Shape Of Despair

Finland's Shape of Despair originated in 1995 when rhythm guitarist T.U. and lead guitarist J.S. first joined forces. Their sound merged the doom and death metal approach of early-nineties forerunners such as Paradise Lost and Anathema with the expansive, synthesizer-driven gothic metal that Tiamat and Moonspell brought to prominence later in the decade. At the outset the project operated under the name Raven and developed only fitfully, with songs accumulating gradually until a full-length demo was completed in 1998. To sidestep any mix-up with the New Wave of British Heavy Metal act of the same name, the band adopted its current moniker around that period. The demo showcased clean female vocals supplied by N.S. alongside the guttural delivery of Azhemin, then temporarily borrowed from Thy Serpent, and attracted the attention of Spinefarm Records. After signing the group, the label sent them back into Helsinki's Hellhole studios to re-record the material, this time featuring T.M.—formerly a drummer and now handling vocals—alongside new drummer S.R. Issued under the title Shades of..., the album established Shape of Despair as one of Finland's most promising emerging bands and secured a subsequent contract with Relapse Records in the United States. The follow-up, Angels of Distress, appeared in 2001 and included guest appearances by Amorphis veteran Pasi Koskinen on vocals plus violin contributions from Toni Raehalme.