Soen End The ‘Lykaia’ Tour In Lisbon With A Concert To Remember
It’s funny how Lisbon’s own RCA Club can become the mecca for young fans, that the night before were hanging around to see Our Last Night, and tonight, we celebrate music with an entirely different audience. all here to see Soen. That’s the beauty of music!
But before the sun went down, I had the chance to hang with legendary drummer Martin Lopez and vocalist Joel Ekelöf, to talk about their latest album, titled Lykaia.
It’s not the first time Soen have been to Portugal. In fact, in 2012, they were supporting Paradise Lost in 2012, to a very warm reception. Then again in 2015, with their second record, Tellurian. Finally, a third time, now with the Lykaia tour.
Martin: We came to Portugal pretty early, with Paradise Lost. Our first ever sold-out show was here. Our music is pretty emotional and Portuguese music and Portuguese people can relate melodic-wise.
Regarding the pressure that comes with making a third album, they said:
Martin: We always have pressure in ourselves. But it’s a different kind of pressure. We’re never satisfied, we always want to reach higher and honestly, being the best we can. So the pressure is always there, but it’s an internal pressure.
Joel: Well, you’ll have to make the music you like, not what you expect others to like, so you have your own pressure.
Still, making an album as grand as Lykaia can’t be easy, while recording a proper follow-up to two equally grand albums, are there any boundaries while writing their music?
Martin: We do the music we like to hear. There aren’t really boundaries, but we realise that having a little bit of fun can make a good song less emotional. It’s not boundaries, but we have to keep ourselves from what ‘cool’ or ‘fun’ when writing complicated riffs or rhythms and focus on the outcome of the emotional part of the song. We try not have the word ‘cool’ attached to our music. We don’t want to hear something like ‘That’s a cool riff”. It’s really all about the emotions.
We might sometimes take a path that could be more ‘boring’ for the sake of the song, I think that’s the only boundary we have.
Soen are definitely known for their unique approach to dark heavy music, leaving thousands of fans always wanting more.
Joel: I think we relate better do darkness and dark music. I don’t think it’s something we’ve been thinking of.
Martin: The music that you make is just a way to channel your feeling out and those darker, angrier, moments of your life, are stuff that you don’t get to express normally, so music is a way to get all the shit out and all of us have some tough experiences in life that we get out through this music.
Joel and I have a lot of supressed anger and darkness inside of us that we need to let out.
Joel: It’s like therapy. You go out and play music and get off stage like a weight is lifted off.
Martin: Music is an open door where you can get it all out and make something good out of some dark and crap.
Talking about their setlist for this tour, one that covers a good part of the bands repertoire, Soen are pushing themselves to give their audience the ultimate show, with Joel telling me how “it’s still great to play ‘ Fraccions’ and ‘Cognitive’ songs.”
Finally there’s some good news on a new upcoming album!
Martin: We got some songs actually. We have an idea on how the new album is going to sound. We’ve been working a lot and we’re really excited we have some amazing material.
This is what we want to play, and we have already three albums. We’re just eager keep writing the music that we do and making it better and better.
8:45pm, RCA Club. There are two lines of people, each and every one of them dressed in black, all waiting for doors to open. Once they do, there’s a certain static in the air. It’s the last day of a European Tour, and we’re told tonight is a special night, as Soen are recording their first ever live DVD. We knew it’d be memorable, but now we’d have the chance to revisit it as many times at our heart’s content.
As we settle in our places, it’s hard to miss Martin’s drum setup, which is quite intimidating for those who have never seen it up-close and personal. Yet, it’s such a beautiful setup to look at.
With the RCA Club fully packed, the seemingly sold-out show began the second Norwegian band Madder Mortem gathered on stage and put on a show that took a second for the audience to get along with, but the ice finally broke as “The Whole Where Your Heart Belongs” was performed loud and clear.
The hour-long set most definitely got the audience going, specially that one redhead girl who seemed to be a super-fan, singing and headbanging through the whole time. An enjoyable sight to see, while watching the warm-hearted singer Agnete M. Kirkevaag perform without missing a note.
It’s 11:15pm, and no sign of Soen yet. Saturday night, everyone is having a ball while excitement builds. It takes just a moment until the headlining act make their way to stage in incredible fashion, ready to perform.
As “Canvas” and recent single “Sectarian” kick-off their set, there’s nothing like watching Joel’s presence on-stage, acting as if he were a magician, enchanting the audience.
As we’re given the full treatment of a career spanning songs, it’s mid-way through “Pluton” something magical happened: We all started chanting the song, without prior prompt. Everyone in the room was participating in a moment that left ever single member of Soen mind-blown by what we’re doing in unison.
The night went on, as “Opal”, “Kurama” and debut album classic “Fraccions” end the night, but not before revisiting “Tabula Rasa” and “Lucidity” in an encore that could’ve never ended. We definitely wouldn’t have minded!
As I exit the venue, I see a smile on everyone’s face, even hearing some saying “it’s the best concert they’ve been to in a long time”. Seems like this is going to be an unforgetabble night for many of us in attendence.
After tonight, one thing is for sure: There is no other country loves Soen like Portugal does.
Soen’s latest album Lykaia is now available on all physical and digital outlets, as well as streaming services.
A big thanks to Free Music Events for letting attend this show!
