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
Jinn
Soen Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You were the drug that kept me alive
During weary times
Seemed so pure when wearing white
Within such a frail and immaculate mind
With those innocent eyes
You asked me to swear in a mirror - confide
Underneath the stars
I should care to let you fly
A chance to retrieve what was left behind
To experience life
Staring at the sky
Staring at the sun
Waiting for a wonder
Within a forsaken land
The sparrow in my hand
Now buried in the sand
Leaving you dependent
Leaving you an open vein
Can't make you wait no more
Can't make you wait nowhere
It's hard to breathe
Everything's blackening
I am made of flesh and bone
Blood, sweat and tears are all you ever will find
Underneath the skin
You're affair, that I'm a stone
Falling from the depths into the grave
Where I'm destined to dwell
And we reach for mystery
At the edge of reason
Every path we take
We're wandering in blindness
In the end nothing is
Lonelier or so honorable
While we drown in doubt
We're drifting like strangers...
Staring at the sky
Staring at the sun
Waiting for a wonder
Within a forsaken land
The sparrow in my hand
Now buried in the sand
Leaving you dependent
Leaving me with open veins
Forty days and forty nights
You were the drug that kept me alive
With those innocent eyes
The lyrics to Soen's song Jinn explore a complicated relationship between two people that appears to be built on reliance and addiction. The singer sings about their partner being like a drug to them during "weary times" and how they seemed pure and innocent upon first meeting. The two were once "young and full of life" but things have changed as the singer cannot keep their partner waiting any longer. The song is full of darkness and uncertainty as the singer comes to the realization that they cannot keep relying on their partner, nor can they keep their partner dependent on them.
The lyrics suggest a sense of longing for something that is no longer possible, as the singer admits to leaving their partner "an open vein" and is ultimately left with "open veins" themselves. The song's title, Jinn, refers to a supernatural creature in Islamic mythology that is often depicted as a tempter or seducer, adding another layer of complexity to the lyrics.
Overall, the song explores themes of addiction, co-dependency, and the dangers of relying too heavily on another person.
Line by Line Meaning
Forty days and forty nights
I relied on you for a long time.
You were the drug that kept me alive
You were my only source of comfort when I felt lost.
Seemed so pure when wearing white
Innocence emanated from your every move.
Within such a frail and immaculate mind
You were fragile, yet pristine in your thoughts and emotions.
With those innocent eyes
You had a childlike purity in your gaze.
We were young and full of life
We had the energy and enthusiasm that only the young possess.
You asked me to swear in a mirror - confide
You wanted me to place my trust in you completely.
Underneath the stars
We shared this moment of honesty under the blanket of the nighttime sky.
I should care to let you fly
I want you to have the freedom to pursue what you need in life.
A chance to retrieve what was left behind
I hope you can find what you lost previously and take it back.
To experience life
You deserve to have your own life experiences.
Staring at the sky
We look up to the heavens, searching for something greater than ourselves.
Staring at the sun
We're blinded by the light and warmth of hope, even when it's fleeting.
Waiting for a wonder
We're anticipating something extraordinary that we can't quite define.
Within a forsaken land
We wander alone in a barren world, seeking meaning and purpose.
The sparrow in my hand
The small bird I held tightly represents my hope and faith.
Now buried in the sand
It's gone, and I've lost my hope and faith.
Leaving you dependent
I'm no longer there to provide for you.
Leaving you an open vein
I've left you vulnerable and exposed to the hardships of life.
Can't make you wait no more
I can no longer ask you to be patient.
Can't make you wait nowhere
I've accepted that you need to move on.
It's hard to breathe
The loss I feeling is suffocating.
Everything's blackening
My world has lost all light and color.
I am made of flesh and bone
I am human, with all my strengths and weaknesses.
Blood, sweat and tears are all you ever will find
All I can offer are the raw emotions in my heart.
Underneath the skin
I'm more than just a physical form.
You're affair, that I'm a stone
You treat me like a dispensable object while I feel trapped in my emotions.
Falling from the depths into the grave
My sense of despair consumes me and prevents me from living my life.
Where I'm destined to dwell
The more I dwell on my troubles, the more difficult it becomes to climb out.
And we reach for mystery
We're drawn to the unknown and unexplainable.
At the edge of reason
We push past our limits of understanding and enter the realm of imagination and faith.
Every path we take
Each choice we make leads to a new experience.
We're wandering in blindness
We can't predict the outcome of our risks.
In the end nothing is
Despite our efforts to make meaning, it often slips away from us.
Lonelier or so honorable
The decision to find meaning alone is isolating but carries its own merit.
While we drown in doubt
Doubt threatens to weigh us down, making it difficult to find our way.
We're drifting like strangers...
Our paths in life have diverged, leaving us feeling like we're moving separately.
Leaving me with open veins
I'm exposed and vulnerable to further hurts, with no hope of healing immediately.
Writer(s): Marcus Jidell, Leif Stenberg, Joel Ekelof, Martin Lopez, Lars Ahlund
Contributed by Nathan S. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@rin794
Forty days and forty nights
You were the drug that kept me alive
During weary times
Seemed so pure when wearing white
Within such a frail and immaculate mind
With those innocent eyes
We were young and full of life
You asked me to swear and in me you confide
Underneath the stars
I should care to let you fly
A chance to retrieve what was left behind
To experience life
Staring at the sky
Staring at the sun
Waiting for a wonder
Within a forsaken land
The sparrow in my hand
Now buried in the sand
Leaving you depending
Leaving me with open veins
Can't make you wait no more
Can't make you wait nowhere
It's hard to breathe
Everything's blackening
I am made of flesh and bone
Blood, sweat and tears are all you ever will find
Underneath the skin
You're a feather, I'm a stone
Falling from the depths into the grave
Where I'm destined to dwell
And we reached for mystery
At the edge of reason
Every path we take
We're wandering in blindness
In the end, nothing is
Glorious or honorable
While we drown in doubt
We're drifting like strangers
Staring at the sky
Staring at the sun
Waiting for a wonder
Within a forsaken land
The sparrow in my hand
Now buried in the sand
Leaving you depending
Leaving me with open veins
Forty days and forty nights
You were the drug that kept me alive
With those innocent eyes
@steampunk1435
this arrangement is beautiful, the duetto in the chorus and the violin really adds to an already beautiful song
@shauntiggelman9341
woww alrweady maybe my favorite soen song but this is amazing
@user-yi1ls2xs7q
Я поздравляю Вас, друзья. Вы-лучшие.
@joudnophileh8339
The masterpiece of SOEN !
@rin794
Forty days and forty nights
You were the drug that kept me alive
During weary times
Seemed so pure when wearing white
Within such a frail and immaculate mind
With those innocent eyes
We were young and full of life
You asked me to swear and in me you confide
Underneath the stars
I should care to let you fly
A chance to retrieve what was left behind
To experience life
Staring at the sky
Staring at the sun
Waiting for a wonder
Within a forsaken land
The sparrow in my hand
Now buried in the sand
Leaving you depending
Leaving me with open veins
Can't make you wait no more
Can't make you wait nowhere
It's hard to breathe
Everything's blackening
I am made of flesh and bone
Blood, sweat and tears are all you ever will find
Underneath the skin
You're a feather, I'm a stone
Falling from the depths into the grave
Where I'm destined to dwell
And we reached for mystery
At the edge of reason
Every path we take
We're wandering in blindness
In the end, nothing is
Glorious or honorable
While we drown in doubt
We're drifting like strangers
Staring at the sky
Staring at the sun
Waiting for a wonder
Within a forsaken land
The sparrow in my hand
Now buried in the sand
Leaving you depending
Leaving me with open veins
Forty days and forty nights
You were the drug that kept me alive
With those innocent eyes
@cctrevisani
In december 2023 spotify will bring me the list of my prefered songs full of Soen musics. Thanks. You're awesome.
@jennifer9047
One of my faves! Just beautiful!!!
@mariajosepetit-rodriguez21
This song hits different every time I listen to it. I can't get over it ❤️
@danielfuentes117
Tu si hablas espaniol!
@ankitsharma666
Thank you soen