It’s been almost a year since 6x Platinum and 8x Gold-certified, record-breaking Finnish rock outfit THE RASMUS (@therasmusofficial) released the first single (“Rest In Pieces” on October 24, 2024) from their highly anticipated 11th studio album, WEIRDO, which finally arrives today (September 12) via Better Noise Music (their first for the label) and Playground Music. The album, as well as limited-edition merchandise bundles, are available now HERE.
Known for their musically dark atmospheres, the band subversively merges catchy modern pop stylings with stadium-sized guitar crunch throughout the songs on WEIRDO.
“I find it comforting that our 11th album, WEIRDO, has pretty much the same message as on our first album released in 1996,” explains frontman Lauri Ylönen. “It is to defend and praise the ones who are different from the masses and proudly being themselves as they are. It has been our philosophy from the very beginning.”
Ylönen further explains the power behind being a “weirdo.” “In this society I’ve always felt that I’ve had to prove myself for being the way I am or doing the things I do. I’ve always felt like an outsider not fitting the norm. I’ve been called a weirdo, misfit and a freak. That used to make me angry—but not anymore. It’s become my source of strength and confidence. I’ve realized the power of it. All the people I find exciting and inspiring are somehow strange. We, the Weirdos, unite and feed off people’s judging attitudes. The fact is they’re just afraid of us. Afraid of our capability to create new and change the future. Are you a Weirdo? Join us…”
To celebrate the album release, THE RASMUS is excited to share the title track with their legions of fans, especially since they teamed up with The Funeral Portrait singer Lee Jennings for song and accompanying video which can be seen now on the band’s official YouTube page HERE.
“‘Weirdo’ was the first song we wrote and it shaped the concept for the entire album,” says Ylönen. “It celebrates being different and individual. 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.”
“Being a part of ‘Weirdo’ with The Rasmus has been incredible,” continues The Funeral Portrait singer Lee Jennings. “It’s an anthem for the outcasts, and I’m beyond proud of how it turned out. Working with such an iconic band has been awesome, 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 across Europe this November.”
The “‘Weirdo” single release is the follow up to “Love Is A Bitch” (released July 11 and described by lead singer Lauri Ylönen as a “wildcard” track for the band), which can be streamed and downloaded HERE, while the video can be seen on the band’s official YouTube page HERE (which has over 100k views).
The fourth single, “Break These Chains,” was released May 16 along with the “Break These Chains” video, which has since garnered over 812k views, while “Creatures of Chaos” arrived March 28, with the video racking up over 875k views. The album’s first single, “Rest In Pieces,” was rolled out on October 25, 2024, paired with a lyric video which now has amassed over 668k views.
Most of the songs on WEIRDO were written by Lauri Ylönen, Desmond Child (who contributed to the band’s BLACK ROSES and RISE albums and has worked with Bon Jovi, Joan Jett & The Blackhearts, Aerosmith, Alice Cooper, among countless others) and Marti Fredriksen (Aerosmith, Ozzy Osbourne, Black Veil Brides) in Folegandros, Greece. That’s where Lauri and Desmond met up to work on material that Lauri brought. THE RASMUS then did full band demos of all the tracks in Finland in July 2023, with production led by Frederiksen and Child.
Later, they finalized the songs and recorded the album with the whole band in Marti Fredriksen’s Sienna Studios in Nashville. Some of the tracks were mixed by Fredriksen in Nashville, assisted by Evan Fredriksen, while other mixes were done by Chris Baseford (Nickelback, Shinedown, Daughtry) in Vancouver, Canada and by 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. Additional production by McQueen injects a fresh intensity into tracks like “Creatures of Chaos” and “Break These Chains,” while Ylönen himself takes the helm on “Rest in Pieces” alongside Alex Mattson.
Last month (on July 19), The Rasmus played a charity concert in Ukraine on as the headliner of the Atlas Festival, as the only foreign artist at the event. Over 110,000 people were in attendance, and there was a comprehensive security system and evacuation plan for the audience and performers in just a few minutes if it was necessary. Thankfully the festival went off without any issues and they were able to raise over $2.5 million Ukraine’s air defenses. Last year, the festival raised over two million euros. The artists can choose to direct their charitable funds to any Ukraine-related cause, such as supporting children’s hospitals, purchasing ambulances, or helping combat medical personnel.
“Going back to Ukraine really hit us hard. The people there are just incredible,” says Lauri 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’ with all those people in front of us—that’s the kind of thing you never forget.”
THE RASMUS will bring their unforgettable stage show to audiences worldwide in 2025 on the “Weirdo Tour,” shows for 2026 are starting to be confirmed. They recently concluded a month-long U.S. trek with The Funeral Portrait and their own North American headlining tour. Tickets are on sale now for its European leg (9/12 – 12/6), while tickets for their 2026 shows will go on-sale July 17; see the full dates listed below.
Melodicmag.com described a recent tour stop in Boston as having, “…a special energy throughout the night, as the band mentioned many times how happy and fortunate they felt to finally be playing in Boston…It is safe to say The Rasmus gifted their loyal fans with a jam-packed show that is sure to be unforgettable.”
With their new album WEIRDO, THE RASMUS once again proves why they remain a force to be reckoned with in the rock world. In their native Finland, where they are the reigning #1 rock band, THE RASMUS stands at #1 on Spotify, YouTube, Instagram and Deezer as far as followers, views, likes and streams. It is often said that the best bands are the ones which keep surprising you time and time again, in the most thrilling of ways. This is something that the 6x Platinum and 8x Gold-certified band have been doing since their major label debut and a creative responsibility they take great pride in. If you’ve listened to any of their albums, you’ll be able to hear a kaleidoscopic collage of heavy guitars against futuristic electronics, as well as pop hooks that can find their way into the heart of any kind of music fan. As a direct result, they’ve become one of Finland’s greatest musical exports, selling millions of records worldwide and winning award after award.
THE RASMUS “WEIRDO TOUR” 2025 DATES
9/13 Turku, FI – Logomo
9/19 Kuopio, FI – Sawohouse Underground
9/20 Oulu, FI – Tullisali
9/26 Seinäjoki, FI – Rytmikorjaamo
9/27 Jyväskylä, FI – Lutakko
10/03 Lahti, FI – Möysän Musaklubi
10/04 Joensuu, FI – Kerubi
10/17 Helsinki, FI – Tavastia
10/18 Helsinki, FI – Tavastia
10/23 Limassol, CY – Monte Caputo
10/25 Athens, GR – Floyd
10/27 Dubai, UAE – The Agenda
10/29 Tashkent, UZ – Palace of Alisher Navoy
10/31 Astana, KZ – Grand Hall by Wyndham
11/1 Almaty, KZ – Bakshasaray
11/3 Tbilisi, GE – Elektroyard
11/4 Baku, Az – Heydar Aaliyev Palace
11/6 Istanbul, TR – IF Performance Hall
11/8 Belgrade, RS – MTS Dvorana
11/11 Hamburg, DE – Markthalle
11/12 Berlin, DE – Metropol
11/13 Warsaw, PL – Stodola
11/14 Brno, CZ – Sono Centrum
11/15 Budapest, HU – Barba Negra
11/16 Vienna, AT – Simm City
11/17 Munich, DE – Technikum
11/18 Milan, IT – Alcatraz
11/20 Zurich, CH – Komplex 457
11/21 Karlsruhe, DE – Substage
11/22 Saarbrucken, DE – Garage
11/23 Frankfurt, DE – Batschkapp
11/25 Cologne, DE – Live Music Hall
11/26 Utrecht, NL – Tivoli
11/27 Antwerp, BE – Trix
11/28 Paris, FR – La Cigale
11/30 Glasgow, GB – SWG3 Galvanizers
12/1 Manchester, GB – O2 Ritz
12/2 Cardiff, GB – Great Hall
12/4 London, GB – O2 Shepherd’s Bush Empire
12/5 Southampton, GB – 1865
12/6 Nottingham, GB – Rock City
12/10 Guadalajara, MX – Auditorio Telmex
12/12 Monterrey, MX – Auditorio Banamex
12/13 Mexico City, MX – Velodromo Olimpico
1/30/26 Brisbane, AU – The Triffid
1/31/26 Sydney, AU – Manning Bar
2/1/26 Melbourne, AU – Max Watt
