INTERVIEW: SOEN IN CONVERSATION WITH JOEL EKELÖF
Interview by Cecilia Pattison-Levi
For fans of progressive metal, the Swedish band SOEN is about to make their debut tour of Australia. The band will be here in October 2026.
“The whole band is really looking forward to coming to Australia. We have been talking about it for years. It is a bucket list destination for SOEN to play. And now it’s finally happening,” Joel Ekelöf explained.
It is amazing to think that SOEN have never been to Australia before. The band have just released their eighth studio album, ‘Reliance’, and for fans, it will be an amazing event to see them play in Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane.
“Well, yes, it will be the first time,” mused Joel Ekelöf. “It has just never quite happened. Not even in normal personal travel like a holiday, I have never been to Australia. We hear from other bands all the good stuff that happens there. The great crowds. The fans. The atmosphere in gigs. And we will be so grateful if they come out on a Monday night to see us.”
SOEN comprises of Joel Ekelöf (vocals), Martin Lopez (drums), Lars Enok Åhlund (keyboards/guitar), Cody Lee Ford (guitar) and Stefan Stenberg (bass). And what fans can expect is a band that blends heavy with the melodic in the most distinctive way.
SOEN have released a string of critically acclaimed albums since the band’s creation over fifteen years ago. From their first album, ‘Cognitive’, through to ‘Lotus’, ‘Imperial’ and ‘Reliance’: the band have progressed their sonic soundscape. But as Joel Ekelöf specified, the band have always approached instrumentation and songwriting with a rare blend of accuracy, emotion, and modesty.
“I think we have a “Soenesque” sound,” said Joel Ekelöf. “We, Martin and me, have been writing as a collab. It has always been since we started the band. Our songs are about the personal and what we see in the world. Our sound can channel our thoughts and emotions. I want SOEN songs to be deep, not shallow. But also, each band member has their own style in playing that sits well in the sound we have. Stefan’s bass has a real groove to it, it’s alive and energising. The guitars of Lars and Cody have that clinical precision. The drums are always right. SOEN has its own vibe.”
“For me, I have trained my voice myself to handle the harsh, gritty vocals and swap quickly to the melodic,” clarified Joel Ekelöf. “It’s hard, or you can’t find teachers to help you when you sing in a metal band. So, you have to learn by yourself. I practise for hours every night to keep my voice right for SOEN. We are a touring band and love playing live. The hard part is to keep our skills, and for me, my vocals, healthy and make sure my voice is sustainable.”
And what a beautiful voice, Joel Ekelöf has, it’s a gift to hear his melodic range. It comes out of the album ‘Reliance’ with warmth and power, even if the album’s subject matter challenges the listener to think twice about how we are living today.
“The album’s themes were focused on society. Modern life has become so impersonal. It is affecting our personal lives. We are just a click away from a global community of people in the digital world but further away from each other in the actual world. We are becoming increasingly polarised. We wanted to explore those ideas in our songwriting,” Joel Ekelöf stated. “We need to stop living our lives through the filter bubble.”
“That is one thing about playing live music,” Joel Ekelöf stated with consideration. “We love playing live. We love that connection. We like seeing how people react to our songs. There is no filter when you are at a live gig. It’s about the now.”
For SOEN, the band want fans to come along and enjoy their “vibe” and “Soenesque” sounds and engage in real life with them and the music.
SOEN will be bringing OMNIFIC with them on tour throughout Australia in October on their Reliance Tour 2026. The dates are:
Friday, 16th October at 170 Russell Street in Melbourne.
Saturday, 17th October at Manning Bar in Sydney.
Monday, 19th October at the Crowbar in Brisbane.
