The Rasmus formed in Helsinki in the mid-1990s, originally called Sputnik. Lauri Ylönen sang, Eero Heinonen played bass, and Pauli Rantasalmi was on drums. Guitarist Aki Hakala joined in 1995, and they changed their name. Their first album, 'Peep,' came out in 1996, followed by 'Hell of a Tester' in 1998.
Their third album, 'Into,' released in 2001, included the single 'In the Shadows,' which became an international hit. That song, along with tracks like 'Guilty' and 'First Day Of My Life,' helped define their sound, a mix of alternative rock with brooding melodies. They put out more albums, including 'Dead Letters' in 2003 and 'Black Roses' in 2008.
Heinonen left the band in 2005 and was replaced by Jussi Siren on bass, but he returned in 2021. The lineup has been stable since, with Ylönen, Hakala, Heinonen, and Rantasalmi. They've released eight studio albums, most recently 'Rise' in 2022.
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