Jyväskylä based Doomsters SWALLOW THE SUN, created in Spring 2000 by PLUTONIUM ORANGE guitarist Juha Raivio and drummer Pasi Pasanen, also citing credits with PLUTONIUM ORANGE as well as MORNINGSTAR and MURDER IN ART. Subsequent to initial rehearsals the duo was augmented by Mikko Kotamäki of FUNERIS NOCTURNUM, ENTER MY SILENCE and TROLLHEIM's GROTT on vocals and second guitarist Markus Jämsen from RAUTAKELLO, MURDER IN ART and CLAYFORGE. SWALLOW THE SUN would soon after be brought up to full strength with the incorporation of FUNERIS NOCTURNUM players of keyboard player Aleksi Munter ('Ruho') and bassist M. Honkonen ('Horgath'), the latter also having ties to OBSCURANT.

SWALLOW THE SUN issued the 2003 demo 'Out Of The Gloomy Light', this session securing the band a deal with the Firebox label. The resulting album, 'The Morning Never Came' recorded at Sam's Workshop with producer Sami Kokko, emerged in November. Olympic Recordings licensed the album for a US release in early 2005.

During November 2004 Mikko Kotamäki relinquished his position in ENTER MY SILENCE in order to prioritise SWALLOW THE SUN. The band entered Sam's Workshop studios in Lutakko in January 2005 with producer Sami Kokko to commence recording their second album. A preceding single, 'Forgive Her...', boasting a cover of the CANDLEMASS classic 'Solitude' featuring guest vocals by REVEREND BIZARRE's Albert Magus, was issued as a limited edition release. The single charted at number 4 on the national charts. A 2005 compilation inclusion of note would be the track 'Silence Of The Womb' featured on the 'Code Red' album, an exclusive collection given to US Marine Corps soldiers active duty in the Middle East.

The August 2005 'Ghosts Of Loss' album entered the Finnish charts at number 8. Aleksi Munter made time to guest on demos from fellow Jyväskylä Metal band GHOST BRIGADE.

SWALLOW THE SUN frontman Mikko Kotamäki, maintaining his links to his priority act, joined Black Metal band ALGHAZANTH as their new vocalist in January 2006. That April the band signed a new label deal with Spinefarm Records, cutting album tracks during October at Seawolf Studios in Helsinki. Jonas Renkse of KATATONIA featured as a guest on the track 'The Justice of Suffering'. A February 2007 release date for 'Hope' was announced, the album entering the Finnish charts at number 3. Upfront of this the lead in single 'Don't Fall Asleep' included a cover version of the TIMO RAUTIAINEN & TRIO NISKALAUKAUS song 'Alavilla Mailla', with AMORPHIS singer Tomi Joutsen on vocals.

MOONSORROW, DEBAUCHERY and OMNIUM GATHERUM teamed up with SWALLOW THE SUN for a European tour throughout March and April 2007. In late 2007 singer Mikko Kotamäki forged side venture BARREN EARTH, a Progressive Folk Metal project with distinct 70s influences featuring members of KREATOR, guitar player Sami Yli-Sirniö, MOONSORROW members guitarist Janne Perttilä and drummer Marko Tarvonen, and MANNHAI, bassist Olli-Pekka Laine.

The band hit the road in North America in early 2009 for a massive tour alongside SOILWORK, WARBRINGER and DARKANE commencing 30th January in Rochester, New York at the Penny Arcade and wrapping up at the Sonar in Baltimore, Maryland on 22nd March.