Verkligheten

So, Soilwork lost their amazing former drummer to Megadeth. That’s a tough blow for a band whose sound (in my humble opinion) was so heavily shaped by their perfect rhythm section. Replacing such a prominent member must be done in the proper way, or it will unleash a cascade of negative comparison. Soilwork did this the right way, by letting Bastian Thusgaard, the new guy, go full-on ‘animal loves drums’ on the opening track. What a way to start an album!

Having said that, and as much as I love the sounds on this album, the opening track also shows its ‘weaker’ points. All the classic Soilwork ingredients are there. The flawless rhythm section with its brutal, unrelentless drive, the great guitar sound, the grunts, and the melodies. But all put together on this release, the band’s sound has taken an even further stroll from their origins, a journey that started several albums ago.

This band consists of artists through and through, and it shows. All songs are crafted with skill and attention, polished to perfection. What would be my criticism then, you say? The answer surprised even myself. As loud as the album is at certain times, for me it has finally tipped the heaviness scale as it was for earlier releases, towards the more melodic side of things, even with a drum track assaulting your ears.

That does not make it a bad album. As I said, all the songs are perfection in itself, it’s more a thing of expectations. Soilwork has matured, and perhaps that means it’s time I did some growing up as well.

Check out our earlier cover interview with the band here.

Genre: Metal
Label: Nuclear Blast Records
Release Date: 11.01.2019
Tracklist:

1. Verkligheten 1:44
2. Arrival 3:47
3. Bleeder Despoiler 3:36
4. Full Moon Shoals 4:46
5. The Nurturing Glance 5:24
6. When The Universe Spoke 5:22
7. Stålfågel 4:25
8. The Wolves Are Back In Town 3:24
9. Witan 3:48
10. The Ageless Whisper 5:01
11. Needles And Kin 4:57
12. You Aquiver 4:03