Swallow The Sun // Shining // Album Review

Having trodden a trusted path for over 20 years now, the two time Finnish Grammy nominated band are taking a less worn route going forward.

Having formed in 2000, the band have enjoyed a number of highly acclaimed streams both musically and video wise as well as over 900 shows through their career spanning over 4 continents and now is the time to push on musically and see where it takes them.

Teaming up with two time Grammy nominated producer Dan Lancaster, the Death Doom results are that of contrast. You have on hand this quite uplifting and clean sound, yet there is always murky presence that lurks under the surface waiting to push through and drag you down.

From the off on this 10 track offering you feel like you are safe and can settle into what is a pleasant sounding and steady paced album, but the first time you hear that darkness, you have a double take as if to question if you have just heard what you think you have. Like building suspense in a movie, you wonder when it’s going to show itself again.

Even though the majority of the album is minimalist and clean sound, the content matter is that of exploring the challenges that us as the human race must tackle and the contrasts the good intentions and wellness held in people alongside the emptiness and hopelessness, we all feel at times and this can manifest in us all.

Musically there are some stunning guitar solos, soaring choruses and overall a soothing, melancholy kind of feel, not the kind you would usually put with Death Doom, this feels like the Death is that lurking and unnerving feel mentioned earlier. It is certainly there and shows its teeth at times, growling and threatening, especially on tracks such as ‘Kold’. This is predominantly a heavier track and shows that parallel of sounds perfectly and maybe you appreciate it more when it isn’t there in your face all the way through.

Whilst Shining does not feel like a traditional Death Doom album, this may be more Atmospheric Doom – there is no denying that in the dark, surrounded by smoke and smog is the perfect place to hear it and please don’t let the fact it may not be ass expected put you off.

Shining is a good album that will grace the shelves of many a collection and rightly so.

Shining will be released Friday 18^th October 2024 via Century Media

Review: Ed Ford

Shining – Tracklisting:

Innocence Was Long Forgotten
What I Have Become
MelancHoly
Under The Moon & Sun
Kold
November Dust
Velvet Chains
Tonight Pain Believes
Charcoal Sky
Shining

Pre-Save/Pre-Order Shining:

https://swallowthesun.lnk.to/Shining

SWALLOW THE SUN recently announced headline dates across the North America and Finland. Taking place in the winter and kicking off December 5^th in Lahti, Finland the tour will hit all major cities across the country, wrapping up on December 14^th in Helsinki. February 20^th will kick off their run of shows taking place in the US and Canada. Tickets are on sale now.

05.12. Lahti, Finlandia-klubi

06.12. Seinäjoki, Rytmikorjaamo

07.12. Oulu, Tullisali

11.12. Jyväskylä, Lutakko

12.12. Tampere, Pakkahuone
13.12. Turku, Teatro

14.12. Helsinki, Kulttuuritalo

SHINING OVER NORTH AMERICA TOUR DATES:

2/20/25 Detroit, MI – Sanctuary

2/21/25 Toronto, ON – Velvet Underground

2/22/25 Montreal, QC – Fouf’s

2/23/25 Boston, MA – Brighton Music Hall

2/24/25 New York, NY – Gramercy Theater

2/25/25 Baltimore, MD – Baltimore Soundstage

2/26/25 Greensboro, NC – Hangar 1819

2/27/25 Atlanta, GA – The Earl

2/28/25 Orlando, FL – Conduit

3/1/25 Pensacola, FL – Handlebar

3/2/25 Houston, TX – Parish Room @ House of Blues

3/3/25 Austin, TX – Come And Take It Live

3/4/25 Albuquerque, NM – Launch Pad

3/5/25 Phoenix , AZ – Rebel

3/6/25 San Diego, CA – Brick By Brick

3/7/25 Los Angeles, CA – Echoplex

3/8/25 San Francisco, CA – Neck of The Woods

3/9/25 Portland, OR – Bossanova Ballroom

3/10/25 Seattle, WA – El Corazon

3/12/25 Salt Lake City, UT – Metro Music Hall

3/13/25 Denver, CO – Bluebird Theater

3/14/25 Omaha, NE – Reverb

3/15/25 Chicago, IL – Reggies

Further information for all tour dates and tickets are available here: http://swallowthesun.net/tour

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More than two decades of despair, beauty, and heartache have not only shaped but fueled Finnish melancholy torchbearers, the chart-topping and two-time Finnish Grammy nominated Swallow The Sun. Formed in Jyväskylä in 2000, the quintet has enjoyed numerous fan-lauded music videos (10+ million YouTube views) and streaming dominance (50+ million Spotify plays), while also embarking on a four-continent, 900-show run over the course of their 20-year career. Their new music, however, is the group’s first step on the new path to the unknown.

SWALLOW THE SUN line-up:

Juha Raivio – Guitar, Keys

Juho Räihä – Guitar

Mikko Kotamäki – Vocals

Matti Honkonen – Bass

Juuso Raatikainen – Drums

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