ALBUM REVIEW: Övergivenheten – Soilwork

While some melodeath bands have wavered throughout their careers, hitting peaks and troughs in their discography, Swedish dynamos SOILWORK are well-known to have been consistent in their output. If anything, they have improved release upon release, ever so gradually building upon the foundations established in their formative years and throughout their rise through the 2000s. Their last EP, 2020’s A Whisp Of The Atlantic was a testament to their growth as a well-oiled machine. It featured subtle new directions in songwriting but stayed true to their current sound which we have seen as of late. Övergivenheten is yet another solid slab of melodic death metal mixed with progressive rock flair to add to their already impressive catalogue. 

The folk-tinged intro of the title track slowly pulls you into the path of an explosive riff that makes you feel right at home in the arms of Sweden’s now recognisable metal melodies. The staple sound of the genre is still the lifeblood of the band but it’s the chorus that stands out and makes you want to scream it from the top of the mountains. The progressive elements that have made themselves present over time manifest in the form of a glorious violin section in the well-named Electric Again. Shades of NE OBLIVISCARIS here make for a blistering end to the early album highlight.  

The album, while not being overly heavy in general, features some weighty moments in the searing Is It In Your Darkness and the following Vultures. The former features one of the album’s hookiest choruses of all, while Vultures stomps with conviction and power and its end moments soar before allowing the listener to catch their breath. The guitars are incredible throughout and effortlessly switch from rapid riffing to an angelic croon. The same goes for the sultry synths that are beautifully paired with the riffs and add that extra bit of panache.

Vocalist Bjorn ‘Speed’ Strid’s voice is as powerful as ever with his vocal chops seemingly limitless, but it’s his time in THE NIGHT FLIGHT ORCHESTRA that interestingly bleeds into this album more than ever before. The mid-tempo thumping rocker Death, I Hear You Calling almost feels like a love letter to the band, while the glorious bounce on Dreams Of Nowhere is a perfect amalgamation of the two joined in harmony.  

But don’t fear if you were looking for the SOILWORK of old. While that sound has certainly moved into the background, the fundamentals are still there, seen in tracks like the fiery This Godless Universe. The drums on this song are relentless and crushing throughout. Indeed, they are commanding across the whole album, expertly whacked by Bastian Thusgaard, who must have calves of steel. The final hurrah for the album presents itself in the form of seven-minute epic On The Wings Of A Goddess/Through Flaming Sheets of Rain – a track which fuses all ideas seen on the album so far and bows out on a spectacular high.

Unfortunately, there are a few issues that stop this album from being a true masterpiece. The crux of the issue lies in the length of the record. It’s about 15-20 minutes too long. Due to the nature and structure of the songs, they can become a little repetitive over time and can blend into one another. This leads to the next issue: the lack of standout moments. As a collective unit, the album is truly magnificent, but it has to be heard from start to finish and running at 60 minutes can hinder this. It takes a few full listens to truly appreciate each track and everything the band throw at the listener.

Ultimately though, SOILWORK have once again proven that they are incapable of releasing a mediocre album and they are a consistent powerhouse with an unmatched catalogue of progressive and melodic death metal. A truly remarkable feat.  

Rating: 8/10

Övergivenheten is set for release on August 19th via Nuclear Blast Records.

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