27. June 2026
Home » Music & Media » Media Review » Junius – Sotera
Media Review

Junius – Sotera

Florian Buechtingby Florian Buechting

Junius - Sotera

Junius - Sotera
3.8

Rating

 3.8/5

Flyctory.com Pros

  • Versatile songs
  • Good instrumental and vocal skills

Flyctory.com Cons

  • Not always absolutely catching

It took Junius nine years to release a new album. While their previous release Eternal Rituals for the Accretion of Light is dated as of 2017, the US Americans shared Sotera on 26th June 2026. Here is my review.

 

Junius – About The Artist

Junius are a post metal and rock band, which has been founded in 2003 in Boston. Joseph E. Martinez (vocals, guitar, synths) and Dana Filloon (drums) are the remaining founding members. Their bandmates are Orion Wainer (bass) and Eoghan McCarthy and Matthew Vincenty (both guitar). So far, Junius has released three studio albums and six EPs (two of them as split releases with a limited lineup).

 

Junius – Sotera – Track by Track

The eight song album lasts 40 minutes.

1. Disciple

Junius kicks off their 2026 album, which they call a rebirth, with Disciple. The song is not as brutal as previous releases by the band, but therefor invests into its atmosphere. The song is melancholic, Martinez defines the sound of the track. Here and there, the instruments could play a less subordinate role.

2. The Oracle

Two songs of Sotera have been shared before album release – The Oracle is one of them. The song comes with stronger intensity on the instrumental side, there are some nice solo passages and electronic sounds in it. It has some interesting thematical breaks, which definitely lead to a more interesting listen.

3. Summon Her

I lie on the stone with my cloak in hand
I recite Hekate while blood flows around ropes

Summon Her starts with a dark touch. It is a very instrumental centric song with a strong atmosphere. The speed is rather slow throughout the song, while the bass and keys section is comparably present. It’s one of these songs which are the better the louder you listen to it.

4. Initiatrix

Initiatrix is the other song which Junius shared before album release. With 3:34 minutes, it is the shortest experience on the Sotera journey. Especially in the middle of the song, where powerful riffs define the sound of the song, Junius fans will enjoy the listen.

5. Darkwater

Answer me, don’t be shy, just say it to me
Enchanting me with her eyes while she enters deep

The song starts slow and comparably quiet. However, Darkwater is a 5:26 minute track, which leads to plenty of time for dramatic changes. Indeed, the band suddenly raises the intensity on the instrumental side. With the limited lyrics of the song, it almost feels like an instrumental. Especially in the second half, this leads to a really nice listen.

6. Serpent

Serpent follows a similar route. Apart from spoken words and some choir-alike backing sounds, there are no vocals in this track. The dark sounding narration leads to the most intense listen of the record. The band nicely illustrates their melodic and instrumental skills in here. I really like it.

7. Lucifera

Some of the songs of Sotera don’t come with a “real” chorus. At Lucifera, it is the catching element of the song. The melancholic vocals and the hymnic sounds of the track stay in your mind. This feature turns the song into my favorite listen of the whole album.

We are the ones
We own the dawn
We are unrest
Hold on Hold out
Everything we lost was by design
Every little lie was by design
Everything we love, everything we trust was always Lucifera

8. Scythian

The last song of the album, Scythian, is also its most epic one. The song is over 6:30 minutes long. The song presents a trip through very different sections. Hammering riffs follow after quiet parts – or vice versa. This leads to an entertaining finale, which sums up the style of the band very nicely.

 

Junius – Sotera – Spotify

Here is the album on Spotify:

 

Junius – Sotera – My View

After their hiatus from releasing records, Junius present a nice set of versatile songs. Based on their instrumental skills and their catching singer, the album has some really interesting listens. However, it is not good enough for the top notch ratings. Here and there, the powerful punch is missing.

Favorite Song: Lucifera

 

Boston on Flyctory.com

Here are all my postings related to Boston:

 

Hard Rock / Metal 2026

Here are all postings related to hard rock and metal posted in 2026:

You might also like

She & Him – Melt Away: A Tribute To Brian Wilson

Orian – Before It Weighs Us Down EP

Ringo Starr – Look Up

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *