The Rasmus
Hide From the Sun
Release date: October 10, 2006

Rating: 8/10

The Rasmus is one of the latest imports from the Finnish rock scene to achieve a degree of popularity in the United States, joining the likes of Children of Bodom, 69 Eyes and the ubiquitous HIM. Having formed in 1994, the band has amassed an impressive catalog of 7 albums to their name, a fact made doubly impressive when you realize that the all of the band members are a mere 27 years of age.

Adding to the anomaly, The Rasmus manages to sound simultaneously fresh, youthful and amazingly polished. Perhaps the secret lies within the band constantly switching up their musical style over their decade-plus together while maintaining a distinctive and recognizable sound. Having begun as an alternative ska band, The Rasmus have morphed into their present incarnation as melodic rock troubadours with a gothic bent, this musical shift having begun with their 2003 release, Dead Letters.

On The Rasmus’s latest offering, Hide From the Sun, the tracks flow into one another sounding both powerful and ethereal at the same time. As entrancing as the melodies are, there are points where songs begin to feel repetitive, lacking some real punch to slap the listener out of a pleasantly mopey reverie as minor keys run amok.

One of the tracks that manages to break the trance is “Keep Your Heart Broken.” It’s hardly a swift kick to the groin, but delivers grinding guitar work which builds to a dazzling burst of breathy harmonies laid over the top by vocalist Lauri Ylonen. Continuing on an incline towards a harder-edged sound, “Heart of Misery” meshes the anthemic fist-pumping arena rock of Bon Jovi with sulky brooding that would do Morrissey proud.

“Dead Promises” is a study in contrast between heavy, staccato guitar and drum work with a section of stirring cellos by Finnish metal/classical fusionists, Apocalyptica. Singer Ylonen had previously been a guest collaborator with Apocalyptica and the quartet makes an appearance on Hide From the Sun to return the favor, lending a logical and complimentary element to the overall mood of the song.

The bonus tracks offer up a few remixes of the album’s cuts as well as a few unreleased songs. Chris Vrenna (Nine Inch Nails, Gnarls Barkley)’s remix of “No Fear” picks up on The Rasmus’s underlying industrial elements and kicks the tempo up a few degrees with the addition of pulsing techno beats. The original version of “No Fear” features a short but sweet solo by guitarist Pauli Rantasalmi that supplies a smooth bridge into the song’s coda. The Vrenna remix nixes it from the final cut which is a damn shame since it’s an otherwise good reworking that breathes new life into the mix. The listener is gypped out of the best of both worlds with the remix, since the solo is certainly a highlight of the original piece.

One of the non-remix bonus tracks, “Dancer in the Dark” appears to be the band’s homage to fellow Scandinavian, Lars von Trier’s award-winning film of the same title. The song’s lyrics end up as a wonderfully descriptive and emotional condensing of its namesake film’s themes and imagery.

Hide From the Sun features tight musicianship from the band, even if the album goes a little overboard with echoing effects on several of the tracks. These guys know their way around their instruments and effortlessly transition between octaves, blending musical harmonies that illuminate the beauty of Lauri Ylonen’s voice as the centerpiece. At the same time, no one element overshadows another, each band member executing their function to the fullest potential and operating as a sturdy unit.

While the vocals and musical compositions on Hide From the Sun are solid as well as breathtaking, they may be too beautiful to make for a completely satisfying and diverse album as a whole. On the other hand, if you’re a fan of a slightly heavier vein of ambient rock, The Rasmus’s latest is worth your time as the album’s pros heavily outweighing any negative aspects.

by Lana Cooper