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 throughout their 23-year career. The new album, Shining, however, is the group’s first step on the new path to the unknown.

Shining is an exceptional album, not only because of the beauty and sheer power of the songs, but because this time the band searched for something new, something bright, something that will take them to new spheres. 

Dan Lancaster, two-time Grammy nominee producer (Bring Me The Horizon, Muse, Don Broco, Blink 182, Enter Shikari, etc.), had the privilege to dive into the new Swallow The Sun material. This unexpected combination, and him producing the album, created something that Swallow The Sun has never experienced before. The leap into the unknown created an album that will blow you away!

Shining the latest album from Swallow the Sun, encapsulates the profound duality of the human experience and the band’s enduring brilliance. The album explores the intrinsic challenges of being human, contrasting the beauty and purity within individuals with the transformation that occurs when we come together, chasing us away from innocence like rats from Eden. It highlights the struggle and disillusionment in human interactions, dealing with a deep carved fear of life, and how melancholy can slowly turn into your God.

Marking 23 years of their musical progression, Shining also symbolizes the band’s pride and resilience, showcasing their brightest and strongest work to date. This album is a testament to Swallow the Sun’s artistic legacy, intertwining existential reflections with their characteristic majestic sound. Shining – or the “Black Album” of Death Doom, as the bassist Matti Honkonen calls this album – was produced and mixed by Dan Lancaster, mastered by Tony Lindgren (Fascination Street Studios), and recorded by Juho Räihä at SoundSpiral Audio, except vocals recorded by Dan Lancaster. The artwork is by Rami Mursula.