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| Credit: Venla Shalin |
It’s been almost a year since six-time Platinum and eight-time Gold awarded Finnish rock band THE RASMUS released the first single, “Rest In Pieces” (October 24, 2024), from their long-awaited eleventh studio album. Today, the wait is finally over: "WEIRDO" is out now via Better Noise Music (the band’s first album on the label) and Playground Music.
Known for their dark musical mood, the band combines brooding guitars with catchy pop melodies on "WEIRDO".
“I find it comforting that our 11th album, "Weirdo", pretty much carries the same message as our very first album back in 1996,” explains vocalist Lauri Ylönen. “It’s about defending and praising those who are different from the masses, and proudly being themselves as they are. That’s been our philosophy from the very beginning.”
Ylönen further elaborates on the strength of being a “weirdo”:
“In this society, I’ve always felt I had to prove myself for being who I am and doing what I do. I’ve always felt like an outsider, not fitting the norm. I’ve been called a weirdo, a misfit, a freak. It used to make me angry—but not anymore. Now it’s my source of strength and confidence. I’ve realized its power. All the people I find inspiring are somehow strange. We, the Weirdos, unite and feed off people’s judging attitudes. The truth is—they’re just afraid of us. Afraid of our ability to create something new and change the future. Are you a Weirdo? Join us…”
To celebrate today’s release, the band is excited to share the album’s title track with fans—especially since they teamed up with Lee Jennings of The Funeral Portrait for “Weirdo.”
“"Weirdo" was the very first song we wrote, and it shaped the entire concept of the album,” says Ylönen. “It celebrates being different and individual. Ever since the first song I ever wrote in 1994, called Myself, I’ve felt like an outcast and someone who doesn’t quite fit in.”
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| credit: Jeremy Saffer; Left to right: The Funeral Portrait’s Lee Jennings, The Rasmus’ Lauri Ylönen |
“Being a part of "Weirdo" with The Rasmus has been incredible,” adds The Funeral Portrait’s vocalist Lee Jennings. “It’s an anthem for the outcasts, and I couldn’t be more proud of how it turned out. Working with such an iconic band has been amazing, and now we’re hitting the road together across Europe. Get ready! The Funeral Portrait and The Rasmus are coming to represent all of the Weirdos this November.”
"Weirdo" follows previously released singles “Love Is A Bitch” (July 11, described by Ylönen as a “wildcard song”), “Break These Chains” (May 16), “Creatures of Chaos” (March 28), and the first single, “Rest In Pieces” (October 25, 2024).
Most of the tracks on "Weirdo" were written by Lauri Ylönen, Desmond Child (who also contributed to Black Roses and Rise and worked with Bon Jovi, Joan Jett, Aerosmith, Alice Cooper, etc.), and Marti Fredriksen (Aerosmith, Ozzy Osbourne, Black Veil Brides) in Folegandros, Greece. Lauri and Desmond worked on the material there before bringing it to the band. THE RASMUS later recorded demos of all tracks together in July 2023 in Finland, with production by Fredriksen and Child.
The final album was recorded with the full band at Marti Fredriksen’s Sienna Studio in Nashville. Some tracks were mixed by Fredriksen in Nashville with Evan Fredriksen assisting, while others were mixed by Chris Baseford (Nickelback, Shinedown, Daughtry) in Vancouver, Claudius Mittendorfer (Panic! At The Disco, We Are Scientists) in London, and Joseph McQueen (Bad Wolves, As I Lay Dying, From Ashes To New) in Los Angeles. McQueen also provided additional production on tracks such as “Creatures of Chaos” and “Break These Chains,” while Ylönen took the lead on “Rest In Pieces” alongside Alex Mattson.
Last month (July 19), THE RASMUS headlined a charity concert at the Atlas Festival in Ukraine—as the only international act on the lineup. Over 110,000 people attended, with extensive safety measures and evacuation plans in place to ensure the audience and artists could be brought to safety within minutes. Last year, the festival raised over two million euros for charitable causes, with artists deciding which Ukrainian projects their donations would support—from children’s hospitals to medical aid on the frontlines.
“Going back to Ukraine really hit us hard. The people there are just incredible,” says Ylönen. “Their strength, their spirit, the way they come together…it’s powerful to see and even more powerful to feel. We also got to catch up with Kalush Orchestra, which was great! Playing In The Shadows of Ukraine in front of that crowd—that’s the kind of moment you never forget.”
With their new album Weirdo, THE RASMUS once again underline their relevance as an international rock act. In their homeland Finland, they remain firmly at the top, leading Spotify, YouTube, Instagram, and Deezer rankings in followers, streams, and interactions. As the saying goes: the best bands are those that constantly reinvent themselves—and that’s exactly what THE RASMUS continue to do, with boundless creativity and uncompromising artistic vision. Their albums uniquely blend dark guitars with infectious pop melodies, seamlessly crossing genres and uniting fans of all styles. This is why THE RASMUS are not only one of Scandinavia’s most successful music exports but also a band that has sold millions of records worldwide over decades. Weirdo is a bold, energetic statement from a band that never stops evolving—yet always stays true to its roots.
Tracklist - WEIRDO:
1. Creatures of Chaos
2. Break These Chains
3. Rest in Pieces
4. Dead Ringer
5. Weirdo
6. Banksy
7. Love Is a Bitch
8. You Want It All
9. Bad Things
10. I’m Coming for You
