Swallow The Sun - Interview

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Published on Thursday, 13 July 2023 21:30

Finnish masters of doom and gloom, one of the pioneers of melancholic heaviness, Swallow The Sun, formed in 2000 and since then released eight monumental works of art considered highlights of dark metal. While Swallow The Sun's initial ultra-heavy doom/death metal slowly gave way to a more dramatic, atmospheric, melodic and profoundly melancholic doom on its last four albums, Swallow The Sun reached a level of musicianship that rarely any band can. Its latest full-length offering, Moonflowers, released by Century Media Records in 2021, is a masterpiece in many regards and by many considered one of the best dark music albums of 2021. Due to the pandemic, the band couldn't promote it live when it got released, but now it can, and we got to hear/see it live on 26 April in Orto Bar in Ljubljana (Slovenia); HERE is the report - if interested. We talked with the vocalist Mikko Kotamäki some hours before Swallow The Sun took the stage and charmed the audience again. And here comes the result of our conversation...

Interview with: Mikko Kotamäki
Conducted by: Tomaz, Jerneja
Edited by: Jerneja

Tomaz: Nice to meet you in Ljubljana, Mikko. It's been two years since you released the Moonflowers album, and we were all waiting for your tour, but it got postponed a few times. So, how do you feel to be finally on the road?
Mikko: Thank you. Now it feels almost normal. There's like no sign of Covid-19 anymore anywhere. There are no more restrictions at the venues, so it almost feels like the good old days before Covid. It's been fun.

Tomaz: How do you view the album now, two years after its release?
Mikko: Well, I think it still sounds good. And yeah, I'm happy to be finally able to tour for the album. We somehow missed last year but still managed to play some short European tours, and we did the North American tour already in 2021 for this album. Yeah, I think it still sounds fresh, and now we are finally able to tour for the album. That's brilliant.

Tomaz: To me, it was one of the best albums released in 2021. Still, I find it a stylistic continuation of When A Shadow Is Forced Into The Light.
Mikko: It's a kind of a continuation, yeah. This album is based on the same themes as the previous one. But I think the overall feeling on this new one - if compared to the previous one - is a little bit darker and aggressive, but it might have something to do with it because it was written during the pandemic. You can still feel the isolation on that album. I think it's slightly more aggressive if compared to When A Shadow Is Forced Into The Light, but that's just my opinion.

Jerneja: This year marks the 20th anniversary of Swallow The Sun's debut album, The Morning Never Came. Are you planning something special for this occasion?
Mikko: No, I don't think we have time for that. We did an anniversary tour for that album ten years ago. So I think this year we'll still keep doing the Moonflowers shows.

Jerneja: Though you play songs from your debut album on the tour...
Mikko: Yeah, we try to play songs from each album. And yeah, we usually play at least a song or two from the first album, as we will also tonight.

Tomaz: I saw you playing two times: the first time was in 2010 when you were a support band of Katatonia. I was not very impressed back then. But when I saw you playing for the second time, in 2019, when October Tide was your support band, it was one of the best shows I've ever seen. The overall energy was fantastic. What prompted the change?
Mikko: Yeah, well, I think that tour you saw us the first time with Katatonia was like 13 years ago, must have been. So, yeah. Well, back then, we were a slightly different band. We used to party a lot on tour, and maybe it affected the shows a bit too much. We were pretty heavy with alcohol drinking. But now we are a little older and don't party much on tours anymore. I think we are more professional now than 13 years ago.

Jerneja: The previous album was affected by the death of Aleah, at least lyrical-wise. Is Moonflowers also?
Mikko: Yeah, sort of it is, but it's kind of like from a different perspective. Yeah, well, like I said, it was written during the pandemic. Juha was kind of very isolated in a forest cabin there. He couldn't go anywhere because all the borders were closed for months. He couldn't come to Finland or anything, go anywhere from the fucking place he lived. So yeah, it's kind of affected by her death. Maybe he had too much time to think about these things when he was all alone there. The album tells the story from a little bit darker and bitter perspective, I would say. Yeah, of course, it's terrible what happened to him, and I think when people are grieving, they go through different stages. Yeah, it's hard to tell. It is what it is.

Tomaz: On the previous album, you did one song yourself, if I'm not mistaken; well, at least the lyrics? The latest album was - on the other hand - done by Juha completely...
Mikko: It was a very personal album for him, so he already had all his ideas for the songs and lyrics ready. I didn't have to do anything for this one, but let's see about the new stuff if we ever make more albums.

Tomaz: Are you already working on a new stuff?
Mikko: No, because we still have summer festivals to play, and I think we'll go back to North America  after that. We still have to do some tours and shows to play. Let's see, who knows what's happening next year, but we have no plans for the new music yet. It usually comes quickly, if it's about to come. Yeah, so far, no plans. We'll keep playing the shows and tours this year.

Tomaz: Back to the Moonflowers album. From what I understood, it was Juha who did almost everything: music, lyrics, production and also the artwork, but I guess it's Swallow The Sun's established practice...
Mikko: Yeah, it was like we always do it. Juha comes up with the songs, does demo versions at home and sends them to us. And then we, when - well, we never practice together - rehearse for the album recordings, do our homework and add our spices to the songs. Well, we've been together as a band for over 20 years. I think that Swallow The Sun sound comes when we are all doing it together, doing our own thing. That's where the final product is.

Jerneja: But isn't it frustrating when one person does everything and expects you to go with it? Is Juha at least open to your suggestions?
Mikko: Yeah, we argue sometimes. Yes. But you know, we've been working together for over 20 years, so everything, kind of, comes out naturally. It's not much fighting, only sometimes. Otherwise, the machine doesn't work.

Tomaz: One of the best songs you've ever done is, in my opinion, "All Hallows' Grieve", with Cammie Gilbert from Oceans Of Slumber as the guest vocalist. How was working with her, and how it came to this collaboration?
Mikko: Well, she's a friend of ours. The first time we met her was five or six years ago, when we played in Texas, in Houston, and yeah, she lives there. Then in 2019, we did a European tour with Oceans Of Slumber. Yeah, well, she's a fucking great singer. I think that on that tour, we decided if we ever needed some female vocals, we would ask her. Yeah, she's amazing, professional and easy to work with. She recorded her parts in New York City and sent us the files; everything went simply and smoothly.

Tomaz: Is Jaani Peuhu still with the band? I know he recorded some stuff for the songs on Moonlovers...
Mikko: No, not really. But yeah, he did some backing vocals for the album but nothing else. Juha also composed all the keyboards, and Jaani only helped with the backing vocals on this one. That's all he did.

Tomaz: Is there any difference since Jaani did the keyboards on When A Shadow Is Forced Into The Light?
Mikko: Yeah, well, not much because most of the keyboards were composed by Juha also on the previous albums. Jaani just played it. I don't think much has changed. And since the original keyboard player Alex left the band, we started using real strings, violins and cellos on the last two albums.

Jerneja: You released your last three albums via Century Media Records, which is now quite a big one, not anymore an independent label, though, since sold to Sony Music. Did it have any effect on the band?
Mikko: Well, only in a positive way... Before that, we were on a shitty fucking record label called Spinefarm Records. We really hated working with them. So, ever since we signed a deal with Century Media, things have been way better. Yeah, it's a big label, and we are not their biggest band, but they still handle things well with us. It's good working with them; it's a really good label. We have a pretty good relationship with them. They know how we work. We usually do an album, then we tour, and then, when ready, make a new one when we have the music ready. They understand our way of working and let us be who we are. We never had any problems with Century Media. Creative freedom - that's the most important thing.

Tomaz: You did some videos for the songs from Moonflowers. How do you enjoy doing this?
Mikko: I fucking hate doing music videos! It's the most annoying and boring thing to do in a musician's life. I hate it. I'm not a fucking actor, so haha, that you have to pretend to fucking act like you are on stage, even though you are just in front of the camera. That doesn't come naturally to me. So it's, well, I like the videos. I like to watch them, but I fucking hate making them.

Jerneja: Do you think videos are essential in promoting the band and/or album?
Mikko: Well, yes and no. Of course, if you make a huge music video with a big budget that looks fucking cool and goes viral, then it helps. Otherwise, videos nowadays only end up straight on YouTube, and that's about it. There's no music television or anything showing music videos as it was back in the day. So I don't see them as very helpful. Well, of course, it works for the big artists with a huge amount of money to make videos. But yeah, it's yes and no.

Tomaz: The lyrics of Swallow The Sun are more or less depressive - talking about the darker side of life, shadows and ghosts, and trespassing from one world to another. Are you also in your private life kind of depressive, guys?
Mikko: Well, I guess all Finnish people are somehow. Well, the thing about the lyrics is that they come from real life, so there's a lot of depressing stuff behind them. But we are not like that all the time. Most people who know our band probably also know where the lyrics for the past couple of albums came from. Maybe they understand how it is. I think, even though the music is sometimes super depressing and super-dark, many people find help and comfort in our music. So, yeah, those kinds of feelings are tough to handle.

Jerneja: On 18 April, it was seven years since Aleah died. Did you dedicate a song to her?
Mikko: Yeah, in Paris. We did "Stone Wings".

Jerneja: Given that you come from Finland and border Russia, is there any fear or tension present?
Mikko: No, I don't think so. Well, we've recently joined NATO, which gives us a little more protection. I don't think people in Finland are afraid of Russia. They've always been next to us. I don't see they could do something to Finland unless they use fucking nuclear weapons. War is a terrible thing, and it's terrible what they are doing in Ukraine; they are not even very successful in their war.

Tomaz: Not many bands, when playing live, can provide such a vibe, such energy with, let's say, doom music. But Swallow The Sun can. How do you do it? Namely, you have almost no contact with the public and don't talk much between songs, yet special energy is present.
Mikko: Well, I think it's only our music, and it's 100% real and honest. I think that's where the feelings come from. It's dead-honest music. I'm no Bruce Dickinson on stage, but I don't think this kind of music needs that. It doesn't need a highly fucking energetic show, bombs and flames. We just let the music speak for itself.

Jerneja: Since being from Finland - do you know the band Mariana's Rest and its recently released album Auer? I think it's outstanding, one of the best releases of 2023.
Mikko: Well, I have to be honest that I haven't heard a single song from them ever. I don't listen to this kind of music. I like to listen to happier music at home. No, haha, not really. I don't listen to metal music that much at home. I hear it enough on tours and tour buses, so I rather listen to calm, nice music at home.

Jerneja: So, which bands do you listen to?
Mikko: Yeah, well, I love Nick Cave And The Bad Seeds, for example. Well, Type O Negative, that's what I always listen to. Genesis, The Cure. That kind of stuff. I like a wide variety of music, all kinds of stuff.

Tomaz: While singing, is it difficult to change from deep growls to blackened vocals, yet again to emotionally clean vocals?
Mikko: No. I've been doing this for many years. Blackened vocals stuff is the oldest thing I do because I started singing in black metal bands before Swallow The Sun.

Tomaz: You toured with so many bands and did many festivals. Do you have any unusual anecdote or a special moment to share with our readers?
Mikko: No, the things we don't talk about, we don't talk about them for a reason. No, well, I guess, touring as much as we have done in the past years, I think it's kind of a lifestyle; you need to like it on some level because otherwise, this is a pretty terrible thing to do. It would be much easier to stay home and have a nine to five job.

Jerneja: Do you take life on tour as a routine?
Mikko: Yes, of course. It has to be. We pretty much have the same schedule every day. Like we wake up at noon, get into the venue, do soundcheck, shower, eat, then play a show, go back to the bus, have a couple of beers, go to bed and repeat that 30 days in a row. It is a routine; it's basically only just routine.

Jerneja: When out of routine, what do you enjoy doing? Any hobbies, ski jumping, perhaps ;)?
Mikko: I like to stay at home. I really like good movies and TV series. I'm not a huge sports guy - never have been. But yeah, I like simple things. I like to live in peace and quiet.

Tomaz: Thank you very much for taking the time for the interview. Is there anything you'd like to say for the end of the interview - before cooling ourselves with some beer?
Mikko: Thank you, guys, for it. Thank you.

Live photos by Tomaz

Swallow The Sun links: Official website, Facebook, Instagram, Linktree

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