Finalnd's Swallow The Sun seem that have accomplished the impossible, with a single from their new album, Ghosts Of Loss, entering the Finish charts. It seems impossible, since the track is over 9 minutes long, a feat that seems improbable to the extreme. We spoke to the band's founder, Juha Raivio about the band's new release, as well as the band's origins.

Hi Juha, I'd like to start with your latest release, Ghosts Of Loss, what kind of reaction have you been getting for it as of now?

Hello. The feedback has been amazing. Seems that people like this album as much or even more than our first album which was huge success. Seems that we are doing something right here because we have just been nominated for the best band, album and album cover of the year along with the names like Children of Bodom and Sentenced etc.

How would you describe the album's music and atmosphere?

The atmosphere is most important thing in our music. Every song has to have that gloom, beauty and despair in them. Music has to have something that moves you and bring some emotions up.

Can you give us a short bio of the band, and the reasons leading to its creation?

Everything started back in the year 2000 when I was playing with our drummer in this band called PLUTONIUM ORANGE and I had few songs that didn't fit our music style. So I asked Pasi to try them out with me after rehearsals and they sounded so good that we started to get more people to join the project so we could do the demo. We founded half of the players from the band called Funeris Nocturnum and second guitarist was our old friend from the past. So we did demo called “Out of this gloomy light” and got signed by Firebox records right away.

Why does the band create mainly very long and quite complex songs?

There is no rules how we make songs. When we usually play with slow tempo then the songs are gonna be long too. Even I like really slow music like funeral doom, I still don't want to play like that all the time, it would be too boring to us. So we try to make our songs a little bit more interesting to listen and maybe that makes it complex too.

What would you say where you're main influences when starting out?

Candlemass is the most important band for me. Candlemass made me listen to doom metal and play this kind of music. My dying Bride and Type O Negative has been also one of the biggest influences for me and I love their songs and albums and without those bands there would not be this band too, so big thanks to them once again.

In what ways is the album different than your previous release, The Morning Never Came?

Ghosts of Loss has more both ends of our music. So this album is more heavier and even more melodic than the Morning never came. I love both albums and can't say which album is better but “ghosts” is more balanced album to listen.

The album's sound is fantastic, how did you achieve such a clear sound?

Well, we want that every instrument is there and you can hear them too. In this band all the instruments are so important that if you leave one out it sounds totally different We like that clear sound because it brings the melodies out.

Why did you choose "Forgive Her..." as the single from the album?

We wanted to choose the most heart breaking and slow song as the single so people wouldn't think that this band has sold out because having some success from the first album. So it was some kind of “fuck you” to the people who already think that this band is gonna have a POP songs in the new album.

How did you feel about the success of the single in the Finnish charts?

It was so huge surprise. We knew that we got good fan base, but we never expected that we got so many fans behind us that we would rise in single charts. And when the album came out we rise to the album charts to position 8 between System of a down and Gwen Stefani!! So everything can happen here in Finland..

What's the idea behind the album's cover, and who came up with it?

I had the idea of a women who is drowning her self to the river because she cant keep her ghosts silent anymore. I think that the cover gives a good idea what to expect from the music too, so they make a good combination.

How does the writing process in the band work?

Well, I do the 90% of the music and lyrics, but everyone has so huge part when practising the new songs that they would never sound like this without them.

You have been widely compared to Opeth, what kind of resemblance, or lack of it, do you see to them?

I never had listen Opeth much but the new album is awesome. I’m so huge fan of RUSH that I think that most of the progressive vibes in this album comes from there. But if someone compares us to the mighty OPETH it is huge compliment to us.

What kind of touring is planned for the band?

We have toured Finland this fall. We just came back from our first European tour and hope that we could return to Europe very soon again. Well, we have some summer festivals coming up and of course some gigs at the spring time too. I hope we could do some festivals in Europe too because we need to show people what this band is made of.

Metalist