Soen
Memorial


2.5
average

Review

by PTRKoulou USER (5 Reviews)
September 9th, 2023 | 10 replies


Release Date: 09/01/2023 | Tracklist

Review Summary: Soen stubbornly walking on their beaten path leaves me occasionally pleased, yet wanting something more.

Rewrote it in parts, assuming it was deleted because of something I did wrong.

So to put it into context, I've liked Soen a lot, for the past 2-3 albums, so let me say: It's a pretty mixed bag.

I really want to say I like this so let's start with the positives:
The production is top notch, perhaps it's the best the band has ever sounded. Everything sounds crisp and well defined.
The vocals are only getting better, especially on the semi-harsh side of things, Joel kills it on multiple occasions (Unbreakable, Hollowed, and featured singer Elisa kills it as well on that song).
The guitarwork is as good as expected. Nohing to throw you off your chair, but many decent solos and riffs.

Now let's address (and confirm) some of the criticisms for the album:

The cheese. Oh so much cheese. Soen lyrics are at this point mostly unbearable, devoid of any interesting social criticism or metaphors. The generalization I could make is that they're running out of vocabulary; both literally (take a shot every time you hear the word tyrant in Imperial and Memorial) and musically.

Now the musical side of things is not unsalvageable, I disagree with people saying otherwise. The riffs are there, the trademark catchy choruses are there, but perhaps the Soen formula at this point is all too visible to a semi-trained ear. Still, I can't be convinced that this criticism doesn't apply to Imperial or Lotus at all.

And to give credit where credit is due, Soen even go as far as to add some new touches, for better or for worse. Fortress features Gothenburg styled dual lead guitar harmonies and their hooks all get tighter and tighter, creating some of the best recent iterations of their formula imo (Incendiary, Fortress). But I can't help but feel their growing infatuation for the 90s styled ballads doesn't have as much to offer, as this time around, they didn't manage to grab me as much. Vitals straight up is a Celine Dion B-Side, it doesn't feel right.

Overall, I don't think I'll be returning to this album a lot, it pales in comparison to their last efforts. However, some songs off there will be on rotation for a while, cause I like me some proggy radio rock. Peace.


user ratings (78)
2.9
good


Comments:Add a Comment 
PTRKoulou
September 10th 2023


84 Comments

Album Rating: 2.5

This is only my second review, so I'd suggest leaving a comment with what you didn't like about the review, instead of just saying it's not well written. I only want to improve

Azazzel
September 10th 2023


937 Comments


Here are specific suggestions to improve the writing of your album review:

1. **Clear Introduction:**
- Begin with a concise introduction that sets the stage for your review and your connection to Soen's music. Mention your previous appreciation to establish your perspective.

2. **Organize Positives and Negatives:**
- Instead of a single paragraph, break down your positive and negative points into separate sections. This helps readers follow your analysis more effectively.

3. **Specific Song Examples:**
- When praising the vocals, mention specific songs where Joel's performance shines. For instance, you can say, "Joel's vocals truly shine on tracks like 'Unbreakable,' 'Hollowed,' and during his collaboration with Elisa."

4. **Elaborate on Guitarwork:**
- Expand on what makes the guitarwork good. Describe standout solos or riffs in more detail to give readers a clearer picture of the album's strengths.

5. **Lyric Critique:**
- Instead of stating that the lyrics are cheesy, provide examples of lyrics that fell short or instances where they lacked depth. This will make your critique more substantial.

6. **Formulaic Composition:**
- Offer more specific insights into what makes the Soen formula transparent. Mention moments where it's evident and suggest how they could have diversified their approach.

7. **New Elements:**
- Discuss the new elements Soen introduced in greater detail. Explain how they impacted the overall listening experience, both positively and negatively.

8. **Conclusion Revisited:**
- In your conclusion, reiterate your overall assessment of the album, but provide more depth. Explain why it may not match up to previous efforts and highlight the specific strengths and weaknesses that contribute to your final verdict.

9. **Personal Connection:**
- Share a personal reflection on the album. Explain which songs, if any, will have a lasting place in your rotation and why. This adds a relatable element to your review.

10. **Engage with the Reader:**
- Consider addressing the reader directly at times to create a more engaging and conversational tone.

I hope these specific suggestions help you improve your album review as per your request.

PTRKoulou
September 10th 2023


84 Comments

Album Rating: 2.5

@azazzel much appreciated, thank you

ShapeOfJizzToCum
September 10th 2023


954 Comments


First two albums were solid Tool worship with some Opeth spice. The next couple were like okay but it was pretty clear that they were just going to keep writing the exact same shit over and over again, idek where I left off with them with that but I'm at least one or two behind now, I think the couple singles for the last one were so limp I didn't even bother.

Especially with the way these guys seem to be churning out albums every time barely 2 years passes, I think they'd benefit a lot from taking some time with a record and maybe sort of idk like writing something interesting and different.

ShapeOfJizzToCum
September 10th 2023


954 Comments


Also while I wouldn't call this a well written review in that it reads more like me talking to the homies on discord about an album, it was good enough that it was clear and got the point across about the record at least, and made it clear enough that this one probably isn't gonna be for me, so thanks for that.

PTRKoulou
September 11th 2023


84 Comments

Album Rating: 2.5

Appreciate the feedback! Yeah, perhaps the best way to know if you'd like this album is listening to Imperial. If you liked that, you'll surely like some of Memorial as well. But I'll argue that while the heavy side it does better, it doesn't necessarily engage me emotionally in any way deeper than how I react to a very satisfying musical moment/climax. That is, the lyrics just feel really cookie cutter "hurt Durr politicians bad", and that really drags the album down

LukC
September 14th 2023


31 Comments

Album Rating: 3.0

I have to say this might me my least favorite album from them, it's like a more bland and boring version of Imperial, that already wasn't as stellar as previous releases. No songs really stay with you, all are quite forgettable even on repeat listen, which is sad as they always had songs that hit hard and stood out. Not a fan of the forced vocals either. Instruments are solid and there are few interesting bits, but it too little to keep me interested. Soen can do better.



I cannot agree that the production is good either, liked Lotus or the revisited vesrion of Lykaia better.

PTRKoulou
September 18th 2023


84 Comments

Album Rating: 2.5

@LukC , I don't know, as far as the album's style is concerned, which is much more in-your-face, metal-forward compared to Lotus, I think that the production is pretty ideal at what it is. The only criticism I can think of is it being "squeaky clean", but other than that, it checks the boxes: the guitars have a punch when riffing and the clean tones are on point. I can perhaps imagine the drums being a bit less forward in the mix, but only because you suggested something being wrong. Nothing exactly rubbed me wrong with what I was hearing. Lykaia I don't know how to feel personally, even the revisited versions feel kind of iffy to me

ReginaldBerge
November 9th 2023


1 Comments


This can include pointing out areas that may have been unclear, suggesting alternative phrasing, or expanding on certain points to provide more comprehensive information. Now tunnel rush has totally sunk its claws into me. I play during my lunch break, before bed, any spare moment really.

Frost15
January 31st 2024


3633 Comments


Band is dying... Sad



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