Swedish progressive metal act SOEN are seeing their seventh studio album "Reliance," released January 16 via Silver Lining Music, gain serious traction in its opening week. The album is being praised for its atmospheric depth and emotional intensity, with early reviews highlighting the band's continued evolution under the powerful vocals of Joel Ekelöf. Major publications including Metal Hammer, Prog Magazine, and Distorted Sound have given the record glowing assessments, with several critics noting that SOEN have found their definitive sound — a blend of TOOL-inspired progressive heaviness with a distinctly Scandinavian sense of melody and restraint.
The record follows the critically acclaimed "Memorial" from 2023, which marked a creative breakthrough for the Stockholm-based outfit. "Reliance" pushes further into adventurous territory, incorporating elements of post-rock and ambient music alongside the crushing progressive metal riffs that have become the band's signature. Drummer Martin Lopez, a co-founder of the band and former OPETH member, delivers a masterclass in dynamic playing, shifting effortlessly between thunderous polyrhythmic passages and delicate, almost jazz-inflected grooves.
Streaming numbers are reportedly the strongest of the band's career, with lead single "Hollow" already surpassing two million Spotify plays. The album's opening track, "Fracture," has also gained significant playlist placement across major streaming platforms, introducing SOEN to listeners who may have previously overlooked them. The band will embark on a European headline tour in March, followed by festival appearances at Hellfest, Graspop, and Download Festival, suggesting that 2026 could be the year SOEN graduate from cult progressive metal favourites to arena-level headliners.