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The Rasmus are an alternative rock band from Finland, starting their career in 1994 when the band members met up at school. They published 3 albums through the 90s and changed some of the members. They managed to get some attention in those years, especially in the Scandinavian area, enough to attract the attention of Warner record label who signed them.
In 2001 the work done with the label led the band to a profound evolution, both professionally and in sound, moving from a sort of funk to a solid pop rock designed to climb the charts. At that time they released the album Into, a work that many fans identify as their really first album. This is where Rasmus begin to appear in the rest of Europe as well. But it will be their next album that will completely change their career...
Published in 2003, Dead Letters is a drastic change in the band's career, both for the sound adopted and for the enormous popularity that will overwhelm them thanks to the single for which we all still know them today: In The shadows
Of course it is a song that needs no introduction but I consider the whole album a jewel of contemporary rock music. Even just listening to the singles released subsequently, First Day of My Life, Guilty and In My Life (one of my favorite songs ever), you understand the potential of the band and I still can't explain how their sound, so aggressive, recalling the gothic metal genre, could enter the mainstream charts of that time. Just consider that it won 6 platinum awards! Times have really changed I guess...
Despite the use of highly distorted electric guitars, powerful drums and a dark aesthetic, I believe that singer Lauri Ylonen's graceful voice, in tune with catchy and often melancholic melodies, is what has managed to attract the general public. Even the guitar parts are still very catchy and I am of the opinion that the strong sound contrasts, if managed correctly, create splendid music that manages to attract even people outside the genre.
The Rasmus at the Eurovision song contest 2022, source
Regarding the album's unusual name, the back side of the album booklet reads: "A dead letter is a letter that has never been delivered because the person to whom it was written cannot be found, and it also cannot be returned to the person who wrote it".
I wanna share with you my interpretation of the guitar solo from a beautiful song in this album: Not Like The Other Girls
The Rasmus are still playing today and they continue to publish new works. They are still acclaimed worldwide, even if they never managed to replicate the same success as Dead Letters
And that's all for today! Let me know if you knew about this band (I could be wrong and maybe they're known only in Europe 😅) and what you think about it.
See you in the next music episode!
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