It’s been a while since Finnish beloved doom metal masters Swallow The Sun released new music and while we wait for the next full length “When A Shadow Is Forced Into The Light” in January 2019 right now the new EP “Lumina Aurea”, which includes the lengthy title track and the instrumental version of the same song, is bound to generate mixed feelings. First of all, this is not what Swallow The Sun usually compose or what fans expect but it’s an atmospheric mystical opus that emerges from the darkest depths of the human heart.
The Latin narratives and Gregorian style chants can feel like the ultimate ode to darkness carrying a mighty arcane vibe that spreads infectiously across the gelid Northern landscapes while the refined atmospheric waves and ominous orchestral arrangements can sound impossibly tormented or even simply fragile. This is what suffering sounds like, this is an open wound that will never heal. To release a unique cinematic sonic experience like “Lumina Aurea” could be considered audacious but this song definitely belongs to the band’s artistic realm of gloom, beauty and despair.