Soilwork - The Infinite Review

What a masterpiece.  Seems almost simple to regard an album with that much notoriety but the credit is certainly due when it comes to the latest release from Bjorn and the gents from Soilwork.  The first of it's kind for Soilwork, "The Living Infinite" definitely set a standard for not only 2013 future releases, but [I feel] for the Scandinavian music scene as a whole.  I must admit that this album did not excite me when I initially heard rumors of a double album.  Soilwork's past few releases have been a lackluster on my playlist and eventually ended up in the void of all my other music.  So what made "The Living Infinite" superior to "The Panic Broadcast" or "Sworn To A Great Divide"?

Like most other music lovers, sometimes there isn't a rhyme or reason as to why you like an album or don't like it.  You can spend countless hours explaining the technicality behind the album and everything that surrounds the songs.  Sometimes albums just don't strike that familiar chord that you wanted to hear or win you over.  Unfortunately both "The Panic Broadcast" or "Sworn To A Great Divide" did not catch my ear and started to think that "Stabbing The Drama" was the best that I was going to get.

First the silence, then the chaos

Pieces burn end up flickering light

First the unchain, then the killing

Make your demons surrender tonight

Hell, even the first few times I spun "The Living Infinite" it was hit and miss for me.  Some songs such as "This Momentary Bliss" and the self titled "The Living Infinite" track served as great pieces to get people into the album.  It wasn't until my recent highway cruise did I decide to play the whole album from start to finish and really give it some thought.  I was such a huge fan of "Stabbing The Drama" and "Figure Number Five" that I felt I could give it another try.  Not to mention Bjorn and Dirk are extremely talented guys who I have followed in other projects.

1. Spectrum of Eternity
2. Memories Confined
3. This Momentary Bliss
4. Tongue
5. The Living Infinite I
6. Let the First Wave Rise
7. Vesta
8. Realm of the Wasted
9. The Windswept Mercy
10. Whispers and Lights

11. Entering Aeons
12. Long Live the Misanthrope
13. Drowning With Silence
14. Antidotes in Passing
15. Leech
16. The Living Infinite II
17. Loyal Shadow
18. Rise Above the Sentiment
19. Parasite Blues
20. Owls Predict, Oracles Stand Guard

Don’t let the light you see

Restrain you

Don’t put your trust

In the dark outside

There will be more

Than you ever could die for

This momentary bliss is a lie

As I continued down the highway and boredom was setting in, this album was the only thing keep me going.  To the extent of head bobbing, finger tapping the steering wheel and eventually remembering a few lyrics to songs to sing along to.  Like I was hit in the head by a blunt object, the album and concept really took a turn for me as I was getting into every song.  Blame it the three cups of coffee I had prior to putting the album on or the fact that some songs brought back rushing memories of their live performance, Soilwork's debut double album was slowly starting to become a top ranked album in the Soilwork discography.

(photo courtesy of Albert Mansour)

The sound of the album wasn't one of my concerns when listening to this album.  Soilwork have always had a consistent sound with their albums and shows since the band tends to be heavily involved in the recording, tracking, mastering and mixing of the album.  The melody of the songs, Bjorn's vocal and Dirk Verbeuren's drum work all seemed to cumulate into a great album.

Even if considered a masterpiece from my POV there are always songs that people will bypass.  Different strokes for different folks right?  As I continued to go through the track listing on my drive, more and more songs started to stick out for me and even had a couple on repeat.  Here are the tracks that AFGM recommends you to listen to:

- Spectrum Of Eternity

- This Momentary Bliss

- The Living Infinite I

- Let The First Wave Rise

- Vesta

- The Windswept Mercy

- Long Live The Misanthrope

- The Living Infinite II

- Rise Above The Sentiment

- Parasite Blues

All these tunes are sure to give you some great insight into why I felt this album was worthy of a [potential] 2013 album of the year.  Now by judging all the music I listen to, you know I am not making this album out to something it's not.  The pedestal was chosen out of respect for the other previous Soilwork albums.  If you have mixed feelings on the band by this point, I highly recommend seeing one of their liver performances.  Soilwork put a lot of hard work into this and should be reaping what they sewed.