Shape of Despair
| Shape of Despair | |
|---|---|
| Also known as | "Raven", from 1995 to 1998 |
| Origin | Finland |
| Genres | Funeral doom metal Neoclassical dark wave |
| Years active | 1998–present |
| Labels |
Spinefarm (2000-2005) Season Of Mist (2006-present) Solarfall (2010) Avantgarde Music (2011) |
| Associated acts | Ajattara, Amorphis, Depressed Mode, Finntroll, Impaled Nazarene, The Mist and the Morning Dew, Rapture, Throes of Dawn |
| Members |
Natalie Safrosskin Jarno Salomaa Tomi Ullgren Samu Ruotsalainen Sami Uusitalo Henri Koivula |
| Past members |
Toni Mäensivu Miika "Azhemin" Niemelä Pasi Koskinen |
Shape of Despair is a funeral doom metal band from Finland.
History
The band was founded in 1995 as Raven by Jarno Salomaa and Tomi Ullgren. In 1998 they released their first demo tape Alone in the Mist.[1] They changed their name in September 1998 to Shape of Despair. In 2000 they signed a deal with Spikefarm Records and released their debut album Shades of....[1]
The second album Angels of Distress, released on September 2001, featured Pasi Koskinen on lead vocals and Samu Ruotsalainen on drums. Sami Uusitalo joined up in 2002 to play bass for the third album Illusion's Play. It was released in 2004.
In 2005, the band released a compilation titled Shape of Despair, featuring rare and unreleased material from the group, including tracks from the band's first demo Alone in the Mist and a new song called Sleeping Murder, recorded over a four-day period at Sundicoop Studios in Savonlinna, Finland. After a 5-year lull the band released the EP Written in My Scars and a split EP with Before The Rain.
Their 4th full-length album Monotony Fields was released on June 15, 2015 by Season of Mist.[2]
Members
Current members
- Henri Koivula - vocals (2011–present)
- Natalie Koskinen (formerly known as Natalie Safrosskin) - lyrical vocals (1998–present)
- Jarno Salomaa - guitars & keyboards (1998–present)
- Tomi Ullgren - guitars (1998–present), studio bass (1998–2004)
- Daniel Neagoe - drums (2015–present)
- Sami Uusitalo - bass (2004–present)
Former members
- Pasi Koskinen - vocals (2001–2010)
- Toni Mäensivu - vocals (1998–2001), drums (1998-1999)
- Miika "Azhemin" Niemelä - vocals (1998)
- Samu Ruotsalainen - drums (1999–2015)
Touring musicians
- Miika "Azhemin" Niemelä - bass (1998–2004)
Guest musicians
- Toni Raehalme - violin (recorded on Angels of Distress and Illusion's Play)
- Aslak Tolonen - kantele (recorded on Illusion's Play)
- Johanna Vakkuri - flute (recorded on Shades of...)
Timeline
Discography
Albums
- Shades of... (2000 - Spinefarm Records, Reissued in 2006 by Season of Mist)
- Angels of Distress (September 25, 2001 - Spikefarm Records, Relapse Records)
- Illusion's Play (September 27, 2004 - Spikefarm Records, Reissued in 2005 by Season of Mist)
- Monotony Fields (June 15, 2015 - Season of Mist)
EPs
- Written in My Scars (October 31, 2010 - Solarfall Records)
- Shape of Despair / Before the Rain (June 30, 2011 - Avantgarde Music)
Compilation albums
- Shape of Despair (August 3, 2005 - Spikefarm Records, Reissued in 2006 by Season of Mist)
Demos
- Alone In The Mist (1998 as Raven, reissued in 2016 by Season of Mist)
References
- 1 2 Sharpe-Young, Garry. A-Z of Doom, Goth & Stoner Metal. Rockdetector. p. 362f. ISBN 978-1-90144-714-9.
- ↑ "Shape of Despair (Doom Metal)". Season of Mist. Retrieved 5 July 2015.