Discovery of the Week: Shape Of Despair
Shape of Despair are true titans of funeral doom metal, renowned for creating some of the most atmospheric, crushingly slow, and deeply melancholic music in the extreme metal scene
Shape of Despair made a name for themselves in 1995, originally under the name Raven.
The band members kept this name until recording their first demo and adding vocalist Natalie Koskinen (then Safrosskin) to the lineup.
While Shape of Despair were initially drawn to classic doom, they eventually found their true sound in funeral doom metal.
Following the recording of their debut album Shades of... in 2000, the lineup underwent changes, and the band invited Pasi Koskinen, who was the vocalist of Amorphis at the time, to join their ranks.
The band members kept this name until recording their first demo and adding vocalist Natalie Koskinen (then Safrosskin) to the lineup.
While Shape of Despair were initially drawn to classic doom, they eventually found their true sound in funeral doom metal.
Following the recording of their debut album Shades of... in 2000, the lineup underwent changes, and the band invited Pasi Koskinen, who was the vocalist of Amorphis at the time, to join their ranks.
Their second album, released a year later, featured a more polished sound with greater emphasis on vocals and keyboards, which only enhanced the band's melodic and dark atmosphere. The next record, Illusion’s Play, even gained traction in North America. However, after celebrating their tenth anniversary, Shape of Despair went silent for a full five years, returning only in 2010 with the EP Written in My Scars. Unfortunately, after the recording of this EP, vocalist Pasi Koskinen announced his departure, primarily due to his new project Ajattara, which demanded all of his time.
Henri Koivula, known for his work with the Finnish dark metal band Throes of Dawn, stepped in as the new frontman. He performed on the band's subsequent releases: Monotony Fields in 2015 and the official release of their early demo Alone in the Mist in 2016. After that, the team remained in limbo for a long time, but they finally returned with the full-length album Return to the Void.
Henri Koivula, known for his work with the Finnish dark metal band Throes of Dawn, stepped in as the new frontman. He performed on the band's subsequent releases: Monotony Fields in 2015 and the official release of their early demo Alone in the Mist in 2016. After that, the team remained in limbo for a long time, but they finally returned with the full-length album Return to the Void.
- Tuuli TalvinenFounder & Editor-in-ChiefInterviewer