Originally written by Rae Amitay
Swallow the Sun doesn’t really commit to one genre, and since that’s pretty typical of most metal nowadays, it makes it difficult for StS to stand out from the blended crowd. They’re still undeniably doom (mostly in part to their mid-tempo preferences and forlorn lyrical content) but there are other styles at work as well. Their black metal passages are grim and visceral, but they don’t sound much different from their contemporaries. The addition of choruses and more orchestral elements doesn’t add uniqueness, but those additions are utilized well and the sonic texture is lush, juxtaposed against a barren emotional landscape.
The fantastic contrasting vocals of Mikko Kotamäki also add depth, alternating between guttural lows, blistering highs, and soothing cleans. His voice is the greatest source of genuine emotion on the album, and the riffs take a mostly formulaic approach. Emerald Forest and the Blackbird does not glitter as brightly as a precious gem, but it’s not a terribly dark spot on the band’s discography either. Its weakness lies in the somewhat stagnant songwriting, not in the execution. All of the band members are very much on top of their game, and it’s a wonderful sounding album, but the content being performed is not nearly as impressive as the musicians playing it.
Spoken vocals over sparse piano / acoustic guitar accompaniment used to resonate more deeply within me, but it’s such an overused convention that I often find myself smirking at its usage. StS can usually get away with it, but there are some humorous exceptions. (Especially on the track “Hearts Wide Shut”. Come on. Seriously?) Another issue is that the spoken passages can be quite difficult to understand, which undermines their purpose in the first place. This isn’t a production issue (it’s excellent, by the way) — it’s more of an accent/timbre issue, for which the band can’t really be blamed. Still, Emerald Forest and the Blackbird is supposed to be a concept album, and without clear spoken cues, it can be very difficult to pick up on this. Anette Olzon guests on the fourth track, but her contributions are understated in the best way possible. “Labyrinth Of London” is an earworm, but in a sort of cheesy and confusing way. The title, when sung, sounds like “Labyrinth of Wonder”, which is kind of goofy but makes a bit more sense contextually than does London.
“Of Death And Corruption” is a standout track, and balances sonic elements in the graceful way fans have come to expect from the band. Unfortunately this is not indicative of the rest of the album. The whole effort comes across as a collection of B-sides, or an attempt to summarize Swallow the Sun’s writing style without innovating or developing any new ideas. The album closes with the melancholy and forgettable track, “Night Will Forgive Us”. Hopefully listeners will forgive them as well, and recall the greatness of Swallow the Sun’s previous albums.
