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Upcoming Bullshit

A RE-WICHERS’ED SOILWORK IS READY AND RARING TO GO IN 2010

 Wednesday, January 27th, 2010 at 2:58pm by

soilworkSoilwork have a lot to prove with their next record, which a press release from Nuclear Blast tells us will be called The Panic Broadcast. It’s not that 2007′s Sworn to a Great Divide was bad, but it’s that it was just OK. Ever since the departure of primary songwriter Peter Wichers from the band before that album was recorded (and the subsequent departure of his uncle, longtime guitarist Ola Frenning), it’s felt like Soilwork have been rambling along somewhat aimlessly, trying — and falling just short of — re-living their past glory.

But now that Wichers is back in the band the game has changed.

Will Wichers’ incredible knack for sweet riffs and songs have the outcome we’re all hoping for? Can Soilwork match the greatness of Natural Born Chaos and Stabbing the Drama, which I consider to be their best records? Here’s what vocalist Bjorn “Speed” Strid has to say about it:

So how’s it sounding? Here’s my personal take: I feel it’s bigger than life to use an old cliché, but seriously, if any of you for some reason have missed some of that intricate riffing that made SOILWORK unique, won’t have to wait very long. I feel this record is very playful and we’re not cutting down on anything, no “is this too much information” -consideration, no “less is more”, just pure musical joy with no boundaries, THAT’S to me what it’s all about. Obviously there’s gonna be some surprises like always but giving every member of this band the freedom to go apeshit, will make this record a heavy and naturally catchy one.

Here’s to hoping so. Color me cautiously optimistic that The Panic Broadcast will be the shit.

-VN

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  • Sambo

    I’m way too stoked for this CD to come out! StoGD was good but it obviously wasn’t their best. I always thought their best work was “A Predators Portrait.” Let’s see if album goes back to its heavier roots! Either way, I’ll still get this album!

    • SourDeez

      Yeah, someone wake me up when they make something that even comes close to A Predator’s Portrait. For me, the main problem is Strid’s clean vocals. Even on APP, which I think is an excellent album, I have to try and tune out some of the horrendously tacky clean choruses. Then they switched the emphasis over to clean singing starting with Natural Born Chaos and completely lost me. Although we seem to be the only ones here who prefer that album. It’s the only Soilwork album I listen to regularly. They’ve never written anything as good as “Bastard Chain”.

  • http://www.myspace.com/skeeterbeets Skeeter

    Is it just me, or did anyone else give a big ‘MEH’ when they read this?

    • Zoker

      It’s just you. Soilwork is the best band in the fucking planet. The Panic Broadcast is already #1 in my “Best 2010 albums” list.

      • http://www.myspace.com/skeeterbeets Skeeter

        i wouldnt say just me yet :D I think theyre good but not like GREAT.

  • Lorenzo

    I agree with Vince about their best albums. “Sworn to a great divide” isn’t bad, there are some good songs but too many fillers, in my opinion. Wichers’ return could change something in a good way…I’m looking forward for this, but they’re not a priority for me. Expecially in this 2010, THE YEAR OF THE OCEAN! :D

  • http://fantasyh.wordpress.com fantasyh

    Really excited about this. Been waiting a long time for a new Soilwork record. In Flames also announced they’re finally writing new material so I’m even more excited about that.

  • ITTOA666

    They actually have the main force behind their songwriting back. I’m pretty excited about this, and have been for about a year.

  • Mewis

    Definitely one of the drummers in metal, period.

  • Mewis

    One of the best i mean

  • http://lordsofmetal.nl/index.php?lang=en Kavorka

    I really liked Sworn To A Great Divide, Stabbing The Drama had some of their better songs(such as Nerve and Blind Eye Halo), but also some of their worst(check out the awful Fate In Motion with distorted nu-metal rapping). I think their first four albums are the best(Steelbath Suicide and Predator’s Portrait especially). Looking forward to The Panic Broadcast, but it better not have any song similar to Exile, that is one of their worst songs!

    • Discipleofthewatch

      Have you heard the Chainheart Machine? And Figure Number Five? Pretty good stuff. I just got the Chainheart Machine recently.

  • Greywhind

    I will absolutely be checking out their new album. Soilwork was one of my first favorite metal bands, and a large number of their songs have been in my usual random shuffle playlist for years now. I really want to see/hear an excellent new album from them.

    • Sambo

      When I first started getting into metal, the first 5 bands I have ever heard were Soilwork, Dream Theater, Shadows Fall, Atreyu, and Demon Hunter. I know that list seems very strange but I’m very open-minded to most metal music especially the underground/unsigned bands.

  • myke

    i just hope this band delivers for the next 1 i hate when bands hype up their record and it blows

  • Sin and Death

    Figure Number Five was a great Soilwork album too, lest we forget. If I had to rate them, I would say that Natural Born Chaos was best, Figure Number Five second, and Stabbing the Drama in a close third; maybe even a tie for second. All I can hope is that this new Soilwork is a beast, and that The Panic Broadcast will pick where they left off before the absence of Wichers.

    • cyrollan

      I hate to be an elitist here, but… you sound like the “Metallica fan” who thought their self-titled disc was their first. I ain’t judgin, I’m just sayin…

    • http://www.facebook.com/people/Rik-Powell/286400508 Rik Powell

      I’d agree with your top 2, but STD is quite a bit further down. Although that is the album that got me into them in the first place, so it can’t be that bad.

  • brandonmetal

    if they can make Predator’s Portrait, they must be able to make another good record.
    machine head made the blackening after supercharger..

    and ‘raring to go?’ least metal headline ever.

  • Sadist Ways

    Wichers work on Warrel Dane’s album was awesome. I used to be a huge Soilwork fan. I don’t agree that Stabbing the Drama is anywhere close to being as good as The Chainheart Machine or Steelbath Suicide. Steadily going downhill after Natural Born Chaos. There may be hope….but doubtful because “Speed” tries making all of the albums way too catchy in a “sell-out” way.

  • Fufkin

    I think they are very aware of the kind of album a lot of their fans want them to make and I reckon they’ll rise to it – can’t wait to hear this. Wichers is a fantastic guitar player and his lead work is very underrated but I’m sure he’ll shine on his big comeback.
    Personally I hope it’s reminiscent of Predator’s and NBC because I think that’s where they came into their own.
    If nothing else the production won’t be the bizarre mess that was Sworn To A Great Divide – what the hell happened there?

  • timmah

    Looking forward to it! Stabbing the Drama and Natural Born Chaos are my favorites, and I have a ton of respect for Dirk as a drummer, he’s great. Great guy, too.

  • http://www.philistineonthesidewalk.net Kodiak

    Unless they get Henry Ranta back, I’m not expecting much. His drum fills on Chainheart were especially tasty and he had really good interplay with the rest of the band.

    It’ll be nice if they can get the new one to sound close to Natural Born Chaos (getting Hevy Devy to produce again would be a good start), but any hope for a return to the SS/TCM/APP-era is long gone.

  • Ross

    I’m always surprised A Predator’s Portrait gets no love from fans. To me it is by far the best album they have put out. Needlefeast, Structure Divine, The Analyst, Like the Average Stalker…amazing songs! Natural Born Chaos is good…Flameout is my favorite song by Soilwork, but APP was overall better in my opinion. In any event, I hope they turn back time a bit and have more screaming and less clean vocals. Either way, I will check it out.

  • Mr. Obvious

    In my opinion, Predators Portrait was definately the best album, Steelbath Suicide and Chainheart Machine have some excellent songs too. On Natural Born Chaos and after that I lost interest, Though there are some good songs on NBC. Henry Ranta was definately better than Verbeuren, Dirks playing and arrangements just sound very monotonic.