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SOEN “Reliance”
SOEN “Reliance”
By Dark Starr
This is the second album from this act that I’ve reviewed. Like that one, this is a little hard to categorize. It could almost land under progressive rock. Ultimately, though, I think heavy metal is the best category for it. Pretty much every song here manages to combine those things along with electronic music and more. No matter how you label it, this is a very effective set that makes for a great new release.
“Primal” starts the album, and there is a cool atmospheric vibe to get it underway. The song pounds out from there with a real metallic fury. Then it drops back to more of an electronic vibe for the entrance of the vocals. The verse runs over the top of that backdrop, but it turns back to metal stomping after that verse. The song continues by including more of the electronic and metal sides. It also gets rather proggy at times. More of a power metal vibe is in the driver’s seat on “Mercenary.” It is fierce and yet it manages to include some melodic sections, too. It’s really such a great tune. It really has some smoking hot driving metal.
“Discordia” comes in mellower and more understated, but no less moody and compelling. It shifts toward more pure metal beyond that opening vocal section. The mellower, rather electronic prog section returns as the counterpoint as it serves as the backdrop for the next vocals. Then it turns extremely heavy and driving from there before we get a really mellow, keyboard oriented instrumental movement. That part is decidedly prog. The vocals return over a keyboard arrangement. Then it powers back out for the chorus.
“Axis” alternates between more driving metal sections and melodic ones. Those melodic movements are still decidedly metal, though. That said, there is one dropped back, proggy movement mid-track. Driving in metallic, “Huntress” turns toward mellower modes for the entrance of the vocals. That section sort of lives between prog and metal zones. They power it back up for the choruses, though. I really love the guitar solo on the track, but everything about the song just works so well. It’s not a huge change from a lot of the rest of the stuff here, but it just seems to up the ante. It’s decidedly proggy even though metallic, too.
There is a thrash metal meets old-school real steel vibe to the riffing on “Unbound.” There are hints of IRON MAIDEN at times. There is a dropped back, keyboard based section lending proggy tendencies to the track. There is also a mellow closing movement that brings the prog to bear. With a prominent piano presence, “Indifferent” is among the proggiest things here. It is more of a power ballad, but it does have a melodic electric guitar break that feels almost fusion-based. There are also symphonic elements at play. It is without question a progressive rock piece.
“Drifter” has a good balance between mellower proggier things and more driving metal. It definitely fits under the prog metal heading – or perhaps metallic prog. Another that has a good balance between proggier and more metallic things, “Draconian” is very cool stuff. Moody, proggy concepts are at the heart of the bulk of “Vellichor.” The guitar solo has some melodic metal vibes. It turns more metallic in the soaring closing movement. There is a short sedate section right at the end, too.
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