“Dead Letters” review [UK]

The lowdown: On the evidence of The Rasmus’ surprise smash “ITS”, it seemed that these Finnish urchins were intent on ensnaring the rabidly devoted, mascara-weilding army of fans their compatriots HIM have built up by taking on their louche sheen and giving it a black pop twist so catchy it itched. But that song’s visions of grandeur only told half the story, because The Rasmus are the children of Europe – the ludicrous ’80s band whose moment of greatness began and ended with “The Final Countdown” and the continent.
All the evidence is here: frontman Lauri’s earnest, fist-pumping, somewhat bronchial vocals, towering riffs so polished you could slide across them in your socks, choruses you can imagine arenas full of ecstatic Germans bellowing along to, the obligatory lighter-waver (“Funeral Song”).
That all said, it’s impossible to deny the craft and care that’s gone into this, “Still Standing” nodding to their Nordic homeland as they get teary-eyed about the Northern Lights with a gleaming chorus that wouldn’t seem out of place in the kind of 80s Tom Cruise films that saw the toothy midget swanning around in a bomber jacket and spending a disconcerting amount of time in the locker room.
Joey Tempest, your influence on the rock world has finally been acknowledged. Take a bow.
Best tracks: “First Day Of My Life”, “Guilty”.

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