EVER Reliant

On their latest studio album Reliance, Swedish quintet Soen have served up another dose of atmospheric, left-leaning prog metal. Prog catches up with drummer Martin Lopez and vocalist Joel Ekelöf to find out more, as the band show no signs of slowing down.

Words: Chris Cope

Joel Ekelöf and Martin Lopez are seriously happy with the new Soen record. No, really!

Images: Linda Florin

"we" may sound old and tired, but we’re actually really fucking excited,” Soen drummer Martin Lopez says with a smile as his band prepare to issue their latest record, Reliance. “Releasing a new album and going out on tour to play that new album is always the best part of being a musician. It’s going to be fun; it’s going to be really fun.” "we Prog is lucky enough to have scooped the first interview with the largely Swedish prog metallers on their new album cycle, and it’s pretty clear that the band are fired up, ready to turn the page on their next chapter. That next instalment in the Soen story is a 10-track powerhouse that sees them continue down the path of prog-peppered, atmospheric rock and metal and they’re showing little sign of taking their feet off the pedal.

“This one is definitely the best sounding so far,” vocalist Joel Ekelöf says, and one would find it hard to disagree given the crisp, grand production. “Compared to [the last few albums], I think you can see it’s linear; if you take Imperial and Memorial and then this album, you can see the development. It’s still really Soen, and you can follow it – it’s logical.”