Album/EP

Soilwork - The Ride Majestic (Album Review)

Walladmin

Heavy Metal Wordsmith

Aug 11, 2015

7 min read

SOILWORK – The Ride Majestic

OUT: August 28th, 2015

(Note – Ola Flink played bass on the album prior to leaving the band in June 2015)

www.facebook.com/soilwork
www.nuclearblast.de/soilwork

Swedish death metal titans, Soilwork, are back with the band’s tenth studio album. Formed in 1995 and celebrating 20 years now as band, the sextet continue to churn out albums with great consistency and depth. The Ride Majestic, the title for the new record, adds another slab of heaviness to place alongside an already bulging catalogue. If you've never entered the Soilwork realm before, now would be a good time.

The catchy melodic choruses are still evident on The Ride Majestic, however structurally the band have challenged themselves it seems, with several tracks heading off into differing tempo’s. The results appear to be the guitar chemistry between David Andersson and Sylvain Courdet, whose intricate solos and bludgeoning riffage and hooks, push this album to greater heights.

A tranquil guitar intro leads off with the title track, a cautious approach that quickly transcends into an abrasive hook and that patent Soilwork groove. Heavy guitars, blast beats, and Bjorn Strid, laying down that aggressive Howard Jones-like tone. It all adds up to an impressive beginning, culminating in a circuitous solo.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0wLXeWKGRpM

‘Alight in the Aftermath’ continues the urgency with a rapid beginning. When Strid enters the fray, he is powerful in his delivery, reeling off guttural throes though reverting to that soulful croon for the chorus. A familiar melodic tact that has worked so successfully for the band throughout the last two decades. Duelling guitar solos a highlight, the track gradually slows down from the frenetic pace before marching back into a crunchy riff.

The Ride Majestic is not all huff and puff though. ‘Death in General’, pulls the reins back to an ‘almost’ ballad, though there is no denying the heaviness when the riff kicks back in. ‘Petrichor by Sulphor’ showcases some whirling guitar effects whilst The Ride Majestic (Aspire Angellic) again enforces the Soilwork mantra. A colossus metal song.

Pascal Poulsen from the band Odium features in the track ‘The Phantom’, complete with atmospheric keyboards that surround the overlapping guitar work. The intriguing bridge that evolves from the track has drummer, Dirk Verbeuren conducting a drum clinic as the rest of the Soilwork clan follow in unity.

Fans of Soilwork will revel in The Ride Majestic. The slight adjustment in structure from previous albums where the band, perhaps, followed more stringent patterns works well. Whilst the melodic death metal genre is abundant, Soilwork have added some metalcore sounds and more complex guitars. What's there not to like?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pf_81dqiKYM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E8RcJIZYvII

The Ride Majestic tracklisting;