-
- October 3, 2021
On September 10, 2021, Swedish electropop-metal band Solence has released their brand new sophomore album Deafening, via ONErpm. This four-person band has been hailed as “the musical antidote to what ails the brokenhearted and downtrodden,” trailblazing a path of life-affirmation and passion in the otherwise bleak scene of heavy metal and rock.
Solence made their breakthrough back in 2019 with the release of their first album Brothers, followed closely by the smash hit album Direction in 2020. Now, in 2021, Solence frontman and lead singer Markus Videsäter shared his thoughts and comments on the driving force behind 2021 Deafening, saying that with this specific album that “[they] really want the audience to feel empowered, pumped, and like they can achieve anything. Because the truth is – you can!” According to ONErpm, “to follow your heart’s compass” is the SOLENCE mission statement, which is a strong sentiment shared between guitarist David Strääf, keyboardist Johan Swärd, drummer David Vikingsson, and, of course, Videsäter.
Perseverance, positivity and possibility—all of these drip from this ten-track album. Despite the incredible variety and sheer range encapsulated in each track, Solence upholds every one of these trademarks in every song. Their musical identity is still being carved out, according to Videsäter, but already they’re leaving a distinctive blast-shaped crater in this industry, notably for their bold, affirming melodies in both sound and lyrics.
Beginning with an explosively affirming opening number, “Indestructible” kicks off the entire album with a message on passionate persistence. The drums and guitar riffs shred up the background as Videsäter belts out the titular word with trademark verve and vim. The embodiment of powerful positive reinforcement, this song leaves the listener breathless with the force of its intensity.
A lyrically classic carpe diem song, “Dead Tomorrow,” immediately comes on the heels of the invigorating first number. Despite the bleak title, Videsäter confirms that even this otherwise fatalistic track comes from a positive source of motivation. A hard rock track laden with electronic influences and elements, the lyrics scream “I just wanna live right here and now without no FOMO,” which is a true distillation of what Solence stands for.
Titular track “Deafening” earns the honor of being featured single with its heavy metal tropes. A screaming vocalist, scorching drum beats, and a guitar solo that all but trails fire behind its every riff. With this track as an indicator of the album’s quality, it’s no surprise that Solence has been compared to notable heavy metal bands Avenged Sevenfold and In Flames, and still stands tall amongst these towering giants in the industry.
The rest of the album keeps the pedal to the metal with subversive twists and classic reinterpretations. Head-bangers “Good F**kin’ Music” and “Thunder” marry classic rock elements of vigorous drum and guitar solos with an electronic bass beat, all of which complement the anti-naysayer lyrics. Other more electronic pop-y sort of songs, including “Vampire” and “Push Me to Edge,” feature some club-like beats and distortion, with lyrics encouraging chasing passions and the proverbial high in the spirit of living the most out of today.
The final track, “Speechless,” is a beautiful cumulative finale to an otherwise adrenaline-pumping album. Videsäter’s voice soars above Swärd’s distinctive melodies and Strääf’s striking plucking, all of which are heightened to blistering heights by Vikingsson’s drumming. This track is truly a combined tour de force from this quartet, all of which show their audience and critics exactly why they’ve earned the reputation that they have with a truly show-stopping finale.
As of today’s date, Solence has collected over 100 million streams across all platforms, have over 152,000 YouTube subscribers, entered the Top 50 on Active Rock Radio in 2020 and have been featured on the cover of Spotify’s New Core playlist twice. They began with humble origins, developing their growing audience from a shared living space in Stockholm with heavy renditions of well-known pop hits. They eventually broke through with their own original track “Animal in Me” in 2020, which earned over 7 million views on YouTube and became the most played track on SiriusXM’s Octane.
All in all, this album is an impressive milestone in Solence’s ongoing musical journey. Enjoyable, gripping, and easily accessible to any new listener, Deafening is sure to captivate more fans into listening to the worldwide phenomenon. Stream the album today if you want to join in and enjoy the Solence!
