This album is dark man, but this darkness has life, like some kind of ugly/beautiful coma pillow. Fans of doom metal of the "gothic" variety (pretty keyboards weaving throughout the riffs that go from slow to slower to almost not slow) have heard this before, but somehow these guys make it their own. I feel compelled to play it over and over again, I keep hearing new things. Gruff vocals are pitched slightly from time to time, going from rumble to screech with a touch of clean, which keeps things vital. Sounds great at 3 in the morning...the cover of the album conveys this vibe nicely. The bonus Candlemass cover is a nice indication of where they're coming from as well-it's always good to see a band salute the root. Recommended for those who like to take baths in the dark, or maybe just those who would rather sleep than talk to most people.

Fans of My Dying Bride should now begin salivating...okay, now that's just gross! Swallow the Sun's most obvious influence is that of their soon-to-be legendary Doom Metal pioneers My Dying Bride (sans the violin). There are keyboards washing across the background of most of the songs here, the occasional piano section adding a nice variation in texture, but the guitars are the driving force overall. Many of the tracks would feel right at home on My Dying Bride's "The Light at the End of the World" or their following album "The Dreadful Hours." The vocals range from snarling Death Metal inflections to clean vocals; there are even times when the vocals are layered with all the variations intact, screeching Black Metal vocalizations mixed with Death Metal snarling that then switches to clean vocals. The exeptional track "Hold This Woe" is a superb example. This sort of suspended expectation is refreshing. The production value on this CD is excellent, the guitars high in the mix but never at any time burying the other music. The result is that the guitars serve equally as added atmosphere as they also provide direction. There are only snippets of lyrics provided in the packaging, though I visited their website and found complete lyrics for four of the songs here. With the types of vocals they employ it would have been nice to have all the lyrics provided within. Regardless, the music and texture of this album is one of absolute darkness and beauty, oftentimes existing simultaneously. The American release has the bonus cover song "Solitude" from Doom Metal forefathers Candlemass. Swallow the Sun has been heralded as a potential second-coming of Doom Metal. I certainly hope so. "The Morning Never Came" is certainly a promising statement for the future of the genre.

Good band, good album. For fans of Opeth, Dark Tranquillity, Katatonia, etc. Very melodic, progressive sound.

These guys are what Opeth could have been if they'd chosen a direction and stuck with it. I was so impressed with their first album, I immediately went out and got the others. (all though I do not find Ghosts of Loss as satisfying as their other albums, it does have a few songs that make it worth the purchase.)

While some people might find the speed lacking, I personally like slow metal for a change of pace. Not that it's all slow, just the majority is pretty mellow.

Original, mystical, creepy, dark, dreamy, heavy melodics and growlings. Everytime i listen to the cd it becomes better and better.

In comparison with lots of other metal bands I feel lots of work and emotions in every song(highly unusual). They worked hard to go deep in structures and atmosphere. Look forward to buy an other cd of this artists.