Type: Lyrics are included with the album, Enhanced CD-ROM
Genre: Rock
Review
Having achieved a loyal and growing following in Finland and throughout Europe, this Finnish group is more than capable of presenting dark and moody yet very finely tuned rock songs. Starting with "In the Shadows," lead singer Lauri Ylönen sounds a bit like Darren Hayes from Savage Garden, if moderately influenced by Nine Inch Nails. The tone of the song is lightweight and resembles an edgier or meaner Ace of Base, but thankfully The Rasmus have ample chops to make them credible. "They say that I must learn to kill before I can feel safe," he sings while a bouncy backbeat continues the flow. Seamlessly moving into "Guilty," the glossy singalong chorus and slick rock riffs give way to more of a murky Faith No More feeling in its verses. The vocals are also layered atop each other, creating a vocoder-like sound halfway through. An early problem is how often the band leaves the songs to hang on too long with the chorus refrain going too far. An alternative pop tune is the melodic and textured "First Day of My Life," a track that nails a thick slab of anthem rock. Fans of The Gathering might find comfort in much of this album, but the edge is often dulled by solid but safe arrangement, especially during the formulaic "Still Standing." "In My Life" has a mixture of various styles and steps outside the box, morphing from an urgent, darker blueprint to a punk-riddled Bryan Adams within a matter of moments. A gothic "Time to Burn" is perhaps the album's true gem, a song with more than enough accents and hooks to keep the listener enthused. The song also marks a departure from the earlier songs, as the lengthy "Not Like the Other Girls" moves more into their niche, a ballad that brings Def Leppard instantly to mind. Another strong effort is the punchy "Back in the Picture," but "Funeral Song" is quite forgettable. Nonetheless, the radio-friendly "F-F-F-Falling" is a good send-off. ~ Jason MacNeil, Rovi
Dead Letters (sometimes known as Feeling Guilty within the U.S.[citation needed]) is the 2003 album by Finnish alternative rock band The Rasmus. It was released in 2004 in the US, UK and Australia. Their previous album, Into, had been a success in some parts of Europe, particularly Scandinavia and Germany, but Dead Letters signified the band's major break-through. "Dead Letters" received 8 gold and 6 platinum Awards, while "In the Shadows" received 6 gold and 2 platinum awards.[3] "In the Shadows" which sold over 1 million copies reached historically number one on the list of Finnish compositions earning performance royalties abroad and so overtakes the works of Jean Sibelius.[4]
The Rasmus recorded Dead Letters in June–December 2002 at Nord Studios in Sweden, reuniting with Mikael Nord Andersen and Martin Hansen, who had produced their Scandinavian hit album Into.
Lead singer Lauri Ylönen has explained the title of the album on the band's website. "Each song is a letter to somebody. It could be an apology, confession or cry out for help".[5] On the back side of the album booklet there is a quote:
“
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.[6]
”
Chart success
It was released in Europe in early 2003 and sold 1.5 million copies worldwide. It reached the top of the album charts in Germany, Austria and Switzerland as well as in Finland, where it stayed in the Top 20 Album chart for over a year. Dead Letters was the first of the band's albums to be released in the UK and was in the Top 50 bestselling albums of 2004. Its European success led to the release of the album in other parts of the world. Dead Letters and its first single "In the Shadows" both reached the Top 50 of the Australian ARIA charts in 2004. It has also reached the Top 20 of the American Billboard Heatseeker charts. Dead Letters received several gold and platinum awards and the band won five Emma Awards (Best Group, Best Album, Best Video (In My Life), Best Artist, Export Emma).[7] Their most popular single was "In the Shadows", gaining Top 10 chart placings in eleven countries.
Critical response
Allmusic rated the album 3 stars out of 5. The review said "This Finnish group is more than capable of presenting dark and moody yet very finely tuned rock songs". It rated the best tracks as "Time to Burn", "Not Like the Other Girls" and the re-recording of "F-F-F-Falling", of which the original version appears on the Into album, and was added to the UK release as a bonus track.
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