SWALLOW THE SUN celebrate their first Finnish Grammy win with a brand-new video for “Velvet Chains”, taken from their acclaimed album The Shining (produced by Dan Lancaster). The video, created by Dronicon Films, mirrors the album’s stunning contrasts—melancholic beauty colliding with crushing heaviness.
This milestone comes as the band prepares for a special 25th-anniversary performance: “Between Two Worlds – 25th Anniversary Show” on August 28th at Helsinki Festival, a one-night event where SWALLOW THE SUN will unite their darkest and brightest moments on stage.
The celebrations continue worldwide with upcoming shows in Japan (supporting My Dying Bride), a full UK headline run in December, and their first-ever Australian tour starting January 2026.
With over two decades of heartache and atmospheric mastery, SWALLOW THE SUN remain Finland’s ambassadors of melancholy—now Grammy winners, global headliners, and still exploring new depths of beauty and despair.
Finnish doom metal legends SWALLOW THE SUN are back with a twist on their fan-favorite anthem, unveiling a growl-free version of “MelancHoly (Holy Edit)” from their highly anticipated digital deluxe edition album, SHINING DARK DELUXE. This special edition invites fans into a deeper, more atmospheric experience, showcasing unique interpretations of select studio tracks that capture the band’s signature melancholy and live energy.
STREAM THE SINGLE “MELANCHOLY (HOLY EDIT)”NOW HERE
SWALLOW THE SUNTakes Over Europe – Don’t Miss Out! Fresh off their North American conquest, SWALLOW THE SUN is gearing up for a monumental European tour alongside Before The Dawn and Stam1na. This massive trek kicks off on April 14th in Antwerp, Belgium, and will thunder through major cities before closing in Hamburg, Germany on May 6th.
GRAB YOUR TICKETS NOW! → HERE VIP UPGRADES AVAILABLE! → HERE
Swallow The Sun – Shining Over Europe 2025
14.4.2025 Belgium, Antwerp – Zappa 15.4.2025 Germany, Koln – Gebaude 9 16.4.2025 Germany, Berlin – Cassiopeia 17.4.2025 Poland, Poznan – 2PROGI 18.4.2025 Czechia, Prague – Futurum 19.4.2025 Slovakia, Bratislava – Randal 20.4.2025 Hungary, Budapest – Barba Negra 22.4.2025 Austria, Vienna – B72 23.4.2025 Germany, Munich – Backstage Halle 24.4.2025 Switzerland, Aarau – Kiff 25.4.2025 Italy, Milan – Legend 26.4.2025 France, Marseille – Le Molotov 27.4.2025 Spain, Barcelona – Razzmatazz 2 29.4.2025 Spain, Madrid – Copernico 30.4.2025 France, Toulouse – Le Rex 01.5.2025 France, Nantes – Le Ferrailleur 02.5.2025 France, Paris – Backstage Btm 04.5.2025 Netherlands, Tilburg – 013 Next 05.5.2025 Netherlands, Amsterdam – Melkweg 06.5.2025 Germany, Hamburg – Logo
SWALLOW THE SUN Claims Finnish Grammy Glory! In a groundbreaking achievement, SWALLOW THE SUN has taken home their first-ever Finnish Grammy (Emma Gala Award) for Best Metal Album (2024) with their latest release, SHINING. After two previous nominations, this well-deserved win marks a monumental milestone for the band, solidifying SHINING as the Metal Album of the Year.
The band expresses their gratitude: “A huge thank you to Backbone Management, Century Media Records, Dan Lancaster, Pasi, Aleksi, Markus, Jaani, and Juha Ruusunen for helping us reach this milestone. We’re also incredibly grateful to all of you who have supported us and listened to our music along the way, this means the world to us!”
SWALLOW THE SUN have officially announced SHINING DARK DELUXE, the digital deluxe edition of their latest release, Shining. This special edition offers fans a deeper experience, capturing the essence of the band’s live energy while featuring alternative takes on select studio tracks.
To kick things off, fans can now stream and watch the music video for the first release, “What I Have Become (Live at Hellsinki Metal Festival 2024)”.
Juha Raivio comments on the digital deluxe edition: ” Black album of death/doom finally got it’s black cover! When the music came for this new album I instantly felt that this music is shining bright through it’s thick darkness. I wasn’t sure if I should call the album Shining or Shining Dark, they both felt right. Well now we finally have both versions.”
Mikko Kotamäki adds: “Even though live shows are always challenging and less enjoyable for a Finnish introvert, I have to say that performing these new songs live is actually enjoyable on some level. See you on tour!”
SWALLOW THE SUN have released their long-awaited new album Shining along another new single. Fans can now stream and watch the music video for “Charcoal Sky”.
Juha Raivio comments on the album release: “It feels almost surreal to release one of our best and bravest album 24 years into the band’s existence. Like an ice dagger through a sleeping heart. Sunrise in the night sky. Horns and Halos. Shining dark.”
He adds on the new single:“Charcoal Sky is a true anthem for the autumn and the weight of the coming winter. To recognize and face the killing season within, to be reborn again.”
Mikko Kotamäki adds on “Charcoal Sky”: “Charcoal Sky is musically the heaviest song of the album. Can’t wait to perform this song live. Great riffs and catchy chorus. Future classic so to speak.”
The new record is produced and mixed by Dan Lancaster (Bring Me the Horizon, Muse, Enter Shikari, etc.), mastered by Tony Lindgren (Fascination Street Studios) and recorded by Juho Räihä at SoundSpiral Audio, except vocals recorded by Dan Lancaster.
“Charcoal Sky” the new single out today follows the release of the previously released songs and music videos for“Innocence Was Long Forgotten”,“What I Have Become” and “MelancHoly”.
SWALLOW THE SUN recently announced headline dates across Europe. Taking place in the spring 2025 and kicking off April 14th in Antwerp, Belgium the tour will hit all major cities across Europe, wrapping up on May 6th in Hamburg, Germany.
Swallow The Sun – Shining Over Europe 2025
14.4.2025 BELGIUM, ANTWERP – ZAPPA 15.4.2025 GERMANY, KOLN – GEBAUDE 9 16.4.2025 GERMANY, BERLIN – CASSIOPEIA 17.4.2025 POLAND, POZNAN – 2PROGI 18.4.2025 CZECHIA, PRAGUE – FUTURUM 19.4.2025 SLOVAKIA, BRATISLAVA – RANDAL 20.4.2025 HUNGARY, BUDAPEST – BARBA NEGRA 22.4.2025 AUSTRIA, VIENNA – B72 23.4.2025 GERMANY, MUNICH – BACKSTAGE HALLE 24.4.2025 SWITZERLAND, AARAU – KIFF 25.4.2025 ITALY, MILAN – LEGEND 26.4.2025 FRANCE, MARSEILLE – LE MOLOTOV 27.4.2025 SPAIN, BARCELONA – BÓVEDA 29.4.2025 SPAIN, MADRID – COPERNICO 30.4.2025 FRANCE, TOULOUSE – LE REX MAY 01.5.2025 FRANCE, NANTES – LE FERRAILLEUR 02.5.2025 FRANCE, PARIS – BACKSTAGE BTM 04.5.2025 NETHERLANDS, TILBURG – 013 NEXT 05.5.2025 NETHERLANDS, AMSTERDAM – MELKWEG MAX 06.5.2025 GERMANY, HAMBURG – LOGO
Remember to catch Swallow The Sun on their other dates across the globe:
SHINING OVER NORTH AMERICA TOUR DATES: 2/20/25 Detroit, MI – Sanctuary 2/21/25 Toronto, ON – Velvet Underground 2/22/25 Montreal, QC – Fouf’s 2/23/25 Boston, MA – Brighton Music Hall 2/24/25 New York, NY – Gramercy Theater 2/25/25 Baltimore, MD – Baltimore Soundstage 2/26/25 Greensboro, NC – Hangar 1819 2/27/25 Atlanta, GA – The Earl 2/28/25 Orlando, FL – Conduit 3/1/25 Pensacola, FL – Handlebar 3/2/25 Houston, TX – Parish Room @ House of Blues 3/3/25 Austin, TX – Come And Take It Live 3/4/25 Albuquerque, NM – Launch Pad 3/5/25 Phoenix , AZ – Rebel 3/6/25 San Diego, CA – Brick By Brick 3/7/25 Los Angeles, CA – Echoplex 3/8/25 San Francisco, CA – Neck of The Woods 3/9/25 Portland, OR – Hawthorne Theater 3/10/25 Seattle, WA – El Corazon 3/12/25 Salt Lake City, UT – Metro Music Hall 3/13/25 Denver, CO – Bluebird Theater 3/14/25 Omaha, NE – Reverb 3/15/25 Chicago, IL – Reggies
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 over the course of their 20-year career. Their new music, however, is the group’s first step on the new path to the unknown.
SWALLOW THE SUN line-up: Juha Raivio – Guitar, Keys Juho Räihä – Guitar Mikko Kotamäki – Vocals Matti Honkonen – Bass Juuso Raatikainen – Drums
SWALLOW THE SUN have released another new single taken from their upcoming album SHINING out October 18th. Fans can now stream and watch the music video for MelancHoly.
Juha Raivio comments on the new song: “This song talks about how melancholy can be comforting, safe and even a beautiful place. But when it turns into your God, it will surely kill you.”
Mikko Kotamäki adds on “MelancHoly”: “I’ve heard these days people call great and catchy songs bangers. Well, this one truly is one.”
SWALLOW THE SUN recently announced details surrounding their eagerly awaited new album SHINING out October 18th. The new record is produced and mixed by Dan Lancaster (Bring Me the Horizon, Muse, Enter Shikari, etc.), mastered by Tony Lindgren (Fascination Street Studios) and recorded by Juho Räihä at SoundSpiral Audio, except vocals recorded by Dan Lancaster.
Juha Raivio adds on the upcoming album SHINING: “After our last album it soon became clear to me that writing another Moonflowers album will kill me. So, I made a quiet wish to myself that if there ever will be any new music then please have a little bit of mercy on yourself rather than be that infinite black hole that will suck out the rest of your remaining light and soul just for the sake of it. Musically this album shines like a glacier diamond and has that power and punch that feels like a kick in your face! While lyrically the album deals how fearing life will eventually kill you and how melancholy can become your God.
In a groundbreaking event, Finnish Metal icons SWALLOW THE SUN featuring the Avant-Garde BALLET FINLAND are set to present their collaborative performance, “Plague of Butterflies”, during 70000TONS OF METAL in 2025. This unique performance will make its World Premiere outside of Finland in January 2025, on board The Original, The World’s Biggest Heavy Metal Cruise, with two separate presentations of the work occurring whilst on board. Following each of the two performances of “Plague of Butterflies”, SWALLOW THE SUN will play two different regular sets as well.
“Plague of Butterflies” is a story about loneliness in a world damaged by a plague, and its performance is an innovative, and hypnotic fusion of SWALLOW THE SUN’s evocative Melodic Death/Doom Metal sound with BALLET FINLAND’s contemporary dance. Originally composed in 2008, the piece was intended to be choreographed as a ballet production, and is now 16 years later, finally ready to be brought to the stage after numerous unfortunate setbacks.
Juha Raivio from SWALLOW THE SUN adds: “When I wrote the music for “Plague of Butterflies”, I didn’t know that the story of isolation and loss would come true both in personal life, but also later collectively, as the pandemic closed the world from around us. Now we seem to have come full circle as the piece has been brought to life in a form it was always meant to. Thank you BALLET FINLAND.”
The performance will unfold aboard the cruise ship, creating a singular and immersive experience for attendees, blending live music and dynamic choreography in a setting that has never before hosted such a collaboration – a Heavy Metal Cruise.
After three completely sold-out shows in Helsinki, there has been a high demand for additional performances. As such, the performance of “Plague of Butterflies” in the unusual setting of 70000TONS OF METAL 2025 in the Caribbean sea promises to be a historic and landmark event, merging the energy of Metal with the artistry of ballet in an unprecedented way.
Juha Raivio’s exclusive video message on the upcoming stunning performance by SWALLOW THE SUN and BALLET FINLAND onboard 70000TONS OF METAL is now on YouTube:
70000TONS OF METAL 2025 will take place January 30 – February 3, and sail from Miami, Florida to Ocho Rios, Jamaica and back on board the Independence of the Seas. 60 bands, each band performing TWICE – once on the way to Ocho Rios and once on the way back to Miami – so SWALLOW THE SUN featuring BALLET FINLAND can be enjoyed twice!
Bands announced to date include: ARCTURUS BENIGHTED (2 special sets playing the “Carnivore Sublime” album and a “Best Of” set) BEYOND CREATION CANDLEMASS (celebrating “40 Years Of Doom”) CROWNSHIFT DECAPITATED (2 special sets playing the “Nihility” and “Cancer Culture” albums) DELAIN EMPEROR (2 special sets: “In the Nightside Eclipse” and “Anthems to the Welkin at Dusk”) FINNTROLL (2 special sets: one “Dark Set” focused on the darker repertoire and one “Light Set” focused on the “party” side) FLOTSAM & JETSAM (2 special sets: “Doomsday for the Deceiver” and “No Place for Disgrace”) HAMMERFALL IN EXTREMO (2 special “Best Of” Sets as part of their 30th Anniversary Celebration) KALMAH (2 special sets playing the “They Will Return” and “Swampsong” albums) MAJESTICA MORK ONSLAUGHT (2 special sets playing “Power From Hell” album celebrating its 40th anniversary and the “The Force” album) SAMAEL (2 special sets playing the “Ceremony of Opposites” and “Passage” albums) SEPTICFLESH SEPULTURA (Official FAREWELL AT SEA SHOWS) SONATA ARCTICA STRATOVARIUS (2 special sets playing the “Visions” album and a “Best Of” set) SUBWAY TO SALLY (2 special sets playing the “Nord Nord Ost” album celebrating its 20th anniversary and an exclusive “Party Best Of” set) SWALLOW THE SUN feat. BALLET FINLAND (2 special sets performing “Plague of Butterflies” with BALLET FINLAND, followed by 2 different regular sets) TANKARD THE KOVENANT (2 special sets playing the “Nexus Polaris” album and a “Best Of” set) THE ZENITH PASSAGE TROUBLE (2 special sets playing “The Skull” album celebrating its 40th anniversary and a “Best Of” set) TWILIGHT FORCE (2 special sets playing the “Dawn of the Dragonstar” album and a “Best Of” set) UNLEASH THE ARCHERS
31 more bands will be announced.
1 cruise ship, 60 Metal bands, 4 days, only 3000 tickets. With no VIP areas it truly is li everyone has a backstage pass, making it an incredibly popular event with fans joining from over 70+ countries every year (the organizers proudly call themselves the “United Nations of Heavy Metal at Sea”). Limited tickets remain for the 70000TONS OF METAL 2025 cruise, featuring a lineup of top Metal bands and exclusive performances!
SWALLOW THE SUN, formed in 2000 in Jyväskylä, Finland, is a pioneering force in the Melodic Death/Doom Metal genre. Known for their unique blend of melancholic melodies and crushing heaviness, the band has become a cornerstone of the Finnish Metal scene. Their music is characterized by its atmospheric depth, blending Melodic Doom/Metal’s slow, melancholic riffs with Death Metal’s intense aggression and intricate arrangements. Over the years, SWALLOW THE SUN has released several critically acclaimed albums, including “The Morning Never Came”, “When a Shadow Is Forced into the Light”, and “Moonflowers”, which have solidified their reputation for crafting emotionally potent and sonically expansive music
The band’s live performances are renowned for their immersive and emotive qualities, often featuring elaborate visuals and a powerful stage presence. SWALLOW THE SUN has toured extensively across Europe, North America, and beyond, sharing the stage with some of the biggest names in Metal and earning a devoted international following. Their collaboration with BALLET FINLAND for “Plague of Butterflies” represents a new artistic direction, pushing the boundaries of their music into the realm of interdisciplinary performance art.
About BALLET FINLAND
BALLET FINLAND is a contemporary ballet company renowned for its innovative and boundary-defying approach to dance. Established as a leading force in the Finnish dance scene, the company is celebrated for its ability to integrate traditional ballet techniques with modern sensibilities, creating performances that are both visually stunning and intellectually stimulating.
Under the visionary leadership of artistic director Helena Hiltunen, BALLET FINLAND has garnered acclaim for its experimental and eclectic repertoire. The company’s work often incorporates elements from various artistic disciplines, including theater, multimedia, and visual arts, to create immersive and multidimensional performances. This interdisciplinary approach allows BALLET FINLAND to explore complex themes and emotions, pushing the boundaries of conventional ballet and engaging audiences in new and exciting ways.
BALLET FINLAND’s performances are known for their emotional depth and artistic innovation. The company’s repertoire includes a wide range of contemporary works, from abstract pieces to narrative-driven ballets, each showcasing a distinctive blend of movement, music, and visual design. The company is dedicated to fostering new talent and collaborating with both established and emerging choreographers, ensuring a dynamic and evolving artistic vision.
About 70000TONS OF METAL
70000TONS OF METAL is The Original, The World’s Biggest Heavy Metal Cruise. With ten consecutive sellouts since the inaugural voyage in 2011, this extraordinary and unique floating festival now sails on board some of the largest luxury passenger vessels in the world. Featuring 60 world-class Heavy Metal bands from around the globe performing across four stages, 70000TONS OF METAL is home to The World’s Biggest Open Air Stage Structure to sail the Open Seas. Guests can enjoy the Heavy Metal festival experience of a lifetime with all the benefits that a cruise has to offer: complimentary fine dining, bars that never close, 24-hour room service, as well as the ship’s many amenities.
All 60 bands on board play twice – and there’s four concert locations on board: A concert hall, the Royal Theater, stands tall with five levels. The Star Lounge offers a more personal and local club-like ambiance. Discover the arena-like vibes at Studio B, the third indoor stage available. Lastly, yet undoubtedly the most remarkable, is the Pool Deck Stage: The World’s Biggest Open Air Stage Structure to Sail the Open Seas. This immense stage is accompanied by bars, pools, and even hot tubs that are integrated into the stage itself, allowing guests to indulge in the unique experience of watching their favorite metal bands while soaking in a hot tub.
This four-day Heavy Metal Music Festival and Caribbean vacation offers 3000 metalheads the amazing opportunity to mingle side-by-side with all of the bands on board. With no VIP areas it truly is like everyone has a backstage pass. Not only do guests have unrestricted festival access to 120+ live performances (all bands play twice), every ticket also includes meet & greets with every band, intimate masterclasses with select musicians and exclusive live & listening premieres. Guests also have full access to the “Jamming in International Waters All Star Jam” – a one-of-a-kind jam session featuring a host of musical virtuosos performing classic metal songs together on stage. Sailors also have the special opportunity to explore a Caribbean dream destination with their favorite band members on an “Artist Escorted Shore Excursion”, another 70000TONS OF METAL exclusive.
For more details about 70000TONS OF METAL 2025, including FAQs, vessel amenities and contact information, please visit 70000tons.com
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