Dead Letters

Template:Short description Template:Use dmy dates Template:Hatgrp {{safesubst:#invoke:Unsubst-infobox||$params=italic_title,name,type,longtype,artist,cover,border,alt,caption,released,recorded,venue,studio,genre,length,language,label,director,producer,compiler,chronology,prev_title,prev_year,year,next_title,next_year,misc|$extra=italic_title,longtype,border,caption,language,director,compiler,chronology,year,misc|$aliases=italic title>italic_title,Italic title>italic_title,Name>name,Type>type,image>cover,Cover>cover,Border>border,Alt>alt,Caption>caption,Longtype>longtype,Artist>artist,Released>released,Recorded>recorded,Venue>venue,Studio>studio,Genre>genre,Length>length,Language>language,Label>label,Director>director,Producer>producer,Compiler>compiler,Chronology>chronology,Misc>misc|$flags=override|$B={{#ifeq:{{#invoke:Is infobox in lead|main|[Ii]nfobox [Aa]lbum}}|true|{{#if:Template:Has short description | |Template:Short description|noreplace}}}}{{#invoke:Infobox|infobox}}Template:Template other Template:Category handler Template:Main other{{#invoke:Check for unknown parameters|check|unknown=Template:Main other|preview=Page using Template:Infobox album with unknown parameter "_VALUE_"|ignoreblank=y|italic_title |type |name |image |cover |border |alt |caption |longtype |artist |released |recorded |venue |studio |genre |length |language |label |director |producer |compiler |prev_title|prev_year|next_title|next_year|chronology|year|misc}}{{#if:{{#invoke:String|match|error_category=Music infoboxes with Module:String errors|A|1=Into2001Hide from the Sun2005studioDead LettersDeadLettersCover.jpgThe Rasmus21 March 2003 (EU)
See release dates belowJune–December 2002Nord Studios in Stockholm, Swedenalternative rock, pop rock52:14Playground Music Template:Flatlistx|2=</?t[drh][ >]|nomatch=}}|Template:Main other}}Template:Main other}} Template:Music ratings Dead Letters is the fifth album by Finnish band The Rasmus released in 2003. It was released later in 2004 in the US, UK and Australia. Their previous album, Into, had seen some success in some parts of Europe, particularly Scandinavia and Germany, but Dead Letters signified the band's major break-through. The album received 8 Gold and 6 Platinum music certification awards. Lead single "In the Shadows" received 6 gold and 2 platinum awards,<ref>Awards Template:Webarchive</ref> selling over 1 million copies and breaking the record for performance royalties received abroad on a Finnish composition (overtaking the works of Jean Sibelius).<ref>I Rock piece by The Rasmus overtakes Sibelius in foreign music royalties Template:Webarchive</ref>

Making of the albumEdit

The Rasmus recorded Dead Letters in June–December 2002 at Nord Studios in Sweden, reuniting with Mikael Nord Andersen and Martin Hansen, who had produced their Scandinavian hit album Into.

Lead singer Lauri Ylönen explained the title of the album on the band's website. "Each song is a letter to somebody. It could be an apology, confession or cry out for help".<ref>Biography Template:Webarchive</ref> The back side of the album booklet reads: Template:Cquote

Critical receptionEdit

Allmusic rated the album 3 stars out of 5. The review said "This Finnish group is more than capable of presenting dark and moody yet very finely tuned rock songs". It rated the best tracks as "Time to Burn", "Not Like the Other Girls" and the re-recording of "F-F-F-Falling", of which the original version appears on the Into album, and was added to the UK release as a bonus track.

Commercial performanceEdit

Dead Letters was released in Europe in early 2003. It reached the top of the album charts in Germany, Austria and Switzerland as well as in Finland, where it stayed in the Top 20 Album chart for over a year. The album was released in the UK in 2004, being the first record to be released in the country by the band, and was one of the Top 50 best-selling albums of 2004. Commercial success in Europe led to the release of the album in other parts of the world. Dead Letters and lead single "In the Shadows" both reached the Top 50 of the Australian ARIA charts in 2004, as well as the Top 20 of the American Billboard Heatseeker charts.

The Rasmus received numerous music awards across Europe, winning the 'Best Nordic Act' category in the 2003 MTV Europe Music Awards, and five Finnish EMMA awards for Best Group, Best Album, Best Video (In My Life), Best Artist and Export in 2004. The band also won an ECHO award for best international newcomer and were awarded "Best International Artist" at the 2004 MTV Russia Music Awards. "In The Shadows" was on the nominations list for the 2004 Kerrang! Award for Best Single.<ref>Awards Template:Webarchive</ref>

Track listingEdit

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PersonnelEdit

The Rasmus

Lauri Ylönen – vocals
Pauli Rantasalmi – guitar
Eero Heinonen – bass
Aki Hakala – drums

Additional musicians

Rutger Gunnarson – strings
Ylva Nilsson, Håkan Westlund, and Anna Wallgreen – cellos
Jörgen Ingeström – additional keyboards

Production and design

Mikael Nord and Martin Hansen – record producer, mixdown, programming, keyboards, and additional sounds
George Marino – mastering
Lars Tengroth – A&R
Seppo Vesterinen – business management
Dina Hovsepian – design
Henrik Walse – logo
Henrik Walse and Nela Koenig – photos

B-sides, outtakes and non-album tracksEdit

Song	Releases
"What Ever"	B-Side of "In My Life"
"Since You've Been Gone"	B-Side of "First Day of My Life" UK Edition
"Everything You Say"	B-Side of "Funeral Song"
"If You Ever"	B-Side of "Funeral Song"

Release historyEdit

A list of countries and the date when the album was released.<ref>Dead Letters album release history Template:Webarchive The Rasmus – HellofaSite</ref>

Country	Date
Italy	26 November 2003
Spain	5 January 2004
US/UK	22 March 2004
Japan	Early 2004
Taiwan	June 2004

Music videosEdit

In the Shadows – Finnish "Bandit" version (2003)

Video directed by Finn Andersson for Film Magica Oy in Helsinki, Finland.

In My Life (2003)

Video directed by Niklas Fronda and Fredrik Löfberg, Baranga Film/Topaz.

In the Shadows – European "Crow" version (2003)

Video directed by Niklas Fronda & Fredrik Löfberg, Baranga Film in Stockholm, Sweden.

First Day of My Life (2003)

Video directed by Sven Bollinger and produced by Volker Steinmetz (Erste Liebe Filmproduktion) in Lausitzring, Germany.

In the Shadows – US/UK "Mirror" version (2004)

Video directed by Philipp Stöltzl in Bucharest, Romania.

Funeral Song (The Resurrection) (2004)

Video directed by Niklas Fronda and Fredrik Löfberg, Baranga Film in Stockholm, Sweden.

Guilty (2004)

Video directed by Nathan Cox in Los Angeles.

ChartsEdit

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Weekly chartsEdit

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Chart (2003–04)	Peak position

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Year-end chartsEdit

Chart (2003)	Position
Austrian Albums (Ö3 Austria)<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1\|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	19
German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1\|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	27
Swedish Albums (Sverigetopplistan)<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1\|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	53
Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade)<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1\|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	14

Chart (2004)	Position
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders)<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1\|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	74
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Wallonia)<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1\|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	67
Dutch Albums (Album Top 100)<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1\|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	92
French Albums (SNEP)<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1\|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	82
Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade)<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1\|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	79
UK Albums (OCC)<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1\|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	66