Swallow the Sun was formed in early 2000 by Juha Raivio, joined soon by Pasi Pasanen came along (both had played in Plutonium Orange). They rehearsed a couple of songs, one of them being "Through Her Silvery Body" which would end up on their first demo, Out of This Gloomy Light. In 2001 Markus Jämsen, whom Raivio and Pasanen already knew from their earlier bands, joined as a second guitarist, and Mikko Kotamäki from Funeris Nocturnum as singer; then Aleksi Munter (keyboards) and Matti Honkonen (bass), also of Funeris Nocturnum, joined the band. In the spring of 2002 they started arranging songs for the demo, which was recorded in January 2003 at Sam's Workshop with Sami Kokko, who also mixed the demo.
A record deal with Firebox Records was signed a few months after the recordings of the demo, and Swallow the Sun entered studio at late July 2003. During the following three weeks they recorded their debut album, The Morning Never Came.
In February 2005, Swallow the Sun released their second album, Ghosts of Loss. Their single, "Forgive Her..." gained 4th place on the Finnish Top 20 singles chart in its first week of release, and stayed on the charts for 6 weeks. Their album entered the charts as well: #8 in between Gwen Stefani and System of a Down.
During the year 2006 they signed to Spinefarm Records and did a small European tour. In January 2007 they released their third album, Hope, which includes a cover version of the Timo Rautiainen & Trio Niskalaukaus song "Alavilla mailla" (which they translated into "These Low Lands") as a bonus track on the digipack edition, sung by Tomi Joutsen, the frontman of fellow Finnish metal band, Amorphis. There is also a guest appearance by Jonas Renkse of Katatonia on the song "The Justice of Suffering". They went on a US tour with Katatonia, Scar Symmetry and Insomnium in late 2007.
In September 2008, they released an EP called Plague of Butterflies. In October, they announced a December tour of the UK of ten live shows supporting Apocalyptica.
On May 18, 2009 Swallow the Sun announced that Kai Hahto of Wintersun will be joining to fill the void left by former drummer Pasi Pasanen. Swallow the Sun confirmed on 12 June that their next album would be entitled New Moon and is being produced by Jens Bogren, they also stated that Kai Hahto would be doing the drums on this album.
Emerald Forest and the Blackbird is their fifth studio album. The album was released February 1, 2012, by Spinefarm Records. It was also released on limited LP on both green and white vinyl by Svart Records.
Official site: http://www.swallowthesun.net
Of Death and Corruption
Swallow the Sun Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
heard the song of a siren;
the forerunner of death and corruption.
I've already hit the ground,
nothing you said was true.
Were all the vows meant to be broken?
Some wounds will never heal,
Some day even nations turn their backs
after the chants of devilish mouths.
Lie deep in your lies, keep telling you love me;
the chant of death and corruption.
I still hear the words that let me down,
something deep inside you died that night.
Some wounds will never heal,
some day even queens will die.
Some day even nations turn their backs
after the chants of devilish mouths.
That night showed your true colours,
pure blackness and filth.
Once loved, once admired,
dead to the world from now on.
Some wounds will never heal,
some day even queens will die.
Some day even nations turn their backs
after the chants of devilish mouths.
The song "Of Death and Corruption" by Swallow the Sun is a true masterpiece that expresses the pain of betrayal and loss through deep, haunting lyrics that are packed with meaning. The first verse talks about the singer's wounds and the song of a siren that is the forerunner of death and corruption. The chorus is repeating the line "some wounds will never heal, some day even queens will die", highlighting the idea of how even the strongest people can fall and be deeply hurt. The second verse describes the impact of betrayal and lies, and how they can change a person's perception and attitude towards the world. The closing lines of the song speak of the true colors of those who cause harm and how, after being loved and admired, they become dead to the world.
The lyrics evoke powerful emotions, and the melancholic melody of the song enhances it more. The song talks about themes of betrayal, death, and loss, all of which can be very relatable for many people. The imagery of the siren and death is significant as they both represent something that's seductive yet dangerous. The line "Lie deep in your lies, keep telling you love me; the chant of death and corruption" shows how easily people can manipulate and deceive through words, causing harm to others.
Line by Line Meaning
Felt my back bleeding,
I experienced physical pain that manifested as blood seeping from my back.
heard the song of a siren;
I perceived the sound of a siren, which signaled impending danger or doom.
the forerunner of death and corruption.
The siren's song was a warning of the inevitability of death and moral decay that will soon follow.
I've already hit the ground,
I have suffered the consequences of my actions and fallen to a low point.
nothing you said was true.
I learned that the person I trusted had deceived me with false promises and lies.
Were all the vows meant to be broken?
I questioned the worth of promises and commitments if they can be broken so easily.
Some wounds will never heal,
Certain emotional or physical injuries can never be fully repaired.
some day even queens will die.
Even the most powerful and revered individuals are mortal and will eventually face death.
Some day even nations turn their backs
Even countries or societies may reject their own values and principles to engage in immoral or destructive behavior.
after the chants of devilish mouths.
These negative actions or sentiments are often encouraged or fueled by malicious or immoral sources.
Lie deep in your lies, keep telling you love me;
The person I trusted continues to deceive me with false affection and affectionate words.
the chant of death and corruption.
These words and actions lead to immorality and eventual destruction.
I still hear the words that let me down,
The pain and disappointment caused by broken promises continue to impact me.
something deep inside you died that night.
The revelation of the other person's dishonesty and betrayal caused them to undergo a significant internal change or loss of innocence.
That night showed your true colours,
The events of that evening revealed the other person's true nature or true intentions.
pure blackness and filth.
This nature or intention was characterized by malicious, immoral, or repulsive qualities.
Once loved, once admired,
The person I trusted was someone whom I once held in high regard and had positive feelings towards.
dead to the world from now on.
As a result of their deceit, they have lost my trust and regard, and will experience feelings of isolation or rejection.
Contributed by Audrey O. Suggest a correction in the comments below.