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SOEN – NEW HORIZONS
With each new release, Soen continue to prove why they are one of the most intense and recognizable acts in the contemporary metal scene. Formed in 2010 under the guidance of Martin Lopez, they have built a path of constant evolution, moving effortlessly between progressive elements, introspection, and tangible emotions—able to touch delicate chords without ever sacrificing power.
From their debut Cognitive to their most recent work, Soen have defined a personal language marked by contrasts, sincerity, and a continuous search for balance between strength and vulnerability. A journey reflected both in their music and in the themes they explore: deeply human, often social, and always authentic.
Ahead of the release of their new album Reliance, we had the opportunity to sit down with the band to delve into their identity, creative process, emotional evolution, and how they have cultivated such a unique and instantly recognizable sound.
Here’s what Cody Ford, the guitar player in line-up shared with us.
When did you found Soen, and how did you arrive at defining your own personal style, distinct from the bands you were previously involved in?
Soen was founded around 2010 and I think at that time our influences were a lot more apparent in our writing. As the years have gone on we’ve continued to evolve and push ourselves into expanding what we are capable of as a band, sort of within the parameters of what we think is ‘Soen’. The cool thing is that those parameters are changing all the time. The important thing is that we write music we’re passionate about and love to play.
Your first album, Cognitive (2012), marked the official beginning of the project. Looking back now, how would you describe it in relation to what the band has become today?
It’s certainly more proggy and as stated above, very influenced by other music. It’s a bit more raw and unrefined than the music is now. But it has its own magic unique to every other album we’ve created.
With albums like Lotus, Imperial, Memorial and the most recent Reliance, you’ve shown a remarkable sonic evolution. How much of that comes from a need to change, and how much from the desire to remain faithful to your musical roots?
There’s definitely a desire to evolve as you go but there is this catalogue of music that follows you around that also dictates certain things. Evolution and taking chances is important, but understanding your core identity and staying true to your roots is necessary as well. It’s a give and take and something we’re cognizant of when writing new albums.
Is there a song (or more than one) in which you feel you expressed the message—musically and lyrically—the most effectively? Why?
I think every song we release expresses the message strongly, or else it wouldn’t make the album. But of course, some messages are going to be more well received from an audience perspective, due to the fact that the song resonates with a greater number of people. Songs like Lotus or Memorial are songs that seem to captivate musically and lyrically on a deep emotional level and we feel it when we play them live.
Since your sound is often progressive and reflective, how do you work on mentally “inhabiting” the vocals and connecting them to the music, whether in the studio or on stage, to convey certain atmospheres authentically?
It’s so important to sit with the lyrics and digest them for a while. Then comes understanding the energy of the song and singing the song in the correct manner to convey the message and emotions with tact and grace. It takes some trial and error but mostly just immersing yourself in the song and figuring out how to sing it with sincerity.
Soen’s lyrics often explore introspection, vulnerability and emotional depth. How much does your worldview and personal sensitivity influence your music?
A lot! Our world views and our personal experiences make up the majority of our lyrical themes. We’re all in the same camp of feeling like music is our cathartic outlet, so we like to write about things that are true to us. It keeps the music feeling authentic and when we can have an emotional connection when we play it, the crowd feels it too.
With albums like Reliance — which, according to some reviews, emphasize the search for “human fragility and resilience”—how concerned are you with the social or existential message you want to convey?
Of course there is concern and that’s a big reason it’s in the forefront of our lyrical themes. You get a picture of where the world is going everyday and the struggles more and more people share and it’s definitely something we feel inspired to write about.
Your sound combines strength and delicacy. How do you find the balance between intensity, aggressiveness (when needed), and moments of calm or melancholy?
The complexities of songs are kind of like the complexities of emotions. You just do your best to try to convey a feeling and sometimes that takes a mixture of really heavy moments and really delicate moments. Sadness for example can feel frail and powerless but it can also have elements of intensity and anger. So it’s about doing the emotions justice in a given amount of time. Quite the challenge!
When composing, how important is it for you to leave space for the listener’s own emotional interpretation, rather than describing a precise “truth”?
Very important. Sometimes the goal is to be just vague enough that the listener can fill in their own interpretations and feel the song as their own. If you make a song about losing your dog, well only people who lost their dog will resonate with it. But if you make it about loss in general, then it could be the loss of a family member, friendship, pet, partner etc. The song is more accessible and its meaning can also change throughout your life.
During the recording process—for example on Memorial—how much do you experiment with sounds, atmospheres and arrangements? Is there something you particularly like to take risks with or “play with” to evoke emotion?
We’ve experimented with a lot more sounds since Memorial. Part of that is just understanding how to use our DAWS more effectively – meaning our demo process is becoming a lot more professional. It’s about adding sounds that not only come from the guitars, vocals or drums and creating new and interesting atmospheres. The experimentation continues further in the production phase and that is influenced heavily by whoever we’re working with in the studio.
How important is contrast—between melody, aggression, tension and softness—in your songwriting and live performances?
Very important! I think for us it is one of our strengths as a band. Blending all of this isn’t always easy but it covers a broader range of emotions and as a music listener myself I know I really appreciate that in a band. And when I go to a show it’s so nice to take a break from the heavy and be hit with a more emotional song or ballad. That ebb and flow also makes the heavy songs feel heavier and the softer songs more tranquil. When we create setlists, striking this balance is very important for us.
As a listener and critic, to me your music feels as if “every note is suspended between gentleness and unease.” How would you describe it using three adjectives (or metaphors)?
Sincere. Emotional. Cathartic.
If you had to play three songs that best represent the soul of Soen to someone who doesn’t know the band, which would you choose and why?
Lotus for the soft ballad aspect of Soen. Memorial for the super heavy in your face feeling. And Fraccions for the progressive more complex side.
Looking to the future: what kind of evolution do you hope for the band, and for yourself as an artist within Soen? Is there something you haven’t explored yet that you’d like to try?
We hope to keep expanding our horizons in what we are able to achieve musically while keeping the heart of Soen present. We’re always excited to keep experimenting and seeing what comes next naturally for us. We’ll see what happens next!
