From Silver Lining Music's website, "With "Reliance," their seventh studio album, the Swedish progressive metal powerhouse, spearheaded by Joel Ekelöf (vocals) and Martin Lopez (drums), continue to find incredible new pathways into the spatial areas between light and dark, loud and calm, heavy and soothing. With its seamless march across deeply human emotional terrain, SOEN's music continues to explore the human mind, heart, and soul with a visionary duty of care, plus an extra edge of heavy. Thoughtful, provocative, beautiful and brutal, "Reliance" is a journey you need to take." "Primal" leads off the album, and it's aptly titled due to the weight of the guitar work. The vocals, however, are as smooth as butter. The real magic of the song is in the drawn out, emotionally impactful chorus, and the key is walking that tightrope between aggression and melody.

"Discordia" primarily means discord, disagreement, or strife. It's a totally gorgeous offering, with soft, gentle tones in the verses, and heavy emotional outbursts in the chorus. There are also brief passages of crushing guitars to further showcase the band's repertoire. "Axis" has firmer and darker tones and the guitar chug away under Joel's poignant vocals. I am reminded of the inherent guitar weight of fellow Swedes KATATONIA here, although the two are very different bands. "Huntress" uses the best of what strong, Progressive Metal can offer, when it's tempered with catchy melodies. I can't say enough about the vocals…they just impart so much emotion, and the lead breaks are fantastic as well. "Indifferent" is a piano led ballad, if you want to use that term. While the melodies are simply in the chorus, they are also very effective at shooting straight into your heart.

"Drifter" is a term refers to someone who travels freely, preferring not to have a permanent home. The term is loaded, because most people find them dangerous, or, at least, someone to steer clear of. It has plenty of power and structure, from a weighted riff, and that tension that comes with the title. "Draconian" refers to something out of date. It has a firm backbone of power, combined again with the use of emotionally charged vocals. That chorus hits hard…very hard. "Vellichor" is the final song, and it's a gentle, somber, and introspective song that may force you to deal with your demons. That final lead break absolutely swells with feeling. SOEN shows no signs of slowing down on "Reliance." The songs are a bit more concise in terms of their length, but it's the emotional impact that will sweep you off your feet.