Location: Kranj / Transtation SubArt / Slovenia
Date: Saturday, 07.09.2019
Swedish progressive metal outfit Soen grows more popular with every passing year. The band first caught attention largely through drummer Martin Lopez, who had already made a name for himself with prog heavyweights Opeth. When the group opened for Paradise Lost back in 2012, things looked unpromising, but years of persistence told a different story. After a few lineup changes, Soen rose up and started turning heads. They’ve played Slovenia several times already, and this time around Kranj’s Trainstation was booked for their show.
Soen on this tour were joined by Italian support act The Price and Finnish-British Wheel. The Price opened the show, trying to win the crowd over with melodic, melancholic music. You could feel the Paradise Lost influence, before they drifted back into murkier death metal waters. Despite the emphasis on melancholy, the whole thing came across as fairly upbeat — occasionally even bouncy, Lacuna Coil style. Nothing particularly convincing. It was mostly a rehash of tried-and-tested formulas, which didn’t exactly make them look like innovators.
Wheel painted a slightly different picture. Plenty of people compare them to Tool, which did come through in the heavier sections and quieter passages. But thankfully Wheel — who have a debut album and two EPs under their belt — don’t give the impression they’re just trying to sound like Tool. Other influences are audible too; there’s a lot of grunge flavour and nineties alternative rock in there. Unfortunately Wheel couldn’t show themselves in the best light because they were missing their bassist. Still, the set was undeniably solid, and stylistically a great fit for the Soen support slot.
Over their career, Soen have shown enormous potential by carving out their own style — even if the influences of certain bands are obvious. But you can’t really accuse Soen anymore of being a pale Tool clone with Opeth elements thrown in. They’ve become much more than that, and other influences are clearly audible. The concert above all showed that the band has found a certain stability, and their sound has grown fuller. Alongside a strong rhythm section and vocals, Soen now boast two guitars and keyboards as well. Their performance is convincing; the band didn’t feel like they were going through the motions. The stage banter matched that energy too.
The chemistry between the members reads as genuinely positive. Hard to single anyone out. Martin Lopez is probably the first one to catch your eye — a massive kit, and above all rhythmically inventive playing. Vocalist Joel Ekelöf is a frontman in the truest sense. His voice sounds exactly like it does on record, so you can’t accuse Soen of only sounding convincing on albums. Guitarist Cody Ford showed a real feel for melody, with Lars Åhlund stepping in on guitar at times while also handling keyboards. Stefan Stenberg rounded everything out nicely with some satisfying bass lines. Soen are definitively a band that works as a whole.
Naturally, Soen leaned heavily on songs from their then-current album Lotus (review HERE), which made up the majority of the set. They didn’t forget older material either — the tracks that built their fanbase. The crowd was treated to Tabula Rasa, Sectarian, Lucidity, Slithering, and others. It all flowed together well, helped by a solid sound mix that let you pick out individual instruments. The song selection was varied too: heavier, more complex tracks alongside something simpler in an alternative rock vein, or even the occasional ballad-ish number. You couldn’t predict everything, and maybe not every favourite made the cut — but then Soen now have four albums’ worth of material to choose from.
Together with Wheel and The Price, Soen delivered a great Saturday evening that drew out fans of melancholic and progressive music. Soen once again proved that no stage is foreign territory to them. A return visit would absolutely be welcome.
author: Primož Novak
photos: Nina Grad
