As Swallow The Sun prepares to unveil its new album Shiningguitarist and founder Juha Raivio sat down with Blabbermouth to discuss the central themes of this opus. Raivio explains how this record marks a turning point in the band’s career, while tackling deeply personal subjects, ranging from redemption to inner struggle.
A change after Moonflowers : the quest for a new sound
After delivering critically acclaimed albums such as When A Shadow Is Forced Into The Light (2019) et Moonflowers (2021), Juha Raivio confides that the writing of Shining was motivated by a desire for renewal. The process of creating Moonflowers had deeply affected Raivio, almost pushing him over the edge.
Raivio confides: “I wanted The Shining to be totally different from Moonflowers. This last album was so hard, physically and mentally, to write and perform on tour. An inner voice told me: ‘If you want to continue, you’ll have to take it easy, otherwise you’ll kill yourself.’” So, Shining presents itself as an album that retains elements of doom, but which also ventures into new sonic territories.
Working with Bring Me The Horizon producer Dan Lancaster, Raivio wanted to move away from the conventions of doom and modernize the band’s sound: “I didn’t want to work with someone who had already produced doom music. It really highlighted the melodic side of the band and brought a new energy to the album.”
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The themes of introspection and forgiveness
Although the album still explores dark emotions, Raivio says that Shining focuses on introspection and forgiveness. The album’s title refers to the pure beauty that Raivio sees in humanity, even if this beauty is often tarnished by suffering and conflict.
Raivio explains: “The title Shining alludes to the beauty of the universe that shines through our eyes. When we think of a newborn, we see this purity. But then life happens, and that’s what makes you miserable. I am trying to understand what led me to this, but also to learn to forgive myself and others.”
This quest for redemption and understanding is at the heart of the album, which is scheduled for release on October 18. According to Raivio, one of the most difficult challenges is forgiving yourself, a recurring theme that comes through in the lyrics of the songs of Shining. This introspective healing process is a new dimension that Swallow The Sun explores with this record, providing a stark contrast to the more nihilistic tones of his previous work.
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