Finnish metal icons SWALLOW THE SUN and the avant-garde BALLET FINLAND will present their joint performance „Plague of Butterflies“ as part of 70000TONS OF METAL 2025. This unique performance will celebrate its world premiere outside Finland in January 2025 as part of The Original, The World’s Biggest Heavy Metal Cruise, with two separate performances of the work on board. Following each of the two performances of „Plague of Butterflies“, SWALLOW THE SUN will also play two different regular sets.
„Plague of Butterflies“ is a story about loneliness in a world ravaged by a plague, and the performance is an innovative and hypnotic fusion of SWALLOW THE SUN’s evocative melodic death/doom metal sound with the contemporary dance of BALLET FINLAND. Originally composed in 2008, the piece was to be choreographed as a ballet and now, 16 years later, after some unfortunate setbacks, it is finally ready to be brought to the stage.
Juha Raivio from SWALLOW THE SUN explains: „When I wrote the music for ‚Plague of Butterflies‘, I didn’t know that the story of isolation and loss would come true both in personal life and later in social life when the pandemic shut down the world around us. Now it seems to have come full circle as the play has been brought to life in the form it was always intended. Thank you, BALLET FINLAND.“
The venue for this performance will be on board the cruise ship. This will offer visitors a unique experience combining live music and dynamic choreography in an unprecedented setting for such a collaboration – on board a heavy metal cruise.
After three completely sold-out shows in Helsinki, there was a great demand for further performances. The performance of „Plague of Butterflies“ amidst the extraordinary backdrop of 70000TONS OF METAL 2025 in the Caribbean therefore promises to be a historic and forward-looking event, uniquely combining the energy of metal with the art of ballet.
Juha Raivio’s exclusive video message for the upcoming breathtaking performance of SWALLOW THE SUN and BALLET FINLAND on board 70000TONS OF METAL is now available on YouTube:
70000TONS OF METAL 2025 will take place from January 30 to February 3 on board the Independence of the Seas, sailing from Miami, Florida, to Ocho Rios, Jamaica, and back. There will be 60 bands on board, each of which will perform TWICE – once on the way to Jamaica and once on the way back to Florida: so fans can enjoy the show by SWALLOW THE SUN featuring BALLET FINLAND twice!
For more information about 70000TONS OF METAL 2025, including FAQs, ship details and contact information, visit 70000tons.com