On May 28, 2010, the formation of Soen was announced, its lineup consisting of former Opeth drummer Martin Lopez, ex-Death, Testament and Sadus bassist Steve DiGiorgio, Willowtree vocalist Joel Ekelöf and guitarist Kim Platbarzdis. The group's first song, "Fraccions", was released on the band's official website on October 2010. Their first video, for the song "Savia", was posted on their Facebook page on February 2012. Their second video is a moody acoustic version of the song "Ideate". The band's third video is for the song "Delenda".
Drummer Martin Lopez has described Soen's music as "melodic, heavy, intricate and very different than everything else." Their debut, Cognitive, was released in February 2012 to positive critical reception, the members' technical proficiency receiving most praise, though many reviewers noted extreme stylistic similarities to the music of Tool.
Martin Lopez commented on the Tool similarity: "We are inspired by Tool but I consider them not only a band but a genre. Besides that, I really don’t think there’s anything to argue about, we make good music whoever it would remind you of. Some people tend to dislike rather than like and are looking for faults instead of seeing music for what it is, good or bad".
Cognitive was released on Spinefarm records on February 15, 2012. The album was mixed by David Bottrill (Tool, Coheed and Cambria, Silverchair, The Smashing Pumpkins, Muse etc.) and mastered by João Carvalho. There's also a bonus track on the Japanese edition called “Writhen”.
As of their fifth album "Imperial", released in 2021, the band members are:
Oleksii "Zlatoyar" Kobel – Bass
Cody Ford – Guitar
Lars Åhlund – Keys, guitar
Joel Ekelöf – Vocals
Martin Lopez – Drums, percussion
Canvas
Soen Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
behind its colors i forge myself
meanings below that we set up low
and suddenly i see
that everyone is blind but me
i have discovered a canvas
deep in the sea of this harmony
a solace portray of endless energy
visions are moving away from me
concentrate, don't lose your illusion
don't let them provide a solution
you're faint in your head
close your eyes from false shining lies
made to confuse us all
architectures of domination
society they call
i have discovered a canvas
using its colors i saw my Self
breaking the norm
induce a reform, defy insanity
bred in the care of my vanity
see them entirely abstract
out of the orbit we comprehend...
The lyrics of Soen's song Canvas speak about the self-discovery of the singer and their journey towards breaking free from the societal norms and illusions that surround them. The canvas mentioned in the song is a metaphor for the world and the singer is portraying themselves as an artist who is trying to create their own reality using the colors they find in it. The singer is able to see through the lies and illusions that society is presenting them with and is trying to urge others to do the same. The line "everyone is blind but me" highlights this sense of individual awakening and realization.
The second stanza of the song speaks about the cosmic embrace and the solace the singer finds in it. The imagery used is that of the sea and the depth of this harmony. However, the visions that the singer seeks are moving away from them, indicating that the understanding they are trying to achieve is not easy to come by. The singer is urging themselves to not lose their illusions and not let anyone else provide them with a solution. The false shining lies that society presents are meant to confuse people, and the architect of this confusion is the domination architecture that society perpetuates. The society that the singer refers to is one that is trying to control people's choices and ways of thinking.
Overall, the song Canvas is an expression of the singer's personal journey towards self-discovery and enlightenment. Through their journey, they are able to see the illusions that society is presenting them with and are urging others to do the same.
Line by Line Meaning
i have discovered a canvas
I have found a new way to express myself
behind its colors i forge myself
I use the canvas to create a new version of myself
meanings below that we set up low
We often underestimate the significance of things
and suddenly i see
Something has become clear to me
that everyone is blind but me
I have a unique perspective that others don't
deep in the sea of this harmony
Amidst the chaos of the world, there is balance
cosmic embrace
A connection with the universe
a solace portray of endless energy
A representation of eternal power and comfort
visions are moving away from me
My understanding is slipping away
concentrate, don't lose your illusion
Stay focused and hold onto your dreams
don't let them provide a solution
Don't let others dictate the answers
you're faint in your head
You're starting to lose clarity
close your eyes from false shining lies
Ignore the attractive but empty things around you
made to confuse us all
These things are intentionally misleading
architectures of domination
The structures that control us
society they call
The overarching system that governs us
using its colors i saw my self
Through art, I gained a better understanding of who I am
breaking the norm
Challenging the status quo
induce a reform, defy insanity
Making changes and standing up against what is wrong
bred in the care of my vanity
Inspired by a desire for personal growth
see them entirely abstract
Understanding things in a new way
out of the orbit we comprehend
Beyond our current understanding
Writer(s): Martin Lopez, Joel Ekeloef, Joakim Platbarzdis, Steve di Giorgio Copyright: Sony/ATV Music Publishing (Germany) Gmbh, Direction Publishing
Contributed by Lucy N. Suggest a correction in the comments below.