PROG-METAL-NORDLICHTER
Under the leadership of Joel Ekelöf (vocals) and Martin Lopez (drums), Swedish prog-metal combo Soen return to Pratteln with their new album "Reliance" (2026) to once again immerse their Swiss fans in emotionally charged realms of sound and embark on a breathtaking journey through fascinating soundscapes.
Soen, the Swedish progressive metal powerhouse, always finds incredible new musical paths between light and dark, loud and quiet, heavy and soothingly light. With a foray into the deepest human emotions, Soen continue to explore the human mind, heart and soul on their seventh studio album "Reliance". With visionary care and an added touch of toughness. With Lars Enok Åhlund (keyboards & guitar), Cody Lee Ford (guitar) and Stefan Stenberg (bass) alongside Ekelöf and Lopez, the continuous evolution of the Soen sound reaches whole new heights. Take the track "Primal", a powerful outcry led by Ekelöf's incredible voice that describes the existential struggle between the human spirit and our world today. "Axis" is a determined and defiant look at the state of humanity, driven by Lopez's relentless but swinging drums. And then there's the quiet elegance of "Indifferent", a beautifully orchestrated modern lament about the loss of love, carried by the power of strings, piano and once again Ekelöf's wonderful voice. Like the two previous albums "Imperial" (2021) and "Memorial" (2023), "Reliance" also emerged as a winner in the Metal Hammer Soundcheck and was named "Album of the Month": "Somehow, Sweden's prog metal prodigies manage to combine the aesthetics and ambition of Opeth with an incredible sense of hooks and emotion turned into music, rivaling Katatonia's best moments," writes the critic. "The result is radiant, moving prog-metal northern lights that are bigger than the music itself." Ekelöf shows once again that he is one of the best singers in the genre, and the instrumentalists are in no way inferior to him. Diebuehrers.com was able to experience that the live performance also works perfectly at the last concert in Pratteln 2024: "When Soen left the stage after almost 90 minutes and two encores, nobody really wanted to leave. The hall was buzzing with enthusiasm and the band were duly celebrated. Soen proved once again that evening why they are one of the most outstanding prog metal bands of our time."
