Hope

Candlelight

Finland’s luminous lords of Doom and Death Metal Swallow The Sun have returned to the frontlines with their much anticipated third release, Hope out now on Candlelight Records. Contained therein are eight songs of searing dark and passionate beauty that will undoubtedly serve as the bands most crowning achievement to date. While a title such as Hope may lead one to believe that the disposition from the bands perspective has become more of positive outlook nothing could be further from the truth. The reality of this recording might have been called no hope or lost hope as the gloominess and melancholic prowess of their trademark sound remains intact and more somber than ever.

The slow paced churning of heavily distorted guitar is brought to fruition by axemen Juha Raivio and Markus Jämsen’s unbridled ability to mournfully drive home their emotional outpouring through their respective talents. However it is vocalist Mikko Kotamäki’s sinister vocal capability that reaches down to the depths of your soul and grips your very being. Haunting yet serene, this is by far one of the finest representations of this genre to ever be offered. I can’t wait to hear it live in all its glory.

Favorite choices for this round include the title track, “The Empty Skies”, ”These Hours Of Despair” and “Too Cold For Tears”. As an added bonus there are guest vocal additions from Jonas Renkse (Katatonia) on “The Justice Of Suffering” and Tomi Joutsen (Amorphis) on an outstanding cover of Finnish legends Timo Rautiainen and Trio Niskalaukaus’ “Alavilla Mailla” Ultimately Hope is an exceptionally fine masterpiece with an enormous amount of potential.

-Priest