Great power lies in great music. Just ask Lauri Ylönen, founding frontman of The Rasmus, whose songs has been able to delve deep into the very essence of the human condition and connect with hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of admirers across the world. His ability to evaporate through the perceived boundaries of genre and explore a whole range of sounds and emotions unlike anyone before him has made him one of the most universally admired songwriters in Finnish history, fronting one of the best-selling acts the country has ever produced and with more international radio airplay than any other Finnish writer, with the sole exception of classical mastermind Jean Sibelius. It all started with 1996 debut Peep, which went gold and set the tone well for the albums to come, with bigger and bigger releases until international stardom beckoned with their first world-conquering hit, In The Shadows - released as the lead single from 2003 album Dead Letters. And from there they've gone from strength to strength: fusing pop hooks, classical finesse and rock and roll grandeur into towering melodic structures that never fail to amaze. The last year or so has been particularly eventful - from once again partnering with renowned writer/producer Desmond Child (Kiss, Bon Jovi, Aerosmith), enlisting new guitarist Emilia 'Emppu' Suhonen and representing Finland in Eurovision Song Contest finals back in May. The 10 new tracks are some of the most exciting the band have written to date, taking that dynamic contrast of light and dark to new unchartered heights, in ways that only they truly can. This band have never felt more primed for glory, believes Lauri, and given the quality of the new music, few would dare to doubt him..."Honestly, this is the strongest this band has been in ages," he summarises.