Swallow The Sun — Moonflowers [Melodic Doom Metal]
Swallow The Sun, the supreme masters of Melodic Doom, need no introduction. They have carved their path onto the Finnish Doom Metal scene. With their eighth full album, they have again delivered a masterpiece. The untimely loss of Juha Raivio’s partner, Aleah Stanbridge, inspired the writing of this album. The pain of the heart and the longing for a soul lost. You can only feel the tristesse, the depression of a grieving lover and band. In addition, the band worked together with the Finnish Trio N O X, who recorded the classical strings embedded throughout the album.
Tracklist
- Moonflowers Bloom In Misery (06:19)
- Enemy (05:39)
- Woven Into Sorrow (07:46)
- Keep Your Heart Safe From Me (07:47)
- All Hallows’ Grieve (05:37)
- The Void (05:39)
- The Fight Of Your Life (07:13)
- This House Has No Home (06:40)
Total runtime: 52:40 minutes
With “Moonflowers Bloom In Misery”, we get an absolute banger of an opening track. The song is filled with raw, pained emotion shining through the vocals. The soft intro quickly plunges into the Blackened Doom Metal, encasing the album’s horrific common theme of loss weaving through the album. “Enemy” follows in the same category, with its catchy tunes and vocals; it will be regarded by many as one of the best songs on the album.
This is also heard in the last track on the album: “This House Has No Home.”
Though the song is filled with much more rage, reminding me musically of songs like “Labyrinth Of London” from the album “Emerald Forest And The Blackbird” and “These Woods Breathe Evil” from the album “New Moon” with their oppressive and tense atmosphere.
Lighter than the songs preceding it, “Woven Into Sorrow”, acoustic demeanour gives the song a much-needed breath from the extreme depths we have swum in the songs before. While it is lyrically still downhearted, the soft guitars and simple bass and drums make you drift along before making you awake softly, with the distorted and heavy guitars focusing you on the pain that still lingers beneath.
“Keep Your Heart Safe From Me” introduces more complex compositions and the dance of acoustic and heavier parts. The guitar and keyboard solo are angels to my ears, a positive supplement to the song.
In the same regard, “The Fight For Your Life” — a personal favourite of mine, plays with the same layout as the previously named song, focusing on acoustic, throwing in rawer parts for good measure. The clean vocals are full of emotion and an excellent opener for the heavier guitar solo intro. Less bloated with an oppressive atmosphere, this is also one of the most accessible songs to introduce the album.
At last, with “All Hallow’s Grieve” female and softer notes, we get a more gothic metal sound. The female and male vocals dance give the track a romanticised, pained sound. This song radiates remembrance of the lost ones. In the same way, we can view “Void” as a gothic-themed song. The song itself reminds me vividly of Katatonia. Both pieces are a necessary counter to the heavy songs that suffocate the album.
Songs to listen to
- The Fight For Your Life
- Moonflowers Bloom In Misery
- Void
Afterword
The grievous torture and pain that her absence leaves behind are distilled and poured into a pure, blatantly visible portrait of grief. Each song a part of a broken heart. Listen to this masterpiece with caution, for you will share the pain.
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Youtube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCSO1dwe6QWVoTs4hxh7aDlA
Website: http://swallowthesun.net/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/swallowthesun
