ALBUM REVIEW: Moonflowers – Swallow The Sun

SWALLOW THE SUN are following up their 2019 number one album, the Emma Galey-nominated (Finnish Grammy-equivalent) When A Shadow Is Forced Into The Light, with Moonflowers. An orchestral addition to the band’s impressive back catalogue, Moonflowers features strings alongside guitars, and includes classical versions of each track on the release. Self-professed to hate this very record, the band’s singer and primary songwriter Juha Ravio went so far as to use his own blood to paint the album cover. So does Moonflowers actually conjure up those relatable feelings of downbeat emotions or is it all just a bit cliched and self-indulgent, like the album cover concept?

The opening track is a funeral dirge of doom and atmosphere, but insofar as that niche genre can sound predictable – the track unfortunately does. The track opens with the sort of arpeggio you’ve heard a thousand times before, and when the strings come in to add to the dramatic and morose texture, they just serve to make the track sound even more tired. “Can you die of a broken soul?” asks Ravio before exploding into a death growl as the music swells. The dynamic change is satisfying, but in a superficial way – it’s loud now, so that means it’s more angry.

The tone is rather nice throughout, sounding rich with gothic strings and other elements underpinning the darkness of the metal. Often containing moments that shine – like the half time riff in Woven In Sorrow – this album is a frustrating listen. The tone is warm and full, and there are moments where the sound is excellent, gloomy and heavy, but those moments are often stitched together in ways that sound predictable and just plain tired. 

Cammie Gilbert of OCEANS OF SLUMBER fame features on All Hallows Grieve. It’s a fitting pairing which gives the music more of a tangible shape, her evocative vocals managing to command the music with more grace than most other album tracks. The atmosphere created by her vocals adds so much drama to the song, something which is often missing amongst the dirge of the other tracks. The Fight Of Your Life is another brilliant track, with the most satisfying dynamic build across the album. Frustratingly, the record ends on This House Has No Home, which is just another forgettable track amongst the lot – a real shame.

Overall, if you’re not already a fan of this band, it’s unlikely that this album will win you over. An exercise in the darkest of misery and woe, the album often ends up feeling tired rather than cathartic and lamenting. A missed opportunity. 

Rating: 6/10

Moonflowers is out now via via Century Media Records. 

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