the lead single/music video “Primal.” Featuring chugging guitars, matched with Ekelöf’s emotional vocals, it tells the tale of reaching a breaking point in a wasteland of overbearing technology and corruption, screaming from within that change is vital.
Following up on the second single “Mercenary” in November, Soen once more taps a nerve with a powerful musical attack, while the theme explores our lost way in life, letting violence and hatred guide us instead. Then, on the melancholic side, the third single, “Discordia,” is a very profound take on our isolation in life, hiding rather than risking any human connection.
Three exciting singles, and the remainder of Reliance (7 more songs, for a total of 10) take you up and down the spectrum of emotions, acting as a cathartic release of the frustration many of us hold in the pit of our souls. Set for release on January 16, 2026, through Silver Lining Music, Soen invites you to go beneath the surface, get to the core of the disease infecting us, and come out on the other side a more whole version of yourself. A great balance of heaviness and the signature guitar works of Soen, songs like “Axis,” “Huntress,” and “Unbound,” all have anathematic qualities.
Then, offsetting these fist-pumping songs, the more subdued moments come with the absolutely striking “Indifferent,” where softer vocals, keyboards, and echoing guitars take the lead. Meanwhile, “Drifter” is a perfect blend of dark Heavy Rock (in the vein of something Katatonia might have done in the past), while “Vellichor” features some of the most captivating vocals of the entire collection.
Overall, Soen has created an album that continues their legacy of crafting Heavy Rock that seeks purpose and a better path, without anger, division, or detachment from one another. An album that takes you through the darkest corners of your mind and exorcises negativity, Cryptic Rock gives Reliance 5 out of 5 stars.
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