“We are confined within our minds.”
Not only is it the opening line on “Reliance”, it is also the jumping off point.
“They passively divide us through technology” goes another line, and isn’t it the case that in 2026 we have never been so connected yet so individual. What are collective moments these days? A meme. A what?
And if that feels weighty for a rock n roll record then fine, because this is a weighty rock n roll record.
Soen have never been ones to want “Nothin’ But A Good Time”, but they’ve never felt more thought-provoking — more willing to act as provocateurs — than they do here.
From the off, “Primal” is eerie, dark and heavy, built on textured verses that feel like they’re closing in before giving way to a thumping, melodic chorus. Joel Ekelöf singing “we are breaking every chain” feels less like a rallying cry and more like a desperate insistence — a theme that runs right through the record.
“Mercenary” follows with a militaristic beat, rigid and imposing, until — just when you think you’ve got it pinned — a solo bursts out of nowhere. The sound is enormous. The lyrics talk of betraying our legacy, and it’s hard not to feel that there’s more being said here than first meets the ear.
On “Discordia”, Katatonia would probably settle for the opening verse alone, but Soen don’t stop there. It explodes into something far bigger, doing things you simply don’t expect, while the desolation in the lyrics hangs heavy long after the track fades.
“Axis” ups the urgency and, while still unmistakably Soen, edges slightly away from overt prog indulgence. It feels leaner, sharper, more direct — and that sense of momentum carries into “Huntress”, where the quiet-verse/loud-chorus dynamic might not be new, but is executed superbly. The sloganeering line “I don’t need another hero” lands hard, and the solos are absolutely stadium-ready.
“Unbound” is all groove — huge, physical, impossible not to move to — before the album takes one of its most unexpected turns. For a record that largely exists in the shadows, “Indifferent” is a gorgeous piano-led ballad, the fear of being “empty” laid completely bare. It’s brave, exposed, and quietly devastating.
There’s a clever use of keys throughout “Drifter”, giving it a cleaner, more open feel without losing the underlying tension, while “Draconian” proves that even in Soen’s catchier moments, the songs are still pleading for connection rather than comfort.
The closer, “Vellichor”, seems to exist almost entirely in the shadows — unresolved, lingering, and deeply fitting for an album that refuses easy answers.
“We are confined within our minds” — remember that’s what they said? Did they in their wildest dreams believe “Reliance” could be this good?
Only they know, but I’ll tell you this right now: their seventh album is not just their best, it might be one of the best metal records you’ll hear this year.
RATING: 9.5/10
