Darkness taking over

Last Saturday, 11-15-2003, a dark doom gem was released: Swallow The Sun's debut album 'The Morning never Came' saw the shining moon, thanks to Firebox Records. The band comes from Jyväskylä, Finland. Personally, I see them as newcomers of 2003, at least Finnish ones, and the album itself belongs to absolute top releases of its style. Read the review to find out more. Vocalist M. Kotamäki kindly answered to a few questions delivered to him via e-mail on Thursday 11-13-2003. This interview is translated from Finnish.

A.M.: How's feelings right now, 2 days prior to the release date of your debut album? Timing is perfect: Day by day, darkness is taking over daylight. Are suicide figures going to get up, as this gloomy music is released upon mankind?

M. Kotamäki: As usual. Martti Servo's gig is coming up and some home-made wine drinking, too. That's how the weekend goes, supposedly celebrating the album. Suicide figures have been such high among acquaintances this year, that please no more increase.

A.M.: Oh, it's that personal. I could quess... Well, back to business.
Is the album already released or is next Saturday the true release date? If it's already out, how's sales, if Firebox have reported any figures? There's been a lot of positive reviews popping up world-wide already.

M. Kotamäki: The album's not in sale yet, the true date is next Saturday. We'll see after that. Well, me and Pasanen have sold our bunch of copies. The reviews have totally surprised us. Haven't got used to get that positive feedback of our deeds.

A.M.: Could you shed some light on the band's short history?

M. Kotamäki: Raivio (guitar) asked Pasanen to drum. They asked Jämsen (guitar) and me to join the band. After this, Honkonen (bass) and Munter (keyboards) were invited in. So here we are. I think it was year 2000 when the band formed. All of us have history in a couple other bands.

A.M.: Let's shed some light over the guys' backgrounds. J. Raivio is known from Plutonium Orange as well as P. Pasanen who is also in Morningstar. M. Jämsen plays guitar also in Rautakello. Kotamäki's vocals can be heard in Funeris Nocturnum and Enter My Silence. M. Honkonen plays also in Funeral Nocturnum, as well as A. Munter who also plays in Trollheim's Grott.
How the record deal came up? Did you send your debut demo 'Out of This Gloomy Light' (2003) for many a label? How many records does your deal with Firebox Records include?

M. Kotamäki: Firebox offered a deal and we gladly accepted it. I quess they liked the demo. We hardly sent it anywhere. It was wholly available for downloading on our website. That way it spreaded quite nicely.
I'm the wrong person to answer the questions about the record deal. I just signed it and do not remember a lot of what read on it. If I remember right, it's one album for Firebox.

A.M.: Minimizes all chances of discord between the band and the record company..! Joking, joking, although there's truth in this all: one can read about disagreements between the two every now and then.
How the songs are born? How these new recording differ from demo's versions?

M. Kotamäki: The album was composed so, that Raivio brought his song to rehearsals and it was built and arranged by the band. Nothing more mystic. Those four songs already featured on the demo have stayed almost similar. The sound is different, of course, and tempo is a tad slower. The songs were thought out already for the demo. And that was enough.

A.M.: What influences Swallow The Sun have? I'd guess English doomsters, especially My Dying Bride... Referring to English doom, are we going to hear any female vocals in the future?

M. Kotamäki: The influences traditionally include My Dying Bride, Candlemass... At this point there's no need for female vocals. Even though it would be fine if there's some beautiful women hanging around at a studio.

A.M.: Beauty and singing skills go hand in hand... Not! Not in karaoke pubs anyways. Beautiful woman might interest some teenage boys so much they might even buy album or two.
What are lyrical themes? I have to ask, because promotional copy didn't include any. How has written them? What about amazing graphics on album cover and website?

M. Kotamäki: The lyrics are about women, but not in cheesy way. Mostly they are "horror stories" and on some, there's sings of the apocalypse. That's it, in short. Raivio is responsible for the lyrics too. Let's see if he'd let me do something for next album.
I think the cover art is fantastic, too. They were created by Tuomo Lehtonen. Our website was based on his graphics and built by our keyboard hippie.

A.M.: More great graphics can be found at the band's official website.
As the members of Swallow The Sun play in other bands too, how this affects to every bands' timetable? The band sounds unusually tight on the debut, so is there a lot training behind?

M. Kotamäki: Of course the timetables have to be thought out, for no overlappings would happen. But it's all so small bands, that there haven't been any problem as yet. There's time to sit at home yet.

A.M.: Useless question, since the tightness can be heard!
You recorded 'The Morning never Came' at Sam's Workshop, which is an unknown studio to me. How did the recording session go? Did any funny things happen or did you work grinning, which would suit with the music?

M. Kotamäki: Studio session was bloody great without any particular problems. It WAS funny at times. We were grinning, but mostly because it was so hot. There was +40-50 celcius inside the studio, to tell the truth. Even the best of deodorants fail at such temperatures and it made us grin sometimes. That's it. We also drank some beer.

A.M.: Any gigs coming up? Here in Finland or also outside the country?

M. Kotamäki: Yeah. Watch our website, that's the best way to keep up to date.

A.M.: Any knowledge about the future as yet? Already working on the next album?

M. Kotamäki: We don't have to record the next album next week. Let's see when we have composed new songs quietly and we feel up to it. Now we should gig as much as possible and who knows how the debut will sell.

A.M.: Hopefully well, as this darkness is something one shouldn't bypass. Thanks to Mr. Kotamäki for the answers and to Mr. Pasanen for all things prior to this interview. Well go already and order that copy, now, while it's still available.

Swallow The Sun (from left ot right): A. Munter (keyboards), J. Raivio (guitar), M. Jämsen (guitar), P. Pasanen (drums), M. Kotamäki (vocals), M. Honkonen (bass).

Interviewed by Lane.

11/19/2003 10:44