ALBUM REVIEW: Rise – The Rasmus

September 20, 2022 Tasha Brown

How should a band capitalise on newfound cultural success? Euro rock stalwarts THE RASMUS faced this question after representing their native Finland at this year’s Eurovision Song Contest. The most logical answer comes in the form of the band’s tenth studio album Rise. THE RASMUS may have represented Finland well, but is Rise a fair presentation of them?

To give themselves the best start, this version of THE RASMUS comes with a line-up change. Though the break between guitarists Pauli Rantasalmi and Emilia ‘Emppu’ Suhonen isn’t as clean as some would assume. Rather than re-record Rantasalmi’s contributions upon his departure, Rise simply features both his and Suhonen’s parts. While this may cause some turbulence within the album, the follow up to 2017’s Dark Matters is an enigma for an altogether different reason.

Opener Live And Never Die upon first listen is a light and airy number full of carpe diem nuances. Eero Heinonen’s bassline exudes elements of funk within the bright synths. Right off the bat, we’re given the footloose and fancy-free vibes of the 80s. The verses’ two-step beat combined with the ethereal electronics ease our tensions. The wheels begin to wobble when we turn to the lyrical content however. Lauri Ylönen’s vocals may not have aged but the clunky “do the world a favour and don’t become a hater” has us shying away from full immersion.

Where Live And Never Die embraces positivity and the need to live your life while you’re able, the rest of the album languishes in brooding and poor mental health – a subject Ylönen has never shied away from as he shares with us in an upcoming feature. This thematic staple seeps though the title track’s orchestral flourishes. Following the thunderous screech of guitar, the string driven verses may pull the tempo down, but it does so for a purpose. Time slows when one is in the clutches of gloominess creating a good, albeit slightly flat, juxtaposition when the motivational chorus kicks in. The title track lacks something for it to be a true call to arms though the tonal call back to No Fear is a joy for fans to hear.

What follows is a suite which is very much a product of its time. Composed during the pandemic, Rise aims to provide positive messages while rooting itself within feelings of despondency. Fireflies ferments beautifully within its broodiness. Between the flickering intro and breathy vocal delivery, Fireflies is a well-executed slow burn. Lines like “I’m afraid of the daylight” feed into Be Somebody’s “too afraid to open the door”. Yet the latter fails to light our fire. While feelings of insignificance are nothing new, this track treads the beaten path. The vocals are again soft and sad. Feedback from the guitars crawls in our skin. The tone which was well and truly set within the verses comes apart within an instrumentally brighter chorus.

This tonal shift happens on a larger scale with the introduction of Eurovision favourite Jezebel. The lust charged story of being used by an immoral woman has the dark edge we had been waiting for but feels out of place. Especially when it follows the melancholic Odyssey. Layered synths begin to create a world of loss and longing but get cut short. To be blunt, Odyssey is possibly the most devastating song THE RASMUS has written. Chronicling the journey of grief after losing a loved one to death, the track is instrumentally minimal but the impact it has is massive. Cycling through statements of “I love you”, “I miss you” and “I hate you” demonstrates that process beautifully. Some may say an orchestral component would add some further texture to the track but the guitar plucks at our heartstrings regardless.

Over their storied career, THE RASMUS have proved themselves more than able to word difficult emotions we otherwise cannot. Grief, loss, loneliness, there are songs within the back catalogue for them all. Endless Horizon’s slower instrumental may feel tiresome so far into the record but those who make it this far are rewarded with textured introspection. “I’m always chasing thunder” is mirrored by Aki Hakala’s ticking drums. The tide rises within layered vocals which speak of drowning within the stormy waters of our own mind and quickly becoming overwhelmed. Meanwhile Clouds’ acoustic guitars crack open that over-encumbered soul and expose it for the toxic being it has become. Recognising this noxiousness comes in a simplistic and dream-like song but needs a much bigger moment. Not all moments of realisation are huge lightbulbs admittedly but the soft synths beneath the atonement of “come wash me clean” need something more.

Which brings us to the dénouement. Evil’s atmospheric low buzzing coupled with the sound of sirens create a wonderfully ominous world. The soundscape breeds the expectation of this being the heaviest song on the record. Those expectations are shattered with Ylönen’s softer vocals. Now THE RASMUS aren’t known for in-your-face aggression. Instead, they shift our perception. Yes, the protagonist has an evil streak to them, but this observation is internal. It’s understated. “I’m just another fool” comes as the result of another relationship turned sour because our heart chose to love someone who ultimately hurt us. Evil is a steady construction of the fortress we build around ourselves when we’ve been hurt. Had this restrained movement ended there, our minor hang-up wouldn’t exist. However, we’re teased with dark, foreboding instrumentals toward the close which end abruptly, marking a frustrating moment.

Is Rise a fair representation of this version of THE RASMUS? Frustratingly, the answer is both yes and no. This album is restrained and minimalistic. While this does indeed make for some heartbreakingly relatable moments, it also breeds frustration. We’re left on the precipice. In a time where harsh guitars and brutal breakdowns characterise heaviness, THE RASMUS had the perfect opportunity to really carve that niche for their evolution with a new breed of heaviness. Rise is good, even beautiful in places, but it leaves us wanting so much more.

Rating: 7/10