Swallow The Sun – Shining
Release Date: 18th October 2024
Label: Century Media
Bandcamp
Genre: Death Metal, Doom Metal.
FFO: Insomnium, Katatonia, Opeth, My Dying Bride.
Review By: Rick Farley
Firstly, let me be clear, I am all for bands evolving their sound when it makes sense and doesn’t completely alienate the fanbase.
Swallow The Sun have been a band for more than two decades, bringing beautiful gloom, painful heartache, and melancholic brutality to the metal masses. Formed in Finland in 2000, these torch-bearers of death/doom shined brightly amongst the dreary darkness of their genre. Exceptional albums full of real emotion and depth that have always somehow still brought hope within the hefty emotional experience. I emphasize this simply because you’re going to read a lot of reviews that will paint the picture of a band that in 2024 has a reinvigorated sound. You’re also going to read several reviews, such as this one that will tell you that Swallow The Sun’s ninth studio album Shining being released by Century Media Records on October 18th, 2024, will absolutely divide the fanbase. Now before I get into the meat and potatoes of Shining, keep in mind that songwriter/guitarist Juha Raivio has stated recently that he made a quiet wish to himself after Moonflowers, that if there were to be new music, he would have mercy on himself rather than be that infinite black hole sucking the remaining light and soul, just for the sake of it. As a longtime fan, this is where I’m conflicted with what I’m about to write.
Shining kicks off with Innocence was Long Forgotten, a track that has an interesting electronic feel to it that shows a band willing to experiment further with their sound. Of course, Swallow The Sun have always forwardly evolved their sound, but this feels slightly different. There’s a modern Katatonia vibe that sticks out awkwardly as a death/doom band being unsure of its sound. Parts of the track are enjoyable and other parts, mainly the poppy chorus, are clunky and dated. Almost in the forced sing-along chorus territory. No harsh vocals, zero emotional weight and bordering happy sounding. Not off to a good start.
What Have I Become retains some of the Swallow The Sun core sound with chuggy chords, intriguing cleans and growling vocals. Yet again marred by a forced sparkling chorus, it feels divided and hesitant. Track three MelancHoly carries on this sappy direction but manages to, despite its overly melodramatic feel, be captivating. It’s stripped down but has an undeniable hook that’s beyond an earworm. I should probably point out these three songs are also the songs that were released as singles. All feel uncharacteristic in a forced way.
Under the Moon & Sun thankfully gives us a taste of what makes Swallow The Sun so amazing to begin with. Hulking chord progressions, weighty emotional depth that contrasts between crushing guitars and stunning gloom filled beauty. Tracks like Kold, November Dust and Charcoal Sky maintain that dynamic between softness and brutality, transitioning tense moments into mesmerizing ones, only to cave in your chest with bruising heaviness. This is the band I know and love, and these songs still manage to sound fresh and keep the brightness the band seem to be going for. Another I would like to point out is Velvet Chains, which feels fully realised as the bands softer, accessible direction really works. Stunning piano melodies overtaking by sorrowful doom carrying both respite and burden. The brightness of the track cast shadows outside of the darkness. In a word, breathtaking. Few of these moments here, sadly.
The rating of this record for me essentially comes down to three things, production, execution, and uncertainty.
The production which was done by Dan Lancaster (Muse, Don Broco, Blink 182, Enter Shikari, etc.) is a huge part of the problem. A lifeless, artificial sounding, contemporary pop infused, weightless mix disguised as a claim of a new direction.
Honestly, Shining sounds like a band trying to transition to the mainstream but are going about it all wrong. That may not be the ultimate intension based on what Juha said about future music, but Moonflowers was already a step in the right direction. This is an easily digestible, extremely accessible, safe album that’s being described as death/dooms Black Album by the band’s bass player. Personally, I found it manufactured, plasticky death doom, which absolutely devastates me. Execution wise, this is not a reinvigorated sound, but rather uncertain of where it wants to go. This is a misstep.
(2.5 / 5)
