{"id":37071,"date":"2026-01-19T23:05:25","date_gmt":"2026-01-19T21:05:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.heavyworlds.com\/it\/?post_type=review&p=37071"},"modified":"2026-01-19T23:05:26","modified_gmt":"2026-01-19T21:05:26","slug":"eng-ita-soen-reliance","status":"publish","type":"review","link":"https:\/\/www.heavyworlds.com\/it\/review\/eng-ita-soen-reliance\/","title":{"rendered":"[ENG\/ITA] SOEN – Reliance"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

[ENG]<\/em><\/strong> With “Reliance<\/strong><\/em>“, SOEN<\/strong> reach their seventh studio album and, for better or worse, deliver exactly what you would expect from them. Martin Lopez\u2019s band no longer has anything to prove in terms of technique or songwriting: they know how to write solid, emotional and instantly recognizable songs. The problem is that they now seem content with that.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

From the very first notes of “Primal<\/strong>“<\/em>, the album lays its cards on the table: a spotless production, precise rhythms, heavy but controlled guitars, and Joel Ekel\u00f6f\u2019s intense voice leading the way. It\u2019s a track that works, pulls you in and immediately brings the listener back into familiar territory. That feeling runs through the entire record, “Reliance<\/strong><\/em>” is an easy album to get into because it speaks a language SOEN have mastered perfectly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The focus on melody and lead guitars is one of the album\u2019s strongest points. Songs like “Mercenary<\/strong>“<\/em> or “Huntress<\/strong><\/em>” grow with repeated listens thanks to well-crafted harmonic choices, while “Axis<\/strong>“<\/em> takes a more direct, almost radio-friendly approach without becoming trivial. Even when the band slows things down, as on the ballad “Indifferent”<\/strong><\/em>, there\u2019s a sense of genuine emotion, though at times it comes close to tipping into overdone pathos.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There are a few attempts at variation, such as the use of Hammond organ on “Discordia<\/strong>“<\/em>, which adds color and atmosphere without feeling out of place. Still, over the course of the album its main weakness becomes clear: a strong sense of d\u00e9j\u00e0 vu. Tracks like “Draconian<\/strong>“<\/em> or “Unbound<\/strong>“<\/em> pass by without leaving a deep mark, sounding as if they\u2019re following a formula that\u2019s been refined to the point of autopilot.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The album closes with “Velichor<\/strong>“<\/em>, arguably the strongest track on the record. Suspended atmospheres, a slow-burning build-up, emotional tension and a finale that finally dares to push a little further. And that\u2019s where a certain frustration kicks in: whenever SOEN step even slightly outside their comfort zone, they prove they still have much more to say.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“Reliance<\/strong><\/em>” is therefore a well-crafted, polished and enjoyable album but also a very safe one. SOEN remain a high-level band, yet they seem to be holding back, as if they\u2019re unwilling to take real risks. Fans of their sound will be more than satisfied; those hoping for a bold step forward may be left feeling that this was only a partially fulfilled opportunity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

[ITA]<\/em><\/strong> Con “Reliance<\/strong><\/em>” i SOEN<\/strong> arrivano al loro settimo album in studio e, nel bene e nel male, offrono esattamente ci\u00f2 che ci si aspetta da loro. La band di Martin Lopez non ha pi\u00f9 nulla da dimostrare sul piano tecnico o compositivo: sanno scrivere brani solidi, emotivi e immediatamente riconoscibili. Il problema \u00e8 che oggi sembrano accontentarsi di questo.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fin dalle prime note di “Primal<\/strong><\/em>” l\u2019album scopre le sue carte: produzione impeccabile, ritmiche precise, chitarre pesanti ma sempre controllate e la voce intensa di Joel Ekel\u00f6f a guidare il tutto. \u00c8 un pezzo che funziona, cattura l\u2019ascoltatore e lo riporta subito in territori familiari. Questa sensazione attraversa l\u2019intero disco: “Reliance<\/strong><\/em>“\u00e8 un album di facile accesso perch\u00e9 parla un linguaggio che i SOEN padroneggiano alla perfezione.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

L\u2019attenzione rivolta alla melodia e alle chitarre soliste \u00e8 uno dei punti di forza del disco. Brani come “Mercenary<\/strong><\/em>” o “Huntress<\/strong>“<\/em> crescono con gli ascolti grazie a scelte armoniche ben costruite, mentre “Axis<\/strong>“<\/em> adotta un approccio pi\u00f9 diretto, quasi radiofonico, senza per\u00f2 risultare banale. Anche quando la band rallenta, come nella ballad “Indifferent<\/strong>“<\/em>, emerge un\u2019emotivit\u00e0 sincera, sebbene a tratti si rischi di sfiorare un pathos un po\u2019 eccessivo.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Non mancano alcuni tentativi di variazione, come l\u2019uso dell\u2019organo Hammond in “Discordia<\/strong><\/em>“, che aggiunge colore e atmosfera senza risultare fuori luogo. Tuttavia, con il procedere dell\u2019album diventa evidente il suo limite principale: una forte sensazione di d\u00e9j\u00e0 vu. Brani come “Draconian<\/strong>“<\/em> o “Unbound<\/strong>“<\/em> scorrono senza lasciare un segno profondo, dando l\u2019impressione di seguire una formula ormai talmente collaudata da funzionare quasi in automatico.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Il disco si chiude con “Velichor<\/strong>“<\/em>, probabilmente il brano pi\u00f9 riuscito dell\u2019album. Atmosfere sospese, una costruzione lenta e progressiva, tensione emotiva e un finale che finalmente osa spingersi un po\u2019 pi\u00f9 in l\u00e0. Ed \u00e8 proprio qui che emerge una certa frustrazione: ogni volta che i SOEN escono anche solo leggermente dalla loro zona di comfort, dimostrano di avere ancora molto da dire.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“Reliance<\/strong>“<\/em> \u00e8 quindi un album ben scritto, curato e piacevole, ma anche estremamente prudente. I SOEN restano una band di alto livello, ma sembrano trattenersi, come se non volessero correre veri rischi. I fan del loro sound ne saranno pienamente soddisfatti; chi sperava in un deciso passo avanti potrebbe invece avere la sensazione di trovarsi davanti a un\u2019occasione solo parzialmente sfruttata.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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