Tag Archives: swallow the sun

PHOTO REPORT: SWALLOW THE SUN and ENSIFERUM


Swallow the Sun and Ensiferum played Pakkahuone in Tampere, Finland December 12, 2024. A short but sweet way to wrap up the gig year. Both bands celebrated the recent release of new albums (Swallow the Sun’s Shining and Ensiferum’s Winter Storm), gracing Finnish (and many foreign) fans with the live world premier of new songs and revival of some old as well. Although both bands come from very different sides of the metal spectrum, together they drew in a respectable sized crowd. Many of the shows on the tour were sold out! Although it might have seemed more of the crowds were there for Ensiferum, the intense passion and genuine love of the Swallow the Sun fans could have filled three times the space. Ensiferum provided a perfect blend of new and old that kept the audience moving from start to finish. The energy of the band themselves never wavered and, as always, amazing interaction with each other and the crowd. Swallow the Sun also played a beautifully diverse set, with highlights from their new album as well as some older classics and songs that haven’t been played in a while (some fan favorites that were unforgettable to see live!). Their sound and presence over all has seemed to embody a similar transformation as their music. Mikko’s vocals were notably on point, and the whole bands energy felt more vibrant yet more intense and honed down. Always perfection.

Both bands will be starting the year with some extensive touring so don’t miss them if they’re coming near you!

SWALLOW THE SUN:

ENSIFERUM:

photos by Serena Solomon

Swallow The Sun release new single/video ‘MelancHoly’


Today, SWALLOW THE SUN have released another new single taken from their upcoming album Shining out October 18th. Fans can now stream and watch the music video for “MelancHoly”.

Juha Raivio comments on the new song: “This song talks about how melancholy can be comforting, safe and even a beautiful place. But when it turns into your God, it will surely kill you.” 

Continue reading Swallow The Sun release new single/video ‘MelancHoly’

SWALLOW THE SUN featuring BALLET FINLAND to perform “Plague of Butterflies”


In a groundbreaking event, Finnish Metal icons SWALLOW THE SUN featuring the Avant-Garde BALLET FINLAND are set to present their collaborative performance, “Plague of Butterflies”, during 70000TONS OF METAL in 2025. This unique performance will make its World Premiere outside of Finland in January 2025, on board The Original, The World’s Biggest Heavy Metal Cruise, with two separate presentations of the work occurring whilst on board. Following each of the two performances of “Plague of Butterflies”, SWALLOW THE SUN will play two different regular sets as well.

Continue reading SWALLOW THE SUN featuring BALLET FINLAND to perform “Plague of Butterflies”

Swallow The Sun announces their new album Shining + unveils heavy track “What I Have Become”


Shining, the latest full-length album from the Finnish Death Doom Pioneers Swallow The Sun, will be available via Century Media Records on Oct 18th. The powerful and very heavy new track of transformation and rebirth, “What I Have Become” will take you through personal hell and back. The new record is produced and mixed by Dan Lancaster (Bring Me the Horizon, Muse, Enter Shikari, etc.), mastered by Tony Lindgren (Fascination Street Studios) and recorded by Juho Räihä at SoundSpiral Audio, except vocals recorded by Dan Lancaster.

Continue reading Swallow The Sun announces their new album Shining + unveils heavy track “What I Have Become”

SWALLOW THE SUN release first single and music video “Innocence Was Long Forgotten”


photo: Jussi Ratilainen

Finnish melo-doom metallers Swallow the Sun released the first single “Innocence Was Long Forgotten” from their upcoming album on July 2nd accompanied by a breathtaking video.

“All the new music from Swallow The Sun felt like an ice dagger through a sleeping heart. So we wanted to work with influential producer Dan Lancaster (Bring Me the Horizon, Muse, Enter Shikari etc.) to drive this dagger even deeper into our hearts.”

Those ideas and feelings were successfully portrayed in the single as well as in the music video directed by Vesa Ranta, which was a spot on visual representation of the sounds and lyrical themes. Stark duality of dark and light, new and old, familiar and foreign sounds all blend together to deliver a staggering ice bath of new music from the band. Many fans were taken aback, but are eagerly waiting to hear the new album in its entity.

Swallow the Sun have been torchbearers of melodic doom since 2000. Beauty in Gloom has been a running theme in their identity, lyrics and sound for almost twenty four years. Reaching global fame with fan-praised music videos (10+ million YouTube views) and streaming dominance (50+ million Spotify plays) and has played more than 900 gigs on four continents during their 20-year career. However this new single suggests their sound might have gone through some form of metamorphosis and will emerge with something new and unfamiliar yet no less visceral and striking as their previous music.

Their only current live date is at Hellsinki Metal Festival on August 9th. More info on future dates to come.

Swallow The Sun:

Juha Raivio –Guitars, Keyboards 
Juho Räihä – Guitars
Mikko Kotamäki – Vocals
Matti Honkonen – Bass
Juuso Raatikainen – Drums

Hellsinki Metal Festival will take place on August 9th & 10th in Helsinki


Hellsinki Metal Festival, organized for the first time this year, found its own place on the Finnish festival grounds on the second weekend of August in 2023. More than 11,000 visitors were able to enjoy a bold and versatile lineup of performers, which also included several bands that rarely visit Finland. The official aftermovie of this year’s event can be viewed here

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