Release Date: November 21st 2025. Record Label: Bonebag Records: Formats: Digital/Vinyl
A Dark Place - TracklistingLiquid Motion Medicine - 8:26
Visions - 9:32
Uddh- 4:09
Voyagers - 7:49
Ostera - 8:38
The Long Way Home - 10:33
Lineup
Johan Bernhardtson – Guitar, Vocals
Thomas Hedlund – Bass
Erik Andersson – Drums
Review
Swedish Prog/Doom/Stoner Metallers Maha Sohona return with their latest record A Dark Place that sees the band lean heavier and further into the Space Rock abyss of Post-Doom and Post-Grunge melodies. There’s a trippy and stripped back atmosphere that appears on the record with the band inspired by the likes of Alice In Chains, TOOL and ELDER with some wonderfully subversive distorted FUZZY guitars within the excellent opening track Liquid Motion Medicine.
The track does have distinctive classic Grunge energy running throughout its creative core with a storytelling narrative that moves closer to a Prog Metal narrative. There’s a sudden shift into areas of Cinematic Rock which brings a heavier Cosmic flavour to the record with lead vocalist Johan Bernhardtson providing delicate tones before unleashing an aggressive attitude as the song moves on. With a haunting Ambient and Psychedelic score developing throughout, Maha Sohona feel like a different band compared to their celebrated 2021 album Endless Searcher.
Second track Visions is another cautionary offering with Maha Sohona aligning themselves to a style of Shoegaze and Post-Rock whilst keeping themselves closely to the boundaries of Post-Doom, Grunge and Atmospheric Sludge which starts rather low-key and closely guarded. This all changes when the band changes musical direction and heads straight into Post-Metal rhythms that remind me of ISIS (The Band) in places. The song has a wicked and deceptive take of Alt-Metal with the TOOL progressive mannerisms being heard from time-to-time. Maha Sohona keep things grounded when they slow the mood right down and return to the more emotionally engaging style of Ambient Post-Rock which kicks into Progressive Stoner Metal overdrive for the catchiest, heaviest and technically impressive melodies heard on the whole album.
Third track Uddh is Maha Sohona on more conventional ground with a self contained track that is emotionally satisfying with the band moving into areas of melodic Post-Rock and keeping the level of HEAVY RAWK down to the bare minimum. This has a lovely flow and highly satisfying energy with Johan’s vocals perhaps leaning into the spectrum of Stadium Rock whilst keeping everything within a loving Post-Stoner attitude. The delicate flourishes of Ambient Rock and Doom-Pop landscapes shows a different side to Maha Sohona which they fully deserve credit for actually exploring on this album.
Fourth track Voyagers sees Maha Sohona return to the heavy SPACED OUT DOOM arena for a song with deeper purpose and meaning which adds a Sludgy destructive element that the band just run crazy with. Everything becomes more fractured and distorted as the song transforms into a Post-Grunge and Prog-Metal afterthought of different textures which allows the band to offer another wonderful cinematic journey where the RIFFS showcase why the Swedish Doom/Stoner Metal scene is one of the most dominant and creative scenes currently out there.
I have to give credit to Maha Sohona’s triumphant rhythm section of Thomas Hedlund (Bass) and Erik Anderson (Drums) as they both put in beautiful understated musical performances but they really deliver when the heavy grooves demand a powerful rhythm section to build their sonic message upon. Johan’s guitars are full of DESTRUCTIVE INTENT for the most part but all three members really come together within the final two tracks of Ostera and The Long Way Home.
These two tracks show the bands original musical vision coming into their own when they blend Post-Metal mysticism with Post-Stoner romanticism which elevates their music into something quite therapeutic and emotionally healing especially within Ostera. You can hear other influences such as PELICAN and RUSSIAN CIRCLES emerging before Maha Sohona once again rely on their Progressive Doom and Stoner Metal surroundings.
A Dark Place is a brilliantly realized musical adventure brought to life with true CINEMATIC themes that develops throughout for a record that’s quite downbeat in places but one that’s superbly uplifting before everything is said and done. Maha Sohona are one of the best kept secrets within the Swedish Underground Rock/Metal scene who will no doubt achieve greater recognition from the wider scene thanks to this incredible album.
Words by Steve Howe
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