CD Review: Soen – Tellurian

CD Review: Soen – Tellurian

Spinefarm Records

All Access Rating: A-

Soen - Tellurian 2014

Often compared to Tool, Swedish progressive-metal architects Soen are serious about their craft and the precarious state of human existence, not to mention the growing threats to a fragile planet. Naming their latest album Tellurian drives the point home. 

Defined as "of or inhabiting the earth," Tellurian is not a word used much in common, everyday conversation, and it speaks to Soen's lyrical commitment to explore topics such as ecological catastrophe, injustice and man's cruelty toward his fellow man – things anybody who considers oneself a citizen of the world shouldn't take lightly.

By the same token, there's nothing ordinary or parochial about Soen, who've designed a series of complex musical passages for Tellurian that beg for deep exploration. Led by former Amon Amarth and Opeth drummer Martin Lopez and Willowtree vocalist Joel Ekelof, Soen also includes bassist Stefan Stenberg and guitarist Joakim Platbarzdis, and the engrossing Tellurian expands on the promise of their 2012 record Cognitive.  

A richly melodic and rhythmically diverse listen, with the strange and intriguing artwork of Mexican painter Jose Luis Lopez Galvan giving notice that what's inside is truly unconventional stuff, Tellurian is beautifully sculpted and often mesmerizing, brooding and mysterious, Soen's supple musicianship bending and twirling like a quartet of acrobats all moving in perfect unison. Every track is a chameleon, a changeling that assumes new shapes and identities at the drop of a hat. Some are pleasing, and some are dissonant and crazed, but every time, Soen turns back to what keeps them grounded, namely their graceful and organic sense of melody.

Sharp and striking, with whiplash time signature changes and bi-polar mood swings, "Ennui" and "Void" are unpredictable and volatile, capable of building gripping drama, turning meditative and then gnashing their teeth in fits of anger. There is thunder in the drums of "Tabula Rosa" and agile movement, each instrument seemingly stalking some extraterrestrial prey and then pouncing with a lust for blood, as existential angst plays out in the lyrics. There is savage, pummeling aggression in the drumming of a particularly stormy part of "Kuraman," cracking through the song's knotty muscle and expansive melodies, and there is urgency and tumult in "The Other's Fall," whereas the thick, watery "Koniskas" swells with harmonic majesty.

Tellurian can be a willful and difficult child, as might be conceived by King Crimson or somebody of that ilk. Its tantrums, like the ones in "Pluton," are purposeful, however, and brief, little bursts of emotional turmoil meant to convey distress and dissatisfaction. Soen has a lot to say and many ways of expressing what it hates, what it fears and what it loves.
– Peter Lindblad

Soen's 'Cognitive' development expands on 'Tellurian'

Complexity, melody not mutually exclusive for progressive-metal think tank
By Peter Lindblad

Soen is Martin Lopez, Kim Platbarzdis,
Stefan Stenberg, and Joel Ekelof

There's a domesticated rhinoceros sitting down to a meal of very small, naked human beings – possibly children – on the cover of Soen's sophomore album, Tellurian. Even for prog, that's some pretty bizarre artwork.

Designed by artist Jose Luis Galvan, the piece is striking and thought-provoking, and when asked how it tied into the lyrical themes of the new record, singer Joel Ekelof talked of a strong connection between them.

"We just thought his work and our work, as it sounds on Tellurian, fitted right away," said Ekelof, who released two albums with the band Willowtree before joining forces with former Amon Amarth and Opeth drummer Martin Lopez, bassist Steve Di Giorgio (Testament, Death, Sebastian Bach and Obituary) and guitarist Kim Platbarzdis in Soen in 2010.

As enigmatic as the album art is, Soen's byzantine brand of melodic progressive-metal – imagine if Tool were more song-oriented – is just as difficult to pigeonhole, and that's just how they want it. Poetic and dark, Tellurian is elaborate, multi-layered and full of exquisitely crafted detail, like the artwork of M.C. Escher, and in the same way Escher's work is delightfully strange, Soen, too, creates sprawling music that is both accessible and challenging.

Tellurian, a word meaning "of or inhabiting the earth," may seem a series of complex corridors leading to uncharted territory, but the melodic character of the music makes it approachable. And therein likes the genius of Soen. They make beautiful sounds, while still managing to be quirky and arty.

Recruiting people like Dave Bottrill (Smashing Pumpkins, King Crimson and Muse) to mix the record and Adam Ayan – both of them Grammy winners – to master it only speaks to Soen's passion for musical quality control, as Platbarzdis produced Tellurian.

Di Giorgio having been replaced on bass by Stefan Stenberg, Soen appears to be solidifying its lineup and growing more confident in its abilities, as Tellurian is one of the more interesting releases of 2014. Ekelof and Lopez recently talked about Tellurian and the band's inner workings in this interview.

What's the significance of the album title Tellurian? Do you see the music as having a very earthy quality?
Joel Ekelof: Not necessarily earthy, but sometimes we could take a step back and reflect on the implications of our actions. Whether we do it to ourselves, people around us or our environment.

These tracks sound so intricate. Is that important to the band, to make something complex and yet record an album that flows and is accessible? And is that especially true of this album, as opposed to Cognitive?
JE: The complex parts of the album never come from a decision that we should do a complex part. But the small change in a part that makes it complex might give it a tension that resolves in a release when a more straightforward part follows. In the same way that dissonant chords make you hold your breath until [their] released. Still, this is not a "theory" that we follow, rather a pattern that can be read out of the result.

Talk about the concept for the video for "Tabula Rosa" and how it relates to the lyrics of the song. Why did it make sense to release that as the first single?
JE: It was very hard for us to choose one favorite of the album, so we decided to let people around us have a say. The concept of the video is addressing the fact that people feel they cannot affect their lives.
Martin Lopez: The fact that we're not in charge of our own future, and that humanity and solidarity are very rare these days. That's the key concept of the video, to somehow show the anger towards injustice that the majority of us share.

How has the songwriting and recording process evolved for the band from Cognitive to Tellurian? Did the process remain the same for both?
JE: Both are the same. But for this album we had more time to work on the music. We spent a lot of time going through details, something we didn't do with Cognitive.
ML: We also gained some experience while recording Cognitive and that helped us save time and avoid error while recording Tellurian.

How is it different from other bands you've been in? What do you enjoy most about this experience, as opposed to your experiences in other groups?
ML: There isn't any pressure from the outside, and there isn't any economical expectations behind Soen. We do the music that we love without any outside factors affecting our mindset and all our decisions are made based on how they'll affect us as a band and as individuals, and that can be hard when you're part of a band that has a greater following and that many people economically depend on. Also, we maintain a very relaxed and positive relationship within the band and that makes everything a lot smoother.

Were there things you tried on this album that you didn't on Cognitive?
ML: Not really. The main difference is that we eliminated every part we considered filler and put a lot of effort on being more direct and "close" to the listener.
JE: Basically, we have refined the sound from Cognitive.

Soen - Tellurian 2014

The album art is amazing. Tell me about the artist and what your reaction was when you first saw this work? In what ways did it relate to themes you explored on this record?
JE: Jose Luis Galvan designed it. He's an amazing Mexican artist.

The band's musicianship is something that really stands out with Soen, and yet, there is a real emphasis on song and melody. Have there been times in the studio where you had to rein yourselves in because you thought you were going overboard showing off your chops at the expense of the song?
JE: No, we always try to look at the song as a whole. Sure, we've cut away a few complicated parts that didn't make it to the album when we wrote the songs, but it was never an issue about it was too ... complicated, "show offy," hard to play. The only interesting parameter is if it has a purpose in the song.
ML: Our music is about balance. Song comes first, musicianship second, but both are every important and need to illuminate each other.

"Kuraman" is probably my favorite track on Tellurian. Talk about how that song was conceived. It reminds me of System of a Down a little, with really heavy, complex parts and big melodic choruses and that violent drumming in the middle.
ML: I pretty much wrote the whole song as a bass line, and we added vocals at a very early stage so we had quite a good song before even adding guitars and drums. So it was all about choosing wisely while adding drums and guitars so that the vocals and bass would still carry the song.

I wanted to get your thoughts on some other tracks on Tellurian, starting with "Koniskas."
ML: "Koniskas" started as a ballad and while going through it with Joel, we noticed that we should make it heavier, add drums and distortion but still try to keep the warmth of the song.

"The Other Fall" has some really interesting rhythms, as do a lot of the tracks on the record. How did that song come together, especially with regard to the drums?
ML: Drums came first, then bass and then we noticed we could build a song around that theme, so we picked up the guitar and keyboard and wrote some harmonies as a platform for Joel to sing on. We wanted the song to be really heavy and proggy in a violent way.

What do you feel is the heaviest song on the album? I might argue that it's "Pluton."
ML: The heaviest emotionally, at least for me, is "The Words" and the heaviest musically may be "Pluton" or "The Other's Fall."

There are a lot of passages to wander through as a listener on this album. It's almost like a series of tunnels or a maze. Do you think of albums in that sense?
JE: Not in general. Most albums give some kind of abstract feeling. I guess this kind of music consisting of many different parts that take many turns have a tendency to give more of a maze-like feeling, rather than an open landscape with rainbows ...
ML: I'm glad you feel this way because we wanted the album to have some kind of adventurous aura over it.

What would be the greatest compliment you could ever get regarding this record?
ML: Don't really need compliments ... just coming to a show and sharing a moment with the band is more than enough.

Best of 2013 in Hard Rock and Heavy Metal – Part 1

The number of this beast is 20, as in top 20

By Peter Lindblad

There are many questions left unanswered from the year of our Lord 2013. 

One of them being, what exactly is an "Earth Rocker" and, as a follow-up question to Clutch, how do they differ from normal, everyday rockers? Also, why Summon the Faithless, Lord Dying? Is something nefarious afoot? 

And what about Monster Magnet's Last Patrol? Should we read anything into that title? And should you engage in a transaction with a Venomous Rat Regeneration Vendor, what are you actually purchasing? Zombie rodents? Would you buy such a thing from a man named Rob Zombie?

To say the least, hard rock and heavy metal had its share of scary, off-the-wall characters making ridiculously powerful music in 2013. Ozzy even sounded semi-coherent as three-fourths of the original Black Sabbath came back from the grave with a vengeance. As ill as he's been, Lemmy still barreled through Aftershock like a man possessed by demons, which is just the way Lemmy likes it. And former Hanoi Rocks frontman Michael Monroe showed everyone he's full of just as much piss and vinegar as guys half his age.

So, here we present the best metal and hard rock records of 2013 in this four-part series, counting down from 20 and headed toward No. 1. 

Amon Amarth - Deceiver of the Gods 2013

20. Amon Amarth: Deceiver of the Gods – Maybe this Norse metal thing has finally run its course with death metal Vikings Amon Amarth. Even the gods are wondering if its time Amon Amarth gave it a rest. Still, the gory Deceiver of the Gods, with its mighty blend of traditional melodic metal forms and good old fashioned thrash, is a mammoth production, a big boiling kettle of massive riffs, hairy vocal bellows and roiling rhythms that swings precariously to and fro, constantly spilling its contents over the edge. And Amon Amarth worshippers lapped up every drop.

Lord Dying - Summon the Faithless 2013

19. Lord Dying: Summon the Faithless – Stirring up a sea of sludge, coating it in crusty distortion and fashioning it into menacing shapes defined by crunching riffs and hardened grooves, Lord Dying staked its claim to Black Sabbath's throne as the masters of doom metal. Made of pure evil, Summon the Faithless is that shadowy figure of an album hiding around the corner, waiting to snatch whoever happens to walk by with a myriad of rusty hooks that could give whoever hears it tetanus. Make sure you're up on all your shots.

Rob Zombie - Venomous Rat Regeneration
Vendor 2013

18. Rob Zombie: Venomous Rat Regenerator – Chaos reigns supreme in the circus world of Venomous Rat Regenerator, where demented bartender Rob Zombie and partner John Five whip up a lethal cocktail of hot, grinding industrial-metal riffage, hard-hitting dance beats and complete auditory madness. If any asylum could ever be described as "fun" or having a "party-like atmosphere," this is it. The inmates are running Venomous Rat Regenerator, inviting all manner of freaks, and they are throwing the bash of the century.

Saxon - Sacrifice 2013

17. Saxon: Sacrifice – Saxon sacrificed nothing on its last album. The grizzled New Wave of British Heavy Metal veterans mixed in some thrash stomp and made some of the toughest, most durable rock of their career. Wrecking-ball riffs and beautifully intertwined dual-guitar salvos each find their space on Sacrifice, which also incorporates touches of folk instrumentation on an otherwise hard-nosed, blue-collar epic that packs quite a wallop.

Vista Chino - Peace 2013

16. Vista Chino: Peace – Peace sells, and it should be bought by the truckload. Heavy and languid, with a wonderfully homegrown, hazy stoner-metal aesthetic hanging in the air, Peace could have sounded inert, stuck in a past where too many Kyuss fans choose to live. It doesn't. Rather, Vista Chino moves in mysterious and intoxicating ways. Instead, it's seductive, like an older brother daring you to smoke pot for the first time, and earthy, as if early Sabbath spent more  time in hippie communes, as opposed to graveyards. In a word, it sounds "natural," which is something that can't be said anymore for Queens of the Stone Age, that other Kyuss-related band. 

CD Review: Amon Amarth – Deceiver of the Gods

CD Review: Amon Amarth – Deceiver of the Gods

Metal Blade

All Access Review: A-

Amon Amarth - Deceiver of the Gods 2013

There’s a special place in Valhalla reserved for AmonAmarth. Brandishing guitars like gleaming, freshly sharpened blades, the Swedish death-metal war party and Iron Maiden descendants have earned it with an admirable body of brutally heavy wet work.

Obsessed with Norse mythology, Amon Amarth is known for drawing scenes of bloody battles forgotten by history and paying tribute to courage in close combat on rough terrain strewn with stinking, decomposing corpses. Gird your loins once again, because the relentless Deceiver of the Gods has come to pillage and plunder with songs armed to the teeth with beast-like riffage, hell-spawned vocals and strong, dynamic melodies forged in steel that survive massive storms of transfixing sound and fury. 

The squishy, gurgling noises of a man bleeding out and breathing his last after being stabbed is heard right before the rampaging “Blood Eagle” storms whatever territory it is that Amon Amarth must take by force, and it is sobering. A revenge song, replete with the ghoulish moaning of Viking ghosts, “Blood Eagle” is typical of Deceiver of the Gods, thick and intense, but always serving its conflicted masters of shifting, tightly wound harmonies and immense power surges.

Nothing on Deceiver of the Gods has the massive tonnage of “Hel,” a death march that slogs through mud and gore to find the glory of war, if there is such a thing. Immersed in traditional metal and doom elements, “Hel” is a black mix of different vocal textures, comprised of Johan Hegg’s usual hoary growl, deathly background wailing and the operatic histrionics of Candlemass guest singer Messiah Marcolin, who sounds like Bruce Dickinson’s evil twin. Those thick, burly guitars that smash “Hel” into kindling also crush “We Shall Destroy,” and they come in mammoth waves. But it’s the melodic spirals of guitars that lift the soul of that track above the instrumental chaos and violence on the song’s terra firma that really astound, as they do on the pummeling closer “Warriors of the North” and the punishing, explosive “Shape Shifter.”

Known for his ability to heighten the impact and sonic aggression flooding out of his client’s amplifiers, producer Andy Sneap increases the voltage of Amon Amarth on Deceiver of the Gods. Electricity courses through the veins of these tracks, riding old-school power chords into the night. Their grooves are somehow even more muscular than ever on the turbo-charged “Father of the Wolf” and the title track’s furious thrashing, and the melodic parts – see the intro to the fast progressive-metal maze “As Loke Falls” – are assertive and magical, almost spellbinding at times.

The devilishly playful Norse god Loke inhabits this indomitable fortress of metal, and Amon Amarth only encourages him, following his melodic whims and destructive tendencies. Similar in character to previous releases, Deceiver of the Gods finds Amon Amarth sticking to a formula that works for them, adding power and definition to every unexpected, expertly executed maneuver and rich tonality to their remorseless attack. This is a well-plotted battle plan, the likes of which Rommel might have conceived. Whatever game of thrones Amon Amarth is playing, they are winning. http://www.metalblade.com/us/

– Peter Lindblad