Dauntless

Dauntless is finnish death metal / thrash metal band. Dauntless was founded in 1991 by Sami Helle (vocals/guitar), under the name on Maniax, shortly thereafter joined by drummer Santeri Salmi and bassist Tuomo Tukkimäki. The first demo "Face The Fact" was released 4 years later, and the second, called "Prophecy...", in 1996. The music was some sort of hardcore-influenced thrash metal. In 1998, the initial band name was changed to Dauntless, and the music begun to seek its current shape.

The third demo, "Cold I Am", was released in 1998, and the band felt their line-up needed a second guitarist. The post was taken by Riku Katainen. In 1999 they recorded another demo called "Inhumankind". They made a couple of successful shows (including one in the national band contest) and quickly earned their reputation as an aggressive live act. However, the Finnish army intervened the plot and the band was forced to recharge their batteries until early 2002.

In summer 2002 the band was ready to record their fifth demo, but this time they decided to try it out with another lead vocalist. Ari Nieminen (ex-Caledonian) impressed them at the first rehearsal and the search promptly ended. Coming to the end of the year, the demo "Modern Ways Of Discipline" was released and the first offers for a record contract were received. None were accepted, however. In 2003 another series of successful shows followed, including the afterclub of Tuska Open Air metal festival.

Summer 2004 saw the band recording their sixth demo. "Ruins MMIV" and the video clip of the song "Ruins" gathered interest from many directions and supposedly more unreasonable record contracts were offered. The band was chosen as the demo band of the month in Inferno. But Dauntless was still without decent record deal.

In 2005 the original bass player Tuomo Tukkimäki left the band and was shortly after replaced by Olli Määttä, who stood his trial at the afterclub of Tuska (it was the second time Dauntless played there). The seventh demo "Obey - Erase - Obey" was released, and the band once again returned to their persistent quest for a decent record deal.

Finally finnish label Firebox Records signed Dauntless, and sent them to the studio in late 2006 to record their debut album Execute the Fact. The album compiled some of their most wanted songs from the demo times with a few unheard ones, surpassing everything Dauntless had made so far. Execute the Fact was released in 2007.

After the release of Execute the Fact Dauntless spent a year sparsely on the road, already building up plans for their next full-length album. In 2008, however, they mutually cancelled their agreement with Firebox Records and started looking for another label. This time it wasn't so hard. Newly founded Full Metal Records, also from Finland, took interest in the band and signed Dauntless.

During the process of recording Death Row Poet , the long-time drummer Santeri Salmi left his seat to pursue his other interests; meaning that he will most probably be involved on the next Dauntless album as an engineer. His replacement, Arto Vesander, was immediately found from among close friends.

Their second album, Death Row Poet, was released 25.2.2009.

Demos released:

Face the Fact (1995)
Prophecy... (1996)
Cold I Am (1998)
Inhumankind (1999)
Modern Ways of Discipline (2002)
Ruins MMIV (2004)
Obey - Erase - Obey (2005)

Current members:

Riku Katainen, lead guitar (1998-current)
Sami Helle, guitar (1991-current)
Olli Määttä, bass (2005-current)
Arto Vesander , drums (2008-current)

Former members:

Ari Nieminen, vocals (2002-2009)
Tuomo Tukkimäki,bass (1991-2005)
Santeri Salmi, drums (1991-2008)