Music Style Atmospheric metal.

Artist History Finland's Rapture formed out a few obscure underground metal acts in the haze of 1997 under a different name. The band members wanted to create something moving, music with substance. Rapture's first demo came in the summer of 1998 and was never officially released. However, the demo did make to a variety of underground magazines and labels. Despite positive press, Rapture still hadn't garnered the label deal they were looking for. Shortly, after the release of the demo, Rapture lost their rehearsal space, forcing the band into a short-term hiatus. During the months of inactivity, several members came and went. In the band's flux, the core members of the band started writing more material, which eventually landed in the hands of Spikefarm Records ringleader Sami Tenetz. "Sami picked us up instantly," says Rapture vocalist Petri Eskelinen. "We thought it was a good choice because Spikefarm is under Spinefarm, and Spinefarm is quite a big label. It's here in Helsinki and we can work everything out face to face." With a label deal ready, songwriters Tomi Ullgren (Thy Serpent) and Jarno Salomaa (Shape Of Despair) commenced work on Rapture's debut full-length titled, "Futile." "Futile," is a veritable pulse of wayward but introspective music that's captivating, atmospheric and memorable. Lyrically, however, the album is based on personal experience - the tribulations of life. "My lyrics are very personal. The point, however is that existence is a bitch every now and then," explains the vocalist in the simplest of terms. "Some people might feel anger, I feel futility. I'm tired of fighting against little things that used to ruin my day for good. It's futile to fight life, 'cause it will always have its way with you." Recorded at Walltone Studios (Thy Serpent) in Savonlinna, Finland, the production on "Futile" is robust and warm, emphasizing Rapture's strong sense of melody and driving hooks. Without the Walltone production, the impact of tracks like "This is Where I Am," "The Fall," "Someone I (Don't) Know" would be less effective. In fact, it's safe to say "Futile" features one of the best productions in a long time. "The guy who recorded it is very professional," states Eskelinen. "Basically, the guitars were already recorded, so I have no idea what they did to get that sound. It was mastered at Finnvox, which is the best studio in Finland." Even though Rapture have been quiet in the last year due to other members commitments in bands like Shape Of Despair and Finntroll, a new album is in the works and will be more developed but continue where "Futile" left off. In the meantime, "Futile" stands as a stark reminder that dark and depressive metal continues to move forward creatively. Unfortunately for the band, Jarno Salomaa left Rapture in February 2002, wanting to concentrate more in Shape Of Despair. "Futile" is the perfect soundtrack for a cold, rainy fall day.

Group Members Petri Eskelinen - vocals, Tomi Ullgren - guitar, Aleksi Ahokas - guitar, Sami Uusitalo - bass, Samu Ruotsalainen - drums

Press Reviews With the popularity of Stratovarius and Children of Bodom - they pursue a music style that's both expertly crafted yet a bit too sweet for everyday consumption - there are too few bands expressing their melancholic selves in a style that's never reached any sort of commercial success or recognition. It's encouraging to hear a band like Rapture contributing to Finland's all but lost atmospheric doom/death genre. Many have (and many more will) described Rapture as carbon copy of Sweden's Katatonia, an observation I believe was made prematurely and without consideration for Rapture's elegant songwriting. True, similarities exist throughout "Futile" and "Brave Murder Day", but why complain so much about that when Dismember aped Entombed on their debut and succeeded with minimal critical slandering. Truth is when the two are played back-to-back, they sound nothing alike, even if Nicke Andersson played the leads. The same situation exists here. Rapture is by far a different band than Katatonia — in many ways that one listen just doesn't indicate. For example, Rapture's songs build simple harmonic structure into an enveloping, rich crescendo that carries the listener with its profound energy; although no less captivating, Katatonia is much more minimal in its approach. After the moving prologue, simply titled, "Intro," the sextet opens the album with the gorgeously crafted "To Forget." The song's simple but ever-moving lead playing, carried out by axemen Tomi Ullgren (Thy Serpent) and Jarno Salomaa (Shape of Despair), sounds celestial — the vastness is reminiscent of a starry sky where pricks of light illumine the overwhelming black heavens. These two guitarists have one of the most original guitar tones I've ever heard. They've expertly married doom and death metal with gothic and new wave, sounding completely and utterly individual and confident of their creation. Of course, the keyboards of Sami Karttunen are an integral but subtle atmosphere generator. In fact, what sets Karttunen's fingering apart from what's currently the rage is his ability to play in the background, creating a sonic tapestry that is present yet never intrudes. A similar force is at work on the murderously catchy, "This is Where I Am". The first time I heard the track, I almost crashed my car. The upbeat drumming, vocalist Petri Eskelinen's fierce delivery and the hella memorable phrasing wrapped around my ears and forced me into an uncontrollable head-banging bout. Yeah, no lie! Rapture, however, is never too far from introspection. "While the World Sleeps" features a relaxed, almost introverted quality. It's the musical equivalent of walking shirtless on a cold, rainy morning. The song's oppressive, windswept melodies penetrate the listener deep down under the skin. "While the World Sleeps" merges nicely into the title track, "Futile". While I'm very reluctant to pick a Rapture favorite (they all provoke a sublime response), this track embodies the landscape of emotions that careen out of the album: the turbulent yet soulful quality exhibited on "Futile" is so endearing that I feel somehow affected emotionally for the long term. I just can't seem to forget the ebb and flow, how the song mimics real life. By far the most exposing track in Rapture's career, however, is "Someone I (Don't) Know". Here, Eskelinen's deep but pronounced growls transform into perfectly fitting clean vocals — it almost comes as a surprise on the first listen. He's similar to Opeth vocalist Mike Åkerfeldt in his ability to apply different shades of abrasiveness and then about-face into a spoken word or 'clean' vocal passage. This is the quality that makes for a great death metal vocalist. "(About) Leaving" shows a likeness to the previously mentioned "This is Where I Am". It's an adventurous, forward-moving affair, characterized by skyward guitar showmanship and a straight-forward rhythmic pulse. But unlike it's brother four tracks earlier, the song slips into an airy epilogue of swirling keyboards and picked and strummed acoustic underpinnings to close out the album. If I haven't convinced (and I am selling this band with all my heart) you, the listener, to go out and find "Futile" because your miserable life depends on it, then I'll let you be catatonic/safe in your music interests. Chris Dick / DigitalMetal.com

Additional Info The keyboards on "Futile" were played by Sami Karttunen. He is, however, not a member of the band but a session musician.

Location Helsinki, Uusimaa - Finland

Copyright notice. All material on MP3.com is protected by copyright law and by international treaties. You may download this material and make reasonable number of copies of this material only for your own personal use. You may not otherwise reproduce, distribute, publicly perform, publicly display, or create derivative works of this material, unless authorized by the appropriate copyright owner(s).