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Swallow the Sun is a Finnish
death-doom Death-doom (also known as death-doom metal or doom-death) is a fusion genre of death metal and doom metal. It combines the slow tempos and pessimistic or depressive mood of doom metal with the deep death growl, growling vocals and double bass dr ...
band founded in 2000 by Juha Raivio. Their
death-doom Death-doom (also known as death-doom metal or doom-death) is a fusion genre of death metal and doom metal. It combines the slow tempos and pessimistic or depressive mood of doom metal with the deep death growl, growling vocals and double bass dr ...
style emphasizes melody and atmosphere, and occasionally steps into gothic and
black metal Black metal is an extreme metal, extreme subgenre of heavy metal music. Common traits include Tempo#Beats per minute, fast tempos, a Screaming (music)#Black metal, shrieking vocal style, heavily distorted Electric guitar, guitars played with tr ...
territory. They have released nine studio albums, one triple album, one EP, one demo, and seven singles.


History


Formation and ''The Morning Never Came'' (2000–2004)

Swallow the Sun was formed in early 2000 by Juha Raivio, soon joined by Pasi Pasanen (both had played together in Plutonium Orange). They rehearsed a couple of songs, one of them being "Through Her Silvery Body" which would end up on their first demo, ''Out of This Gloomy Light''. In 2001, Markus Jämsen, whom Raivio and Pasanen already knew from their earlier bands, joined as a second guitarist, and Mikko Kotamäki from Funeris Nocturnum as singer; then Aleksi Munter (keyboards) and Matti Honkonen (bass), also of Funeris Nocturnum, joined the band. In the spring of 2002 they started arranging songs for the demo ''Out of This Gloomy Light'' which was recorded in January 2003 at Sam's Workshop with Sami Kokko, who also mixed the demo. A record deal with Firebox Records was signed a few months after the recordings of the demo, and Swallow the Sun entered studio at late July 2003. During the following three weeks they recorded their debut album, '' The Morning Never Came''.


''Ghosts of Loss'' (2005–2006)

In February 2005, Swallow the Sun released their second album, '' Ghosts of Loss''. Their single, " Forgive Her...," gained fourth place on the Finnish Top 20 singles chart in its first week of release, and stayed on the charts for six weeks. Their album entered the charts as well: No. 8 in between
Gwen Stefani Gwen Renée Stefani Shelton ( ; born October 3, 1969) is an American singer-songwriter and fashion designer. Stefani rose to fame as a member and lead vocalist of the band No Doubt, whose hit singles include " Just a Girl", " Spiderwebs", an ...
and System of a Down. Some of the album's songs have connections to the TV show
Twin Peaks ''Twin Peaks'' is an American Surrealist cinema, surrealist Mystery film, mystery-Horror film, horror Drama (film and television), drama television series created by Mark Frost and David Lynch. It Pilot (Twin Peaks), premiered on American Broad ...
.


''Hope'' and ''Plague of Butterflies'' (2007–2008)

During the year 2006, they signed to
Spinefarm Records Spinefarm Records is an international record label. Founded in Finland in 1990, Spinefarm was acquired by Universal Music Group in 2002. History Spinefarm Records began as a mailorder distribution company, founded by Riku Pääkkönen. The c ...
and did a small European tour. In January 2007 they released their third album, ''
Hope Hope is an optimistic state of mind that is based on an expectation of positive outcomes with respect to events and circumstances in one's own life, or the world at large. As a verb, Merriam-Webster defines ''hope'' as "to expect with confid ...
'', which includes a cover version of the Timo Rautiainen & Trio Niskalaukaus song "Alavilla mailla" (which they translated into "These Low Lands") as a bonus track on the digipack edition, sung by Tomi Joutsen, the frontman of fellow Finnish metal band, Amorphis. There is also a guest appearance by
Jonas Renkse Jonas Petter Renkse (born 19 May 1975) is a Swedish musician in the bands Katatonia (1991–) as lead vocalist, founder, songwriter (1991–1994, 1997–) and formerly as drummer (1991–1994, 1996–1998); formerly in Bloodbath Bloo ...
of
Katatonia Katatonia is a Swedish Heavy metal music, heavy metal band formed in Stockholm in 1991 by Jonas Renkse and Anders Nyström. The band started as a studio-only project for the duo, as an outlet for their love of death metal. Increasing popularity ...
on the song "The Justice of Suffering." They went on a US tour with
Katatonia Katatonia is a Swedish Heavy metal music, heavy metal band formed in Stockholm in 1991 by Jonas Renkse and Anders Nyström. The band started as a studio-only project for the duo, as an outlet for their love of death metal. Increasing popularity ...
, Scar Symmetry and Insomnium in late 2007. In September 2008, they released an EP called '' Plague of Butterflies'', followed by a December tour of the UK of ten live shows supporting
Apocalyptica Apocalyptica is a Finnish symphonic metal band from Helsinki, formed in 1993. The band is currently composed of three classically trained cellists Eicca Toppinen, Paavo Lötjönen, and Perttu Kivilaakso. Originally a Classical music, classical- ...
.


''New Moon'' (2009–2011)

On 18 May 2009 Kai Hahto of Wintersun joined Swallow the Sun to fill the void left by former drummer Pasi Pasanen. Kai Hahto did the drums on their next album, entitled ''
New Moon In astronomy, the new moon is the first lunar phase, when the Moon and Sun have the same ecliptic longitude. At this phase, the lunar disk is not visible to the naked eye, except when it is silhouetted against the Sun during a solar eclipse. ...
'', Produced by Jens Bogren, the album was released on 10 November 2009.


''Emerald Forest and the Blackbird'' (2012–2014)

The fifth studio album '' Emerald Forest and the Blackbird'' was released on 1 February 2012 via Spinefarm Records. The lead single for the album, "Cathedral Walls", featured vocals by former
Nightwish Nightwish is a Finnish symphonic metal band from Kitee. The band was formed in 1996 by lead songwriter and keyboardist Tuomas Holopainen, guitarist Emppu Vuorinen, and former lead singer Tarja Turunen. The band soon picked up drummer Jukka Neval ...
singer Anette Olzon. The song "Labyrinth of London" features guest vocals by Raivio's partner Aleah Stanbridge.


''Songs from the North I, II & III'' (2015–2018)

Swallow the Sun released the triple album '' Songs from the North I, II & III'' on 13 November 2015. Each of the three album discs embodies a different facet of the band's style: Gloom, Beauty, and Despair. Juuso Raatikainen replaced Kai Hahto as full-time drummer on this album, as Hahto was working on
Nightwish Nightwish is a Finnish symphonic metal band from Kitee. The band was formed in 1996 by lead songwriter and keyboardist Tuomas Holopainen, guitarist Emppu Vuorinen, and former lead singer Tarja Turunen. The band soon picked up drummer Jukka Neval ...
's 2015 album '' Endless Forms Most Beautiful'' and subsequent tour in place of
Jukka Nevalainen Jukka Antero "Julius" Nevalainen (born 21 April 1978, in Kitee, Finland) is the former drummer of the Finnish symphonic metal band Nightwish. Personal life He spent his early years in the city of Kitee. His music teacher at school told him ...
. However, Hahto has not been kicked out or resigned. Swallow the Sun's only non-album single was released on 21 December 2018, titled "Lumina Aurea", featuring
Wardruna Wardruna is a Norwegian music group formed in 2003 by Einar Selvik along with Gaahl and Lindy-Fay Hella. They create musical renditions of Norse cultural and esoteric traditions and make significant use of Nordic historical and traditional instr ...
's
Einar Selvik Einar Selvik (born 18 November 1979), also known by his stage name Kvitrafn ("white raven"), is a Norwegian musician known for being the drummer of black metal band Gorgoroth from 2000 to 2004, and for fronting the Nordic folk project Wardruna ...
and The Foreshadowing's Marco I. Benevento. The track embodies Raivio's bereavement and other emotions he experienced after the death of his partner Aleah Stanbridge in 2016. It contains the title track and additionally an instrumental version of the track.


''When a Shadow Is Forced into the Light'' (2019–2020)

In November 2018, the band announced their seventh album, '' When a Shadow Is Forced into the Light'', and its track list on their official Facebook page. The album was released on 25 January 2019, through
Century Media Records Century Media Records is a German heavy metal record label with offices in Germany, the United States and the United Kingdom. In August 2015, Century Media was acquired by Sony Music for US$17 million. Background Century Media was founded by R ...
. It focuses on the death of Raivio's partner Aleah Stanbridge, Raivio's mourning, and his life since Stanbridge's death. The title of the album is a quote by Stanbridge, which was also a lyric in the song "Broken Mirror" by her and Raivio's band Trees of Eternity. On 28 May 2021, the band announced their first live album. The occasion is the 20th anniversary of their debut album ''Gloom, Beauty and Despair''. ''20 Years of Gloom, Beauty and Despair – Live in Helsinki'' was released on April 20. The album was recorded live on 26 February 2020, at Tavastia Club, Helsinki on their 20th anniversary tour. The first eight tracks are an acoustic set that includes the entire second part of the Songs From The North album. The other songs were selected via a fan poll on social media asking fans for their favorite songs from the rest of the albums.doomed-nation.com
''Swallow The Sun announce their first ever live album 20 Years Of Gloom, Beauty And Despair – Live in Helsinki'', Retrieved 31 May 2021


''Moonflowers'' (2021–2023)

Swallow the Sun's eighth studio album, titled '' Moonflowers'' was released on 19 November 2021, featuring strings recorded by the string trio, Trio N O X. The band subsequently announced their North American and European tour promoting the album's release, followed by a Latin American tour in early 2023.


''Shining'' (2024–present)

The band's ninth studio album, '' Shining'', was released on 18 October 2024, through
Century Media Records Century Media Records is a German heavy metal record label with offices in Germany, the United States and the United Kingdom. In August 2015, Century Media was acquired by Sony Music for US$17 million. Background Century Media was founded by R ...
. The album was produced by Dan Lancaster.


Members


Current members

*Mikko Kotamäki – lead vocals (2001–present) *Juha Raivio – guitars (2001–present), keyboards (2018–present) *Matti Honkonen – bass (2001–present) *Juuso Raatikainen – drums (2013–present) *Juho Räihä – guitars (2018–present)


Former members

*Pasi Pasanen – drums (2001–2009) *Markus Jämsen – guitars (2001–2018) *Aleksi Munter – keyboards (2001–2016) * Kai Hahto – drums (2009–2013) * Jaani Peuhu – keyboards (2018–2021)


Timeline


Discography


Studio albums


EPs


Singles


Music videos

*"Descending Winters" (2005) *"Don't Fall Asleep" (2007) *"Doomed to Walk the Earth" (2007) *"Falling World" (2009) *"Cathedral Walls" (2012) *"Rooms and Shadows" (2015) *"Lumina Aurea" (2018) *"Firelights" (2019) *"Woven into Sorrow" (2021) *"Enemy" (2021) *"The Void" (2021) *"This House Has No Home" (2021) *"Innocence Was Long Forgotten" (2024)


Demos

* ''Out of This Gloomy Light'' (2003)


References


External links


Official web siteOfficial Fan ClubInterview with Juha Raivio and Matti Honkonen
received on 08/09/2010
Interview with Juha Raivio for "Emerald Forest and the Blackbird"
published on 02/25/2012 {{Authority control Finnish doom metal musical groups Finnish melodic death metal musical groups Musical groups established in 2000 Century Media Records artists Spinefarm Records artists