Soen - Memorial (CD)

2023 release. Never ones to take the restrained path, on their sixth studio album Memorial, Soen face down the ills and ways of current society with a crisp, wounded venom that betrays their pain, anger and frustrations. Each guitar carries a greater serrated edge, each melody a richer heart, each lyric a soul and spleen venting definitive proclamation. At the same time, Soen's unique blend of progression, aggression, and beauty shows more maturity than ever before. The dovetail of melodic greatness and face-crushingly heavy guitars and rhythms on Memorial is glorious. There's the proud power-stride of "Sincere" and the sheer power of "Unbreakable", Martin Lopez's drums driving deep, the symphonic beauty of "Hollowed" (featuring guest vocals by Elisa), and the rousing roar of "Icon", with the trademark vocals of Joel Ekelöf as emotionally evocative as ever. Throughout, Oleksii "Zlatoyar" Kobel's bass supplies a thick river of support, while Lars Enok Åhlund and Cody Lee Ford supply consistently dynamic, brilliant twin guitar work. Finishing with the beautiful, tragic, Pink Floyd-doused ballad "Vitals", Memorial is the result of brave, emotional, and evocative artists finding their best stride yet amidst global chaos and madness. Soen have been building up to this moment for years; now they're here, Memorial deserves universal acclaim as a truly inspired modern hard rock classic.