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General => General Music Discussion => Topic started by: TVC 15 on April 07, 2012, 09:20:36 PM
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Can't get enough of knowing that Martin Lopez is back doing music. I'll have to track down Cognitive on CD. The music sounds like a fusion of Tool and Opeth.
In the meantime, Delanda has been rocking me big time.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KbWahoNCvVQ (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KbWahoNCvVQ)
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When Tool and Opeth Unite. With some hints of Porcupine Tree for good measure.
While not the most original sounding album I've heard. it's damn good, Dark Prog Metal.
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Sounds awesome at times but lordy is it hard to not consider the singer a total Maynard hack.
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I like a lot. Also, Fretless Slapping Fo the word
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Why does this thread has so little feedback? This is without a doubt one of the best albums released this year!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1x-6HAz5jbg
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Excellent album. Lopez is still a beast of a drummer.
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Excellent album. Lopez is still a beast of a drummer.
Yes he is. Opeth is not the same without him. Axeroth is very good, maybe more technically advanced but Lopez had that nice Latin jazz style that somehow fitted perfectly with Opeth's sound.
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When Tool and Opeth Unite. With some hints of Porcupine Tree for good measure.
While not the most original sounding album I've heard. it's damn good, Dark Prog Metal.
Well THAT certainly piqued my interest... :eek
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When Tool and Opeth Unite. With some hints of Porcupine Tree for good measure.
While not the most original sounding album I've heard. it's damn good, Dark Prog Metal.
Well THAT certainly piqued my interest... :eek
But it now! You won't be disappointed. If anything it feels a bit short but that's because the album is so good.
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"Tabula Rasa", the new video from SOEN — the Swedish progressive rock band featuring drummer Martin Lopez (ex-OPETH, AMON AMARTH), vocalist Joel Ekelöf (WILLOWTREE), guitarist Joakim Platbarzdis and bassist Stefan Stenberg — can be seen below. The song is taken from the group's sophomore studio album, "Tellurian", which will be released on November 4 via Spinefarm Records.
Soen - Tabula Rasa (https://youtu.be/TknvKdgt5Tc?list=UU1RCJJQlYBkwO0prAgfe3sg)
Haven't heard their first album so I was a bit surprised on their sound but it sounds pretty damn cool actually. Will dig in some more!
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I wanted to start a thread on this band just now, but first I did a search just in case there was one already. Turns out there is. I had to dig up this thread, because the album this band released in 2014 (Tellurian) is bloody amazing. It was my 2nd favourite album of the year and this band needs more people's attention.
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My dad played it in the car and it was OK. I think the reason a lot of people will like it is also the same reasons why I didn't like it. It just sounds like a carbon copy of bands I already know, but worse. Tool is the obvious ripoff, and then there are elements of bands like Opeth and PT. I don't mind bands taking in influences from others, because most bands do it, but it really rubs me the wrong way when a band just feels like a much worse carbon-copy of something I like. Abigail's Ghost being a clear PT ripoff is another example.
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Yeah I picked this up because AMG was praising its qualities. Its definitely a wannabe Tool album, that's really all I can say at this point. Nothing's really stood out to me yet and I haven't had much urge to listen to it so right now I'm just kinda disappointed.
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Soen - Kuraman [Lyric video] (https://youtu.be/oHttic3FrjQ)
Really liking this!
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Soen - Kuraman [Lyric video] (https://youtu.be/oHttic3FrjQ)
Really liking this!
Not bad.
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Funny how you bumped this topic now, as I'm seeing Soen live tonight :D
I've been listening to both albums and I like them, although the new one is a little more original than the debut.
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That's cool man! :tup I hear alot of influences in this project with Tool being the obvious one. I don't mind it though, seeing as Tool being tools in getting their collective asses together and record something I don't mind hearing something in the same vein, unlike other genres we have room for plenty more tools. :P
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Strange fascination over the song Void at the moment.
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Last Friday's gig was cool; it was at a small and intimate venue and I was standing just a few metres away from the stage. They had an additional touring musician playing keys and some percussion and guitar, which added to their live sound. Joel doesn't look like a stereotypical metal singer, but he's charismatic and sings with conviction. It was fun to see Lopez playing, since I never got to see him with Opeth. During the soundcheck there was some pretty intense drumming coming from behind the curtain - I don't know whether it was Martin or a drum tech, but it made me go "woah!".
The band's playing was really tight, but not mechanical or lacking fun, and there was an extended jam at the end of Void with some great guitar solos. You could sense that they were having a ball and loved to be there. The setlist included pretty much all of the new album except the closing track, and they also played 4 songs from the debut.
I also have to give props to the support band, Oddland: their music didn't blow me away, but they're good musicians, and it takes a lot of courage to play almost exclusively unreleased new material in a 35-minute set to a crowd that probably hadn't even heard their debut album before.
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Bump.
Just checked this band out last night. Very impressive stuff; Tellurian is basically what I always wanted Opeth to sound like. :lol :tup :hefdaddy
Apparently they have a new guitarist in the band that used to be in Evergrey? I'm interested in hearing how he does in their next album- whenever that comes out.
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Bump.
Just checked this band out last night. Very impressive stuff; Tellurian is basically what I always wanted Opeth to sound like. :lol :tup :hefdaddy
Apparently they have a new guitarist in the band that used to be in Evergrey? I'm interested in hearing how he does in their next album- whenever that comes out.
Yea just checked it out, he was amongst the muscians that Tom recruited after Henrik and Jonas left in 2010 so he only was in Evergrey during the Glorious Collision stint. Either way i'm pumped for the next album!
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Soen just released "Sectarian" a new track from the upcoming album.
Go check it out if you've ever dug Soen, this might just be their best song ever, fantastic stuff!
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New song "Lucidity" is available on Spotify.
Slow song this time around, pretty great, even if not as good as Sectarian.
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I might as well be the last remaining Soen fan on DTF :lol but whatever, the album is being released and is now streaming in full here:
https://teamrock.com/feature/2017-02-02/listen-to-the-new-album-from-soen-lykaia
On the second track now (first new one) and it's amazing, but I will reserve my thoughts until the weekend, when I've given this multiple listens.
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I was listening it today, pretty good album :tup of course, I will need more listens to get into it.
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This album is on my radar, but I pretty much don't have a chance to listen to it from any of the streaming service since I don't really listen to the new music at home.
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...since I don't really listen to the new music at home.
Why?
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I guess it just happens that way, most of the new music I'm discovering I tend to listen on the road. Thankfully (not really) the road to work is ~90 minutes to get there and ~100-120 minutes to get back, so I usually can do two or three albums a day if I want to. After discovering new music that way, I guess I want something familiar when I'm home and relaxing after the working day.
I'm also usually at Teamspeak or other voice-chat programs with friends during the evening, so that makes discovering new music nearly impossible because I can't focus both at the music and the talking/listening part, so I usually put something familiar in the background.
Sometimes I do listen to the new music at home when I've got nothing else to do after work, but these occasions are pretty rare these days.
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...the road to work is ~90 minutes to get there and ~100-120 minutes to get back...
Seems like you road to work is equivalent to my trip to the gym ;)
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So far my favourite moment on the album, apart from the pre-release material, has got to be the middle-eastern ish theme near the end of Jinn, fucking glorious.
The album just strikes me as modern Opeth, but stronger and more consistent in every aspect (no offense meant to the Opeth fans). From the 2017 albums ive listened to (not a lot), this is easily my favourite so far!
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Lucidity is an awesome song.
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gave it a spin. definitely sounds pretty fine but didn't really grab me the way tellurian did/is continuing to do. will probably spin it again regardless
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Soen - Rival (Official Audio) (https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=13&v=q_z7lB1N-tE)
:tup
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They do Opeth better than Opeth.
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They do Opeth better than Opeth.
That's because Martin Lopez was the heart and soul of Opeth.
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So excited for this new album. I still haven't stopped listening to Lykaia. And yes, their sound is a great mix of Opeth, Tool and other stuff.
I initially passed on Lykaia Revisited until I found out it had an unreleased studio track on it. I ended up buying it from HD Tracks as I had a coupon and was able to get all of the available live tracks in one purchase and uncompressed. Essentially, it appears they remastered it down just enough to remove clipping. It gets as close to that brickwall as it can without touching it. I ran tracks from the original and remaster through Audacity to check for clipping. The original was chock full of it and the remaster came back with none but is teetering on the edge from what I can tell. So Revisited has now become my listening version.
Anyway, is it February yet? I really want Lotus.
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They do Opeth better than Opeth.
That's because Martin Lopez was the heart and soul of Opeth.
I'm not disputing you, just curious what you mean. Yes he was a longtime member of Opeth and of course had influence on their music but at the end of the day, Michael is the only original member and he's pretty much written all Opeths music and lyrics since day 1.
However when it comes to his drumming in Opeth which is what you probably talking about, I can see what you mean, his certain groove and "sparse" playing was a big contribution to the layer of Opeths sound. Axenrot is really good but sometimes he overplays Lopez parts a bit I think.
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They do Opeth better than Opeth.
That's because Martin Lopez was the heart and soul of Opeth.
I'm not disputing you, just curious what you mean. Yes he was a longtime member of Opeth and of course had influence on their music but at the end of the day, Michael is the only original member and he's pretty much written all Opeths music and lyrics since day 1.
However when it comes to his drumming in Opeth which is what you probably talking about, I can see what you mean, his certain groove and "sparse" playing was a big contribution to the layer of Opeths sound. Axenrot is really good but sometimes he overplays Lopez parts a bit I think.
Lopez was unique in that he incorporated a Latin Groove. Which I hear in Soen.
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They do Opeth better than Opeth.
That's because Martin Lopez was the heart and soul of Opeth.
I'm not disputing you, just curious what you mean. Yes he was a longtime member of Opeth and of course had influence on their music but at the end of the day, Michael is the only original member and he's pretty much written all Opeths music and lyrics since day 1.
However when it comes to his drumming in Opeth which is what you probably talking about, I can see what you mean, his certain groove and "sparse" playing was a big contribution to the layer of Opeths sound. Axenrot is really good but sometimes he overplays Lopez parts a bit I think.
Lopez was unique in that he incorporated a Latin Groove. Which I hear in Soen.
Really? Interesting, never noticed that. The only song I can think off is Last Light that have a clave part on claves and bongos but the drums are pretty straight forward though. Any other song that reflects that? I enjoy his playing alot but never noticed the latin aspect of his drumming actually.
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They do Opeth better than Opeth.
That's because Martin Lopez was the heart and soul of Opeth.
I'm not disputing you, just curious what you mean. Yes he was a longtime member of Opeth and of course had influence on their music but at the end of the day, Michael is the only original member and he's pretty much written all Opeths music and lyrics since day 1.
However when it comes to his drumming in Opeth which is what you probably talking about, I can see what you mean, his certain groove and "sparse" playing was a big contribution to the layer of Opeths sound. Axenrot is really good but sometimes he overplays Lopez parts a bit I think.
Lopez was unique in that he incorporated a Latin Groove. Which I hear in Soen.
Really? Interesting, never noticed that. The only song I can think off is Last Light that have a clave part on claves and bongos but the drums are pretty straight forward though. Any other song that reflects that? I enjoy his playing alot but never noticed the latin aspect of his drumming actually.
I hear it more in Opeth than Soen though. Damnation has that feel.
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They do Opeth better than Opeth.
That's because Martin Lopez was the heart and soul of Opeth.
I'm not disputing you, just curious what you mean. Yes he was a longtime member of Opeth and of course had influence on their music but at the end of the day, Michael is the only original member and he's pretty much written all Opeths music and lyrics since day 1.
However when it comes to his drumming in Opeth which is what you probably talking about, I can see what you mean, his certain groove and "sparse" playing was a big contribution to the layer of Opeths sound. Axenrot is really good but sometimes he overplays Lopez parts a bit I think.
I more think of Akerfeldt being the brains of the operation by writing the music and lyrics, but Lopez brought it to life with his incredible groove and playing style.
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They do Opeth better than Opeth.
That's because Martin Lopez was the heart and soul of Opeth.
I'm not disputing you, just curious what you mean. Yes he was a longtime member of Opeth and of course had influence on their music but at the end of the day, Michael is the only original member and he's pretty much written all Opeths music and lyrics since day 1.
However when it comes to his drumming in Opeth which is what you probably talking about, I can see what you mean, his certain groove and "sparse" playing was a big contribution to the layer of Opeths sound. Axenrot is really good but sometimes he overplays Lopez parts a bit I think.
I more think of Akerfeldt being the brains of the operation by writing the music and lyrics, but Lopez brought it to life with his incredible groove and playing style.
Yea I see what you mean, that's what I thought. :tup
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Really diggin Rival, been playing it alot recently along with Tellurian.
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I'm really digging this song, I may check out this new album. I've passed on their albums because they sound too much like Tool IMO and I don't like Tool that much. But this song sounds finally different.
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New video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sh92nGMaEVg
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First review of the new album
https://www.angrymetalguy.com/soen-rival-premiere-lotus-review/
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New animated video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qLSh0E0Rikc
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I've been on a total blackout with the new record. I so love Lykaia that I want to go in blind. I have had the album pre-ordered for weeks now and am just impatiently waiting for it.
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New review
https://theprogmind.com/2019/01/21/soen-lotus/
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I can't stop playing the three released tracks. Preordered Lotus and just can't wait! This stuff is amazing!
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Yea can't wait either! :tup
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Omg that Lotus song is soooo good. Really scratching my Pink Floyd itch too. It's like Floyd mixed with newer Katatonia. I really love it.
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Yeah, the title track is fantastic. From these three tracks, I'm fairly sure this album is going to be one of my favourites this year.
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Yeah, the title track is fantastic. From these three tracks, I'm fairly sure this album is going to be one of my favourites this year.
I agree! I went back and listened to the other two, and wow they are seriously good. Especially digging Martyrs, I'm not usually much of a lyrics guy but these seem quite good and fit the song really well.
I've been a fan ever since I heard Lucidity from the last album, and the production on this album really elevates their sound, imo - really suits the singer as well, sounds a bit drier? Hard to really examine from YouTube videos.
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Man, really loving this stuff. Always liked Lopez drumming in Opeth, so finally decided to check out Soen. Really good music, period! All 3 new songs are awesome, especially Rival.
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Album of year?!
https://soen-sweden.bandcamp.com/album/lotus
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some really good tracks here but overall the album isn't as diverse as their past stuff & a lot of the metal tracks feel especially samey
that's my thoughts after one listen, at least
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Maybe a grower, but after 1 listen definitely the worst Soen album IMO
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Will give a spin this weekend. :tup
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I'm quite liking it, but I haven't heard enough of their other albums to compare.
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Excellent album. Covenant rocks.
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Really digging what I've heard. Although I'm stuck listening to Martyrs because I can't get enough of that song.
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River is so good!
https://youtu.be/SOpy0-tNe50
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Since several other individual tracks have been mentioned—how about the danceable Lascivious :heart
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I'm really loving this album, the other soen albums did nothing for me, specially the debut, which sound too much like tool (which I don't like). My favorite track so far is Penance, I really love the voice melodies.
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Think it's cool we all mention different songs as highlights. The album is sooo good. :coolio
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Yet another progression for these guys. I love how every album is just a bit different then before, yet also familiar. Right now, this is no Lykaia. I really didn't expect it to be. That is a high bar, in my opinion.
Lopez's drums are standout as always. I just love his playing. I do agree that this one is a bit of a grower. Not sure why. It's a great record, but I feel I will like it even more over time, if that makes sense. I have to stop comparing it to Lykaia.
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Gave the new album a spin after my previous experience with the last album was kinda "meh", still feeling underwhelmed. On paper a mix of Opeth, Tool and Katatonia would be something I would be excited about but there's something about the execution that just leaves me bored. Maybe with a more interesting singer the music could reach another level but the current one just has the personality of a bag of gravel for me. Will give the album a few more spins like I always do but sad to say I'm not feeling these guys that much. And that's not to say I dislike them either though. Initial impression is like a 7/10 which is still a good rating, it just doesn't feel very original and the bands they are sort of taking notes from have put out a lot better albums.
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The official video for Covenant:
https://youtu.be/tV13GZznfew
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I seriously love this album, it should be in my top 5 of the year (maybe just behind the Neal Morse band album and Dream Theater). My favorite track is Penance.
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Lotus is so good. I liked Lykaia a lot, but Lotus is near perfect.
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Just found out Soen is doing their first Russian tour in support for Lotus in September! It's with The Ocean, too. :metal
It's on a Monday night though, but I'll take what I can get.
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I kind of forgot about these guys, so I'm just getting round to hearing the new album now. I'm only halfway through, but absolutely loving it so far :tup :coolio
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This band has me under some kind of mesmerizing spell
lately. Really connecting with their music.
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New single
https://youtu.be/gH-zcF0REJg
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“Imperial” track-listing:
1. Lumerian
2. Deceiver
3. Monarch
4. Illusion
5. Antagonist
6. Modesty
7. Dissident
8. Fortune
“Imperial” is an album which will engage the listener immediately and sustain long after this crazy time has passed, its rich details destined to make it a classic metal album of this era. “As we continue, we find inspiration in the sad fact that the world is getting more and more polarized, that it’s more complex and it’s not consensus or people getting along” says Ekelöf. “We continue to try and understand why and how that will affect us all.”
SOEN are an undeniable cypher for all which swirls around us, something which will continue to set them apart from their peers for years to come, and “Imperial” is the latest potent, unmissable commentary from their journey. Excited to bring the new material on the road, SOEN also announced the first leg of their “Imperial” European Tour 2021, which will kick-off in the Spring in Oslo, Norway. More dates to be announced soon; tickets and additional information available .
Spring 2021 Tour Dates:
April 6 – John Dee, Oslo – Norway
April 7 – Pustervik, Gothenburg – Sweden
April 8 – Posten, Odense – Denmark
April 9 – Hellraiser, Leipzig – Germany
April 10 – Proxima, Warsaw – Poland
April 11 – Fraanz, Berlin – Germany
April 13 – Colos Saal, Aschaffenburg – Germany
April 14 – Z7, Pratteln – Switzerland
April 15 – Backstage Halle, Munich – Germany
April 16 – Revolver Club, San Donà di Piave – Italy
April 17 – Largo Venue, Rome – Italy
April 20 – Magazzini Generali, Milan – Italy
April 21 – Luxor, Cologne – Germany
April 22 – o2 Academy Islington, London – United Kingdom
April 23 – Melkweg, Amsterdam – The Netherlands
April 25 – Logo, Hamburg – Germany
April 28 – Klubben, Stockholm – Sweden
April 30 – Olympia, Tampere – Finland
May 1 – Tavastia, Helsinki – Finland
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Awesome! All in on this.
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https://www.sonicperspectives.com/news/soen-announce-new-album-imperial-for-january-29-2021-unveil-lyric-video-for-first-single-antagonist/
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Like it but don't love it. Lopez always impresses me with his originality. Rarely does he rely on used fills. He always tries to shake it up. I respect that.
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Nice song, gets better for every listen for me. I really dig the solo.
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So far this band has not composed a song I do not like.
That's rare
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So far this band has not composed a song I do not like.
That's rare
Agreed. No skip tracks.
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Add me to that as well. These guys have shot near the top of my current/active band list.
As much as I hated Lopez leaving Opeth, I absolutely think it was for the best now. I hate to say it, but I think I would put Soen's output above Opeth's post-Watershed catalog. Plus, I cannot get enough of Lopez's playing. Such a smooth, natural player.
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Been revisiting Opeth after a long time away, what is a good album to start with Soen? Seems you guys weren't thrilled with the early stuff. One of their last 2 albums maybe?
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Been revisiting Opeth after a long time away, what is a good album to start with Soen? Seems you guys weren't thrilled with the early stuff. One of their last 2 albums maybe?
You should start with Lotus, their best album in my opinion.
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Been revisiting Opeth after a long time away, what is a good album to start with Soen? Seems you guys weren't thrilled with the early stuff. One of their last 2 albums maybe?
You should start with Lotus, their best album in my opinion.
You win. :tup
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Agreed, Lotus is their best one so far.
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I'll be the contrarian. Lykaia is by far my favorite of theirs.
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I'm in the they've-got-better-with-each-release camp. Lotus is amazing.
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Soen is the best Swingy Jazz Fusion band in existence!
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New Soen single...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UTjMgv9aQC8&feature=share
:metal
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A new single dropped today:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ggazixx942Y
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New Album is out now!
I'm listening to it now and their sound is evolving for sure.
:hat
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New Album is out now!
It's not next week??
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Aw shit, you're right, I thought I had the whole album, I just have the three singles :lol
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Illusion is pretty straight forward Soen but I like it alot. :tup
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Haven't listened to a note. Waiting for my CD to arrive next week.
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I can't say I'm too excited about the new album at this point. I've not heard any singles but I was really underwhelmed by their last album. I thought Lykaia was great, but nothing really stood out with Lotus, for me.
Saying that, often I find going into a new album with low expectations can leave you really pleasantly surprised :tup definitely going to be spinning it, with the new Steven Wilson. It's anyone's guess who will come out on top :lol
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Wow, their last album is my favorite so far and it's really not even close
:lol
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Wow, their last album is my favorite so far and it's really not even close
:lol
Likewise!
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Wow, their last album is my favorite so far and it's really not even close
:lol
Agree! "Lotus" is awesome!
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Yeah Lotus is my favorite too.
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Yeah, I also think Lotus is their best album.
Here's a review of the new album: https://www.sonicperspectives.com/album-reviews/soen-imperial/
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I thought Martin Lopez said he quit Opeth because he was having panic debilitating attacks and stage fright? I guess he got his shit together? Or was that a bullshit excuse to quit Opeth?
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I have a chat with Martin Lopez tomorrow. What would you guys like me to ask him?
I like the new album, but it's like they redid the previous one all over again.
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I thought Martin Lopez said he quit Opeth because he was having panic debilitating attacks and stage fright? I guess he got his shit together? Or was that a bullshit excuse to quit Opeth?
He did. He did seek help, but decided to leave Opeth anyway after getting help. Probably didn't want to tour so much as Opeth does tour a ton. He decided to form Soen and focus on that. They don't tour very much from what I can tell, at least not to the extent of Opeth. Honestly, I'm glad he did. At this point, a Soen album gets me more excited than a new Opeth album. I love Lopez' playing and I love this band.
Found this quote from Mikael about it:
"[Martin] basically suffered panic attacks and anxiety attacks and severe depression from working too hard and touring so much. It got to the point where he called me up the day before the first scheduled Jordan gig saying that he couldn't go and he was just a wreck. So we took some rest before this gig and then the same thing happened when we went to Frankfurt where we had a connecting flight to Canada and he said he couldn't go, he had to go home and we had to support him with that.
He went to a psychologist and they did tests on him and it's actually some stuff in his blood that makes his heart beat faster and that's the reason why he's been depressed. Now he's getting medication and I think the biggest breakthrough for him was knowing what it was because he was literally going insane."
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I have a chat with Martin Lopez tomorrow. What would you guys like me to ask him?
I like the new album, but it's like they redid the previous one all over again.
Ask him if the band plans to tour North America if/when touring continues.
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Ok Lumerian is a really strong start to the new album.
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I'm leaving my house for the gym shortly and will be giving this new album my first spin :hat
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Had a good chat with Martin Lopez today. And he remembered me from the first interview we did back in 2018!!! "Hey, you're that Brazilian guy from Canada! We had a good chat a while ago! I do so many of those interviews, and it's nice to remember the good ones". That was surreal.
The new album is KILLER. Same album as before, but KILLER.
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Nice ;)
Yes it's a great album \m/
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Really enjoying this album. Soen are definitely a band that are continuing to define and progress their sound and the song writing and musicianship on this new one are top notch.
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On my first listen and man this album is fantastic. Might be as good or even better than Lotus. This band are firing on all cylinders right now.
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They did everything they did on Lykaia and Lotus but they keep improving their sound.
Great album but a little short at just over 40 minutes.
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Loving the album! It seems they worked alot on the choruses, some killer ones on this album.
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Enjoying this very much.
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Gah, still haven't listened yet. Have my CD but just haven't gotten around to it yet.
On a side note, the thread title drives me nuts. Steve was only on the first album. Just a pet peeve of mine.
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On a side note, the thread title drives nuts. Steve was only on the first album. Just a pet peeve of mine.
Updated. :P
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On a side note, the thread title drives me nuts. Steve was only on the first album. Just a pet peeve of mine.
Updated. :P
My hero!
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This will definitely be in regular rotation for a while. Another solid release.
Is it just my new earbuds or is this album mastered a bit louder than Lotus?
I'm not complaining, mind you. It's not brickwalled by any stretch, it just seems a bit louder overall.
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I dug the music. Still believe the vocalist is the weakest link in the band. Vocals get pretty stale and unexciting as the album progresses.
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Amazing, to me the vocals and the drumming are what make this band special :lol
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Still believe the vocalist is the weakest link in the band. Vocals get pretty stale and unexciting as the album progresses.
I agree, I have a real hard time with all of this band's songs blending together in my head and I think this is one of the main reasons why. Album structure is another big one, in that it feels to me like there isn't any at all.
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The vocals are massively great, in my opinion.
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What?!?!?! One of the best things about this band is the vocals!!! Joel's delivery is amazing...so melodic and powerful!
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I can understand that someone who isn't a huge fan of his vocal style could find it lacking in variety. I love his voice though, never gets old to me at all.
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I can definitely see, though, how his style could be a bit of an acquired taste. He makes some very unusual melodic choices often choosing a very minor-key, almost in straight up Locrian mode in some places, and when it happens over a more Dorian-oriented riff it's a little bit angular sounding, almost "flat" sounding sometimes. I don't know if it's intentional or not.
Also, I love, love, love how the vocals are mixed here. It's only a single voice but he sounds fucking massive and insanely powerful :eek
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The song and video for the Antagonist is really good.
As far as the albums go, I really like Lykaia. Of course I am new to Soen, so I need to listen to all of the albums again.
Update: Just listened to Tellurian and loving this album. Lopez is so great on the drums.
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I can definitely see, though, how his style could be a bit of an acquired taste. He makes some very unusual melodic choices often choosing a very minor-key, almost in straight up Locrian mode in some places, and when it happens over a more Dorian-oriented riff it's a little bit angular sounding, almost "flat" sounding sometimes. I don't know if it's intentional or not.
Also, I love, love, love how the vocals are mixed here. It's only a single voice but he sounds fucking massive and insanely powerful :eek
The vocals are much more in the forefront that on Lotus, or at least that's my impression.
I'm curious about the unusual melodic choices...can you point me examples of when that happens on their songs?
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It's pretty much everywhere. How he chooses his notes in the vocal melodies. His choices are unexpected and unique. I'm way too fucking lazy to go find examples, sorry
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Is it just my new earbuds or is this album mastered a bit louder than Lotus?
It absolutely is. Just started listening to it and I had to adjust my volume settings down on my PC. Looked at the WAV forms and it is LOUD. Probably the loudest of any of their albums. Not surprised as they had Kane Churko master it. Everything from him and his Dad are loud.
Anyway, Lopez is already killing it 2 tracks in. Man, I just love his playing. These first 2 songs are setting a high bar.
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i will come in and echo buddy's sentiments with the caveat that i didn't even make it halfway through the album before switching to something else out of boredom but i mean. it's fine enough. y'all are allowed to enjoy it i guess
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Is it just my new earbuds or is this album mastered a bit louder than Lotus?
It absolutely is. Just started listening to it and I had to adjust my volume settings down on my PC. Looked at the WAV forms and it is LOUD. Probably the loudest of any of their albums. Not surprised as they had Kane Churko master it. Everything from him and his Dad are loud.
Anyway, Lopez is already killing it 2 tracks in. Man, I just love his playing. These first 2 songs are setting a high bar.
Same. To me, Lopez is one of the main attractions of this group.
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He's terrific.
Another thing I've been very impressed with on this album is the guitar solos. Really, really good. Varied in style, intense and tasteful.
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Just listened to Lykaia after revisiting Lotus, and listening to the new album this week.
Verdict? Lykaia is easily their best album!
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4:34 Dissident :metal
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I really like "Deceiver".
"When the heart is young and the will is strong, you expect yourself to conquer"
Haven't we all.
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I really like "Deceiver".
"When the heart is young and the will is strong, you expect yourself to conquer"
Haven't we all.
One of my favourites.
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I think the new album is pretty good but nowhere near as good as the previous one. The riffs and melodies on Lotus were much more memorable.
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I have a feeling this album contains some leftovers from the Lotus sessions, after having listened to it about 7 or 8 times now. I think it doesn't quite reach the highs that Lotus did, but I'd still put it somewhere in the middle of the pack overall.
I listened to the debut yesterday for the first time in a while and it's definitely a more varied album. They seem to have settled on a formula over the last two albums. I won't call it repetitive but they do seem to be falling into the trap of ripping themselves off. I think every band goes through this phase.
None of it prevents me from really liking the new album a lot, though. This will be in regular rotation for a long time.
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I think the new album is pretty good but nowhere near as good as the previous one. The riffs and melodies on Lotus were much more memorable.
Agreed. There are a few songs which I don't really like the ending of which is a bit off-putting too, but I still really like the album.
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Amazing, to me the vocals and the drumming are what make this band special :lol
Yeah same here.
The album is growing on me. Still not as good as Lotus but very good.
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I spoke with Martin about the new album: https://lotsofmuzik.com/martin-lopez-of-soen-chimes-in-on-new-album-imperial/
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Amazing, to me the vocals and the drumming are what make this band special :lol
Yeah same here.
The album is growing on me. Still not as good as Lotus but very good.
I think at least a few of these tracks were leftovers from the Lotus sessions because the album kind of has a similar vibe to Lotus. A agree that Lotus is a stronger album but I really like this new one quite a bit.
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The title track to the album Lotus is a beautiful song with a strong guitar solo. Also, the video for the song is a trip.
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Illusion cover by Fleesh
https://youtu.be/vbwnt3R9P10
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Digital release of one the songs from "The Undiscovered Lotus", Soen's special for Record Store Day:
Soen - EMDR
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xhs5NuL_mHM
Pretty good song. Starts very Tool-like (more so than the songs that ended on the album proper, I think), and then it develops into something different, with a beautiful melodic climax.
Listening to this reminds me that, as much as I really enjoy Imperial, I prefer the production on Lotus...
Wonder what the other songs are like on this.
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So, listening to Imperial and still enjoying it very much. Might not be the "deepest" album this year, but it certainly ranks pretty high in terms of number of plays.
Lotus is still my favorite, as it hits that right spot between song-centric catchiness and their (slightly) more complex earlier sound. Plus it's by far their best sounding album. But Imperial is just fantastic to listen to, great songs and melodies (it's one perfect chorus after another :))
However - I'm wondering where they go from here, as it's pretty obvious they are starting to get a bit stuck with a formula. Even within Imperial, the more uptempo songs kind of all start the same way, with very similar guitar riff/drum patterns. Heck, Deceiver and Dissident (my favorite, btw)...how close are those opening riffs? Or Lumerian vs. Opponent (Lotus' opener)...
Anyway, again, excellent album. Let's just hope they shake things up a little.
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Hello fans, it pains us to say that we've had to postpone the upcoming European tour. It's always so hard to write these posts - we hate being the bearers of bad news, but of course this is still out of our control and our only option is patience.
We're eager to see you guys, so hold on to those tickets! We feel optimistic that we won't have to wait much longer and we look forward to many memorable nights. New dates will be announced very soon.
If you'd like to support us during this time, you can purchase our new single "Igniter" or any merch from our shop: soenmusic.com/shop
Hang in there and see you soon 🖤
Martin, Joel, Lars, Cody, Oleksii
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Kind of missed the lead here. There is an unreleased song out that they are selling for a way to make some cash while not being able to tour. It's a little pricey, but they are worth it. Just bought the track and it's a winner.
Swedish progressive outfit Soen have released the song "Igniter" exclusively as download via this link. The song was mixed by David Castillo, mastered by Tony Lindgren, and the cover design is by Enrique Zabala. A teaser is streaming below.
Soen commented:"As most of you know, we have been forced to move our touring schedule time and time again the last two years. This new reality has hit us and our families very hard economically. Now that we are facing yet an uncertain spring we’re reaching out to you to make it through these stressful times. What kind of value do we give music? This time you are more than welcome to set the price yourself. Go to https://soenmusic.com/products/igniter-exclusive-download/ and purchase our song 'Igniter' and donate what you feel reasonable. 'Igniter' was recorded and mixed by David Castillo in early 2020, just before the Imperial sessions. All profit goes directly to the band. Enjoy and stay safe!
Martin, Joel, Lars, Cody & Oleksii"
https://soenmusic.com/products/igniter-exclusive-download/
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Anyone checked out their live from Atlantis gramomofon studios? It's available until Monday. Just bought it and it sounds great, strings and choir are great additions :tup
https://www.momenthouse.com/soen
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Well, crap. Soen is actually touring the US. I'm really hoping to be able to make the Chicago date.
(https://i.imgur.com/jn558GL.jpg)
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SOEN Announce Release of Concert Film "Atlantis", Watch Video for First Single "Trials"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u8vJRisFgIw
:metal
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Well, crap. Soen is actually touring the US. I'm really hoping to be able to make the Chicago date.
(https://i.imgur.com/jn558GL.jpg)
Missed this! hoping to make the NYC show. Nov 30 will be tough but will try to make it
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SOEN Announce Release of Concert Film "Atlantis", Watch Video for First Single "Trials"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u8vJRisFgIw
:metal
DVD? Really, DVD? Well, I am hoping the video is available as a digital download in HD. I have no interest in watching this is SD resolution.
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Atlantis - what a brilliant and beautiful album/revision. Amazing usage of the piano/organ and strings throughout the whole record :tup
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Atlantis - what a brilliant and beautiful album/revision. Amazing usage of the piano/organ and strings throughout the whole record :tup
Yes, agree. Been listening to this non-stop the last few days. Actually brings new life to some of their material and the use of the female back-up vocals/harmonies is also great. Also love the cover of Snuff, one of my fav Slipknot songs.
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Just got through it on the headphones. Beautiful and moving with flawless sound perfection.
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Finally got my copy and absolutely love it. For some reason, I had no idea this was kinda like Katatonia's Sanctitude where they re-imagine their own songs in a mellow way. Either way, no complaints. Still pissed covid kept me from the show in Chicago.
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Just getting towards the end of Atlantis, never heard it before. Is all Soen's music like this? It's lovely. Beautiful melodies.
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Is all Soen's music like this?
The actual studio albums are a bit heavier and have less orchestraion. That being said, I'm enchanted by Atlantis. The new arrangements of songs are incredible.
Also see my signature :lol
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Hang on... is Atlantis a live album?!
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Well, I'd call it a live studio album maybe. :lol I hesitate to call it a studio album as there's only one new song (and a cover), the rest of the material comes from the albums before it.
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It’s a different take on their songs. I enjoy it, but I hope they do a live album sometime - they freaking slayed when I saw them in Baltimore.
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New album teaser
https://youtu.be/67Ei57cx-wQ
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I'm ready :corn that doesn't sound bad at all
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:tup
Date for the upcoming new album has been announced?
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:metal
I like it!
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New video
https://youtu.be/O0n_N-xGx6o
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Memorial will be released on September 1st 2023, via Silver Lining Music. Available as a Deluxe CD, 12” Vinyl Album in Black and colour variants, digital formats and special D2C products and bundles. For pre-orders, go to: https://smarturl.it/SoenMemorial
MEMORIAL Track Listing:
1. Sincere
2. Unbreakable
3. Violence
4. Fortress
5. Hollowed
6. Memorial
7. Incendiary
8. Tragedian
9. Icon
10. Vitals
Soen have announced the release of their new album Memorial, which will be coming out September 1st via Silver Lining Music. The band have also released the hard-hitting first single ‘Unbreakable’.
The new single is a statement of intent of what’s to come from the forthcoming album and sees the band take a much heavier approach but still retain their melodic sensibilities.
Founding member and drummer Martin Lopez comments, “‘Unbreakable’ is a song about how you limit yourself as a human, by blindly believing in something.” Vocalist and co-founding member Joel Ekelöf continues, “Politicians and the media paint everything as black or white, entitling you to try to destroy your opponent instead of trying to find common ground. It’s key to be humble and open to different viewpoints to keep growing, ‘Unbreakable’ feels like a marriage between classic-metal and Soen.”
The new album has a potent drive and sees the band channel the ills of current society with a crisp, riff heavy ferocity but at the same time still showcasing Soen’s unique blend of progression, aggression, and beauty.
Memorial is drenched in melody with face-crushing guitars and rhythms from start to finish. Album opener ‘Sincere’ starts off with relentless propulsion, whilst the sheer power of the title track is enriched with a solid groove, underlying the weighty tones and evocative vocals of Joel Ekelöf.
Finishing with the beautiful, tragic, Pink Floyd-esque ballad ‘Vitals’, Memorial is arguably the band finding their best stride yet. Soen have been building up to this moment for years and now they’re here with Memorial, which is an inspiring modern hard rock classic.
Soen are completed by Lars Enok Åhlund (Keyboards and Guitar), Oleksii ‘Zlatoyar’ Kobel (Bass) and Cody Ford (Lead Guitar) and are set to play at this year’s Download Festival (GB) on Sunday 11th June, before embarking on the Memorial 2023 tour in Europe this September, with the newly added show at the Locomotiv in Bologna (IT).
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I liked the song! The beginning/first verse wasn't too exciting but the chorus is fairly good and the quiet section after was also appealing.
That being said, while I'm pretty sure the album will be good, I'm glad I'm apparently getting the semi-acoustic Atlantis show in the very beginning of September before the band embarks on the Memorial tour.
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Only one listen in, I have to say the song sounds fine but I’m not overly impressed.
I LOVED Imperial, but at the time I had also expressed some worry that the songwriting was starting to feel a bit stale. The songs were so strong on it that it didn’t quite matter, but my fear was that, going forward, that tendency of rehashing existing ideas/structures could start to hurt them…
The start of the song didn’t quite dispel that worry ;) that kind of riff/drum pattern is now starting to show up a little too often…the chorus is very melodic and along the lines of the more accessible tunes on Imperial…maybe a touch more “radio friendly” (not saying it as a bad thing!)
Anyway, certainly looking forward to hearing more of this…just hoping for some more twists to the formula…
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The start of the song didn’t quite dispel that worry ;) that kind of riff/drum pattern is now starting to show up a little too often…
Agreed, that's kinda what I meant by "not too exciting".
just hoping for some more twists to the formula…
Definitely agree with this too.
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I liked, but didn't love, the new single.
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New single out:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wNkeYB80MXk
https://www.sonicperspectives.com/news/soen-release-video-for-title-track-of-upcoming-new-album-memorial/
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Not talk about the new album ah,
Listened to it on a drive over the weekend. Need to listen to it a few more times, but on first listen it was enjoyable enough.
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After 5-6 listens, the riffs and chorus aren't as good as on Imperial (which was my favorite from them).
I'm not sure why but I get the feeling as if they were trying to head to a more "pop" sound on this album and it's not working that well for me.
Anyway, Vitals is an excellent song, Joel's vocals are always amazing.
Right now for me it's a good album, but nothing incredible like their two last albums.
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Interesting you mention the Pop thing. I listened to this over the weekend and was underwhelmed. Something seemed off or missing. Maybe it will be a grower, but as of now it is a surprising disappointment.
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So you agree with the pop side or not? Don't know if it's just me haha
... Something seemed off or missing ...
I got the same feeling
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Nick and I kinda discussed this in the What Album Thread. I personally didn’t connect with the previous two albums, but after two spins of the latest, I think it has something the previous two were missing and I like it a lot. Obviously whatever it is I like, is what you guys dislike about it.
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It's hard to call this Pop, but I did notice something different. I have nothing against Pop and like many artists, but whatever was going on here just threw me off. I need a few more listens to gather a full opinion. Going out later, but I will be jamming the Empire State Bastard disc.
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First impressions after two spins:
- I get the 'pop thing'. A bunch of 4 minute songs with a quite traditional song structure;
- A few rhytms and vocal lines that sound very familiar and could be on the last two albums as well;
- Joel Ekelof sounds better with every album.
General impression: good but not great. Seems they have found the sound they feel comfortable with and are fine with that but at the risk at getting predictable and expendable. I feel like you could literally mix all songs of the last albums, take a random bunch of 8-10 songs for each album and it doesn't really make a difference.
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Not really hearing a pop element, but I don't find it quite as strong as the last few albums. I guess they're getting a bit samey maybe? Still pretty great though and a lot of really catchy and/or warm choruses which is what I love about their stuff.
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Thread title modified to reflect the new album release.
I liked the new album, but not quite as much as the last one or two. Still good though.
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As Luke said, we did discuss this a bit on the Listening Now thread...I agree with most of the comments expressed here.
It is growing a bit with further listens but, yes, I think this will settle at a lower rank than Imperial and Lotus (to focus on the more recent records). I'm definitely with Nachtmerrie on some of the rhythmic patterns and vocal lines sounding very familiar. Indeed, that's my main beef with the album, as I mentioned before.
I do hear a slight more overt "pop" influence in some of choruses (Unbreakable, in particular?), although not a major shift from their recent material. Maybe not super original-sounding, but the duet with Elisa (Italian singer!) is quite nice. One of the (late) album highlights for me is Icon - I like the energy it brings to the table.
Overall, I think it's a good album. I just hoped for something a bit "different" (not even sure which way, but that's not my job ;)), rather than what's mostly a re-packaging of their last couple of albums.
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The choruses are certainly more poppy, though I'm getting more of an alternative vibe from the album as a whole. It's not progressive per se, but it is fun. I especially like Fortfress, the title track and the last two songs.
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Loved Lotus but only liked Imperial so hitting play on this one was a little whatever but man this is quite excellent. Guess can hear the pop complaints others mention but if anything those only enhance the listen for my ears.
Getting stuck on songs not yet high on the rankings while trying pick through favourites is the sign of a good album \m/