S
weden’s Soen are on strident form with their fifth album, with struggle and overcoming oppression serving as the main themes on Imperial. Musically, the group blends power metal theatrics with slick prog metal flourishes in the vein of Queensrÿche or Fates Warning. Vocalist Joel Ekelöf is the star of the show, his belting range recalls the iron lungs of Rainbow singer Graham Bonnet, and he has a knack for imbuing every line with maximum drama. There’s certainly plenty of the latter herein. ‘There is a fire burning inside of us all, tearing down every wall,’ he declares in Dissident.