One could argue that I’m now an old school Soliloquium fan, since Contemplations was my introduction to the band. Needless to say, I still listen to it today. It’s that perfect mix of Prog and Swedish Melodeath that’s not always easy to find. The band has done interesting things since then, but Famine seems to aim for a more personal direction – channeling all the suffering and pain its creator went through (something common in Metal, let’s be honest). So the real question is: will this satisfy us or leave us hungry?
Famine shows a band that keeps evolving. Gone are the days of sad, almost mellow music – now we have this constant state of agony and frustration. The album truly feels like someone struggling to make sense of the world, which becomes obvious through its stylistic shifts. You get tender acoustic sections, abrasive Black Metal blasting, and returns to Melodeath that sometimes recall old In Flames. There’s nothing lighthearted here – it maintains the somber mood you’d find in a Swallow the Sun or Oceanwake album, but with way more variety.
The vocals on Famine are wild – and by that I mean they explore the entire Metal spectrum. There are growls, shrieks, catchy choruses, even more operatic moments. It’s rare to find an album in this niche that experiments so boldly with vocals. That’s without even mentioning the interesting instrumental writing, even if sometimes it hits you like a bucket of icy water in deep winter. Actually, why wasn’t this released two months ago? It would’ve been perfect for that crushing seasonal mood.
Hopefully I still have your attention, because remember when I praised the vocal experimentation? Well, sometimes it doesn’t quite land for me. I’m just not used to Metal this heavy having such light vocals at times, so they might require some getting used to – or you might not like them at all. The album has significant mood swings that serve a narrative purpose, but they did break my immersion occasionally, and you might experience that too.
My expectations for Soliloquium have been somewhat unfair, maybe because I’m such a sucker for this sound. But the band still offers something different from the countless sad-puppy acts out there. Even if Famine puzzles me at times with its choices, it’s a courageous effort that – despite its weirdness – perfectly conveys its creator’s anxiety and despair. Now it’s your turn to feel it too! Wouldn’t that be something?
Label: Meuse Music Records
Release date: April 11, 2025
Website:https://soliloquium.bandcamp.com/album/famine
Country: Sweden
Score: A starving 3.3/5.0
Metal Eclipse Reviews 