Lotus by SOEN

But it was starting with Lotus that Soen left behind much of the purely progressive elements to take on new emotional shades, with an album that, like a painting, can move you through brushstrokes of anger, melancholy, and hope. 

Soen, now recognized as one of the most authoritative and profound modern metal bands, able to blend technical complexity with strong emotional impact, owe much of their success to Lotus. 

This album represents the peak of their artistic maturation, marking the definitive break from the heavy Tool influences and the affirmation of a well-defined sonic identity.

Lotus achieves a perfect balance between technical progressive metal and a powerful emotional and melodic charge. Compared to previous works, the album partly reduces extreme structural complexity to focus more on “colors” and emotions. The atmospheres move between anger, melancholy, and moments of hope. Joel Ekelöf delivers an outstanding performance, with a warm, enveloping voice that becomes the emotional core of the record. Martin Lopez (ex-Opeth) confirms his unmistakable style, creating a complex rhythmic base that is never overbearing, supported by a throbbing bass. The arrival of Cody Ford introduced more bluesy and melodic solos, adding a new lead dimension to the songs.

This change was also shaped by a new approach: after three albums devoted to exploring different facets of progressive metal, Lotus was conceived with the aim of favoring emotional expression over pure technique. For the first time, the band members (often described as “control freaks”) delegated production to an outside professional, David Castillo. Castillo, already a collaborator for drum recording, managed to give the album a more defined and incisive sound, enhancing the guitars.

Joel Ekelöf and Martin Lopez chose the title Lotus for its symbolic meaning: the flower represents the ability to grow and bloom even in mud and in difficult contexts.  This reflects the album’s main theme: the possibility of finding hope and beauty even in the darkest situations or in an alienating contemporary society.  Many lyrics examine the contrast between digital hyper-connection and people’s growing loneliness, criticizing the superficiality of today’s social norms.

1. Opponent
This modern progressive metal track opens with syncopated riffs, typical of “djent,” which develop into an atmospheric chorus.  Martin Lopez stands out with tribal, complex drumming, while Joel Ekelöf immediately sets the album’s tone: less aggression, more control and warmth in the voice.

2. Lascivious
A progressive hard rock piece with an irresistible groove. Stefan Stenberg’s bass is the real star, creating a deep, enveloping backbone line. Cody Ford enriches the ending with a great solo.

3. Martyrs
Melodic heavy prog that perfectly balances rhythmic violence and sunny openings. Joel reaches very high interpretive peaks in the chorus, while Ford’s guitars alternate tight riffs with a final solo considered among the band’s best.

4. Lotus
An introspective, cathartic ballad, an emotional crescendo that starts from silence and explodes in the finale. Joel’s voice is whispered and vulnerable, while Martin Lopez uses the cymbals with extreme delicacy in the first part, then strikes hard in the epic ending.

5. Covenant
The track closest to the “Tool-ish” roots, thanks to the odd time and circular riffing. The rhythm section (Lopez/Stenberg) is impeccable, while Lars Åhlund’s keyboards add a discreet but essential orchestral bed to create a sense of urgency.

6. Penance
A dark, reflective mid-tempo, with a less linear and more unpredictable structure. Cody Ford uses very clean phrasing, almost Floydian, while Lars’s work on keyboards and organ at times gives it an almost seventies flavor.

7. River
A semi-acoustic, melancholic piece with a folk flavor, the moment of maximum calm before the final storm. Joel sings in a thread of voice, almost crying the words. The acoustic guitars are crystalline and the ending with the choirs is disarmingly beautiful.

8. Rival
The “meanest” and most direct track, with heavy riffing and square rhythms. Martin Lopez shows his mastery by alternating sharp hits with lightning-fast ghost notes on the snare. Ford answers with a very dark, powerful guitar tone.

9. Lunacy
A long atmospheric prog-metal track, a closing that reprises the themes of the whole album. The whole band works by subtraction, and the finale is entrusted to a long, aching guitar solo that fades into nothing, leaving a state of melancholic peace.

Unlike many prog bands that focus on crazy speed or absurd odd times, Soen here bet everything on pathos. Musical technique is used to serve the song: Martin Lopez’s complex meters (ex-Opeth) are there, but they flow in a smooth, natural, never forced way. The arrival of guitarist Cody Ford changed things. On Lotus, tight riffs alternate with solos rich in sustain and feeling, strongly reminiscent of David Gilmour’s style. This blues touch makes the sound warmer and less “cold” than classic metal. The musical style constantly moves between two extremes: heavy moments with thick, syncopated riffs that build tension, and melodic openings with wide, dreamy, almost epic choruses that release the built-up tension. Joel Ekelöf avoids screaming or growls, focusing on a clean, warm, velvety voice. This approach gives the album its typical melancholy and makes it accessible even to those who don’t usually listen to extreme music.

David Castillo’s production stands out for its emphasis on low frequencies and spaciousness, creating an enveloping sound that lets each instrument shine in its own space. The bass, deep and throbbing, is a central element.  While at times recalling the atmospheres of Tool in the Lateralus era, the direction is decidedly more melodic.

Their masterpiece, an Excellent record.

My Version

Label: Silver Lining Music – SLM041P01
Format: CD, Digipak
Country: UK
Release: 2019

Tracklist

1. Opponent (5:44)
2. Lascivious (5:37)
3. Martyrs (6:24)
4. Lotus (5:24)
5. Covenant (5:42)
6. Penance (6:17)
7. River (5:21)
8. Rival (5:51)
9. Lunacy (8:05)

Duration 54:25

LineUp

- Joel Ekelöf - vocals

- Cody Ford - lead guitar

- Lars Åhlund - keyboards, guitar

- Stefan Stenberg - bass

- Martin Lopez - drums

Listening links:

The album is available on all major music and video streaming platforms. 

Music Streaming Platforms

• Spotify: You can listen to the full album, including the best-known tracks like "Martyrs" and the title track.
• YouTube Music: Available both as the official album and as a playlist of individual tracks.
• Apple Music: Link to the standard version of the album released in 2019.
• Deezer: The full album with all 9 original tracks. 

Video Content

• YouTube (Official Playlist): Playlist that brings together all the album tracks in high quality.
• Lotus (Official Video): The official music video for the lead track on the band's channel. 

Note: All links to the musicians' works are in the TAGS under the article title or on the page "Artists"