The Living Infinite

Soilwork really didn't seem to be going anywhere. When I was first exploring more extreme metal genres, melodic death metal was the first and among the bands I encountered was Soilwork. The Chainheart Machine was very much what I was looking for; aggressive, yet melodic riffs with graceful lead lines. The latter albums... well, didn't compare. Eventually, I start hearing rave reviews of a new Soilwork record. I admit I dismissed it at first and a closed-minded and skeptical first listen seemed to confirm my suspicions. Then at some point I can't help but dig into the album after binging on the group's first three records. I went from the first song to the last, rapt in attention. Now, it's swiftly becoming one of my favorite albums.

Melodeath isn't known for reinventing the wheel. Stagnancy has plagued the genre for a while, seemingly strapped for anything new to contribute. This album, somehow, takes melodeath, screws some inhumanly catchy choruses to it, then throws in some proggy acoustic flourishes. The core style owes perhaps a little to their more recent work, but it really goes back to the first three albums, and yet manages to approach it from a fresh angle that glows with vibrancy and energy like nothing the band has ever put out previously.

Let's start off from the basics. The guitar work is excellent; the riffs and leads are all stellar and pleasantly melodic, and the solos are well-played if a bit brief. The drumming is solid, and the bass is actually somewhat audible (!). The one that really shines here is vocalist Bjorn "Speed" Strid, who nails harsh vocal verses and melodic chorus after chorus, displaying a potent emotion that seemed so lacking prior. Maybe losing Peter Wichers (a second time, might I add?) gave him a harsh look at where the band was going and where it was headed if there wasn't a serious effort mounted to combat their stagnating creativity.

The songs are well-rounded. They're all fairly short- after all, it's 20 songs in 85 minutes. But don’t let that fool you; there’s a lot going on in each song, and they’re quite diverse. There are brief instrumentals, lightning-fast songs that wouldn’t be out of place on Steelbath Suicide, and even a power ballad. They’re upbeat, soaring, depressive, rebellious, triumphant and powerful. It’s hard to describe just how much Soilwork have outdone themselves on this record, due in large part to Strid giving the band a good kick in the ass. And most importantly, the melody is back! The chug-a-long core drivel from Stabbing the Drama is, thank Maiden, entirely absent here. I find myself constantly repeating this album whenever I start playing it; it just embeds itself in my mind and refuses to let go.

So what have Soilwork done here? Everything right. Well, almost. There are a couple of negatives to this record, despite my glowing words so far. First off, the production. No, it isn’t black metal demo quality. What I mean by that is the production is a bit too glossy. The harsh vocals are nice and raw, but Bjorn’s cleans sound a bit too processed at times, no matter how sonorous they are. The guitars sometimes glue together a little; the consequence of multi-tracking. This is only a minor quibble, and the end result is still wondrous. The second criticism I have is there all the songs are at least good, but there’s not quite enough amazing songs. The ones that do shine REALLY do, thankfully.

So in conclusion, The Living Infinite is a fantastic, catchy, melodic and potent album that once you get into it, you're not getting out. The return of melody in the band's music is easily the best aspect of the album, with the fantastic vocals coming in second. While it's not perfect, it's a very nicely well-rounded and well-executed album that doesn't suffer from the bloat double records commonly are plagued by. Soilwork have wholly redeemed themselves, and I eagerly look forward to where they take this sound in the future.

Highlights: Spectrum of Eternity, Whispers and Lights, The Living Infinite II, Rise Above the Sentiment