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Swallow the Sun is a Finnish melodic doom metal/death metal band. Formed in the Spring of 2000 by Juha Raivio. Juha was playing guitar in Plutonium Orange with Pasi Pasanen, but had written music that didn’t fit their style. Thus he formed Swallow the Sun for this outlet. Together they rehearsed some of the songs written including Through Her Silvery Body and Out of This Gloomy Light. Later in 2001 they called upon friend and fellow musician Markus Jämsen to be the second guitarist in the new band. Mikko Kotämäki had the vocal strength they were looking for; he joined from Funeris Nocturnum. Together the foursome rehearsed some songs, and began to look for a bass player and keyboardist. Quickly Aleksi Munter and Matti Honkonen, also from Funeris Nocturnum joined. Swallow the Sun was born.
At Sam's Workshop
2 years after the first thoughts, in Spring of 2002 they began to arrange the songs for the demo, which was eventually recorded in January 2003 at Sam’s Workshop with Sami Kokko. At the end of 2003 the band performed three live gigs in December in their native Finland.
A record deal with Firebox Records was made shortly after the demo arrangements and recordings, and Swallow the Sun entered the studio to record their first album The Morning Never Came. They still managed twenty live shows in 2004 even while writing new material and recording for the new album.
In February 2005, the band released their second album, Ghosts of Loss. The single Forgive Her entered the Finnish Single charts at Number 4, and remained on the Top 20 for 6 weeks. The album entered the charts at Number 8. More live shows followed in Finland for the later part of 2005.
In 2006, the band signed to Spinefarm Records and did a small European tour with Before the Dawn. In January 2007 they released their third album Hope which includes a cover version of the Timo Rautiainen & Trio Niskalaukaus song "Alavilla mailla" (which they translated to English and called "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 of Katatonia on the song "The Justice Of Suffering". The single Don’t Fall Asleep and it’s accompanying video were released on 10th January 2007 and entered the charts at number 3 remaining at that position for 2 weeks; staying in the top 20 for a total of 3 weeks.The album also entered the charts at number 3 remaining in the top 40 for two more weeks.
In September of 2007 they headed to their first North American tour with Kataonia, Scar Symmetry, and Insomnium. The year ended with almost 100 live shows encompassing two firsts for the band; A North American tour, five dates in Spain and Portugal, and a European tour in Mid November. The video for Doomed To Walk The Earth was released to the general public on 8th November 2007.
The bands latest offering, an EP named Plague of Butterflies was released in Europe on 17th September with a release in the US on 23rd September. Plague of Butterflies is a story about an old hermit, deep woods, loneliness and the plague. It's one song in three parts and holds about 35 minutes of crushing gloom, beauty and despair. In addition, the original demo recording is released to finish off the EP. On the 24th September, Plague of Butterflies crashed into the Number 1 spot its first week in the Finnish single charts.
On 15th May 2009, Pasi Pasanen announced his departure from the band. On May 18th 2009 Swallow the Sun announced that Kai Hahto of Wintersun will be joining on drums.
During June and July 2009 Swallow the Sun spent three weeks in Fascination Street studios in Sweden with producer Jens Bogren, recording their new full length release New Moon. The album was released worldwide through Spinefarm records in November 2009. On November 11th the album hit the Finnish charts at number 10.
February 1st 2012 saw the next installment in the Swallow the Sun story; Emerald Forest and the Blackbird was released and hot the Finnish album charts straight in at number 2. This album featured guest star Anette Olzon from Nightwish on vocals for the song Cathedral Walls.
Juha no longer needs to wait for success |
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