Övergivenheten

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The more the years go by, the more surprising Soilwork’s releases become. Whereas their 2020 EP, A Whisp of the Atlantic, seemed to suggest the band were embarking on a (successful) progressive/aggressive path, Övergivenheten opens with two rather destabilising tracks. The title track and ‘Nous Sommes la Guerre’ together sound like a slightly more metal-oriented version of The Night Flight Orchestra (the rock-based side project of singer Björn Strid and guitarist David Andersson). With a lot of choirs and epic melodies, the sound here is very AOR oriented; it’s hard to imagine that this is the same band that once created the massacre that was The Chainheart Machine (2000). No sooner did ‘Electric Again’ pour some thrash energy back into the mix than ‘Valleys of Gloam’ took things back to ultra-melodic territory with its clear vocals and radio edited choruses.

The album continues in the same way for over an hour. The tracks are, on average, one spoon tabasco for every three spoons of honey. It’s far from unpleasant, and the result is actually quite surprising: you’ve got to love a bit of sweet and sour (especially with a bit of extra sweet). There’s no doubt about it: Soilwork have talent in abundance, mastering every aspect of their music. Strid, for example, is an incredible melodic singer but can still blow your mind with a single scream. However, the band constantly feels like it’s keeping its options open. Each track is great in its own right, but the whole seems to lack any real guideline. It’s as if Soilwork are still looking for the right path even after 26 years. Perhaps Övergivenheten should be considered a “grower”—the kind of album that only reveals its true genius after a fair few listens? It’s quite possible. For the time being, and despite several studious listens, astonishment is the overriding response to this album: a bit like a chicken that’s just discovered an iPad. © Charlélie Arnaud/Qobuz