Band:	Swallow The Sun
Album:	Shining
Style:	Melodic death metal, Melodic doom metal
Release date:	October 18, 2024
A review by:	omne metallum

01. Innocence Was Long Forgotten
02. What I Have Become
03. MelancHoly
04. Under The Moon And The Sun
05. Kold
06. November Dust
07. Velvet Chains
08. Tonight Pain Believes
09. Charcoal Sky
10. Shining

Is the sun shining after I swallow it?  

Finnish doom crew Swallow The Sun have long dredged the human experience for its darkest moments and feelings for inspiration, and used their music as a mirror for listeners to reflect upon. The band's ninth effort, Shining, continues this theme, but this time reminds us that it is possible to find joy amongst the pain. 

Swallow The Sun have long walked a separate path from other doom bands; whereas many groups go for a dark and abrasive sound, Swallow The Sun have opted for a more polished and vibrant sound, establishing for themselves an identity that allows them to stand out from the crowd. Shining has the band's most vibrant production to date, one that retains the doom ethos and heaviness, but gives Shining a unique sound in the doomscape that enhances the listening experience. 

It is clear the band's ambitions are greater than merely releasing another good album, with the mix of songwriting and production suggesting they are aiming to break out of the mould and niche. Shining thankfully matches ambition with quality, making for a highly enjoyable experience that ranks one of the best of the year. 

The sun is bright on tracks like "MelancHoly", a surprisingly poppy-sounding track that nails the balance between pop and hard-hitting, while "Under The Moon And The Sun" has a Katatonia style that slowly crescendos into an epic conclusion that spams the dopamine centre in your brain like a video game player spamming the special move button. When Shining peaks, its heights are some of the highest of the band's career to date. 

The band don't completely cut themselves off from their history, with tracks like "Kold" and "November Dust" bridging the gap and giving old school fans their fix. Indeed, it is the guitar work of Raivio and Räihä that makes the latter another bright spot on an album that shines bright... like a sun. Next to the regular highlight of Swallow The Sun's career in Kotamäki's vocals (which again, remain one of the band's strengths) is the drum work of Raatikainen, easily morphing between the role of bombastic rhythm on tracks like "Charcoal Sky", and subdued on "Velvet Chains". 

There will be some that may find Shining a step too far for the group, breaking the sonic boundaries that have long defined their domain, rather than merely pushing against those boundaries. It is a risk the band are taking, though like many before them that have done similar, I would hazard a guess that this album is the one that nails the sweet spot between new and old sound, before they later lose this equilibrium. 

Swallow The Sun, at minimum, produce one of the strongest doom albums of the year; at best, Shining is one of the strongest albums of their career and will remain a highlight in an already solid and extensive discography.