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)
Sickest Victory
Dauntless Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Detonating thoughts of chaos
Kneeling down before their gods
Armed and ready to explode
Soon will be their time to show
The hate they feel you can't ignore
Levels go from green to red
One sick mind who's not afraid of death
Higher forces decide their fate
Suicides display their rage
The only way to survive is to run away
All hail the glory of sickness
Hiding and bleeding you'll see it
"Drain the blood from their veins,
They are the enemy - the enemy of the faith"
Hand-tailored vest filled with explosives
- five kilos of nails
Target in sight, too late to escape
All hail the glory of sickness
Hiding and bleeding you'll feel it
Blood and stones are raining from the sky
Pressure breaking walls and window glass
One man got sickest victory
Blameless dreams were shattered violently
The lyrics of Dauntless's song Sickest Victory describe a scene of chaos and violence within the walls of a shelter. The first verse speaks of individuals ready to explode and show their hatred towards something or someone. The second verse speaks of the escalating levels of danger with steel and flesh cutting through the air and the presence of a single sick mind not afraid of death. The only way to survive is to run away. The chorus talks about the glory of sickness, which is praised and glorified by those who engage in this violent behavior. The bridge portrays the image of a suicidal person filled with explosives and nails targeting someone with no possibility of escape.
The song describes a horrifying event where people, in the name of their faith or belief, commit heinous acts to display their rage and hatred. The lyrics are hard-hitting and provoke a sense of disgust and fear, especially when viewed in today's context where the world has become more fragmented and divided. The song's narrative also hints at the idea that people can be manipulated into doing immoral things in the name of glory and faith.
Line by Line Meaning
Inside the shelter's walls
Amidst the protection of the walls
Detonating thoughts of chaos
Ideas of destruction exploding in their minds
Kneeling down before their gods
Submitting to their deities
Armed and ready to explode
Ready to detonate themselves
Soon will be their time to show
Their moment to act is approaching
The hate they feel you can't ignore
Their strong hatred can't be dismissed
Levels go from green to red
The situation rapidly escalates
Steel and flesh cutting through the air
The fighting is intense and gruesome
One sick mind who's not afraid of death
A person who has lost their sense of self-preservation
Higher forces decide their fate
Their destiny is not in their hands
Suicides display their rage
These suicidal attackers show their anger
The only way to survive is to run away
Escaping is the only option for survival
All hail the glory of sickness
Praising the destructive and deadly
Hiding and bleeding you'll see it
You'll witness the brutality
"Drain the blood from their veins,
They are the enemy - the enemy of the faith"
A call to harm those seen as opposing their beliefs
Hand-tailored vest filled with explosives
- five kilos of nails
Target in sight, too late to escape
A suicide bomber with a lethal homemade bomb and a clear target
Blood and stones are raining from the sky
The violence has intensified and is now widespread
Pressure breaking walls and window glass
The force of the chaos breaking everything in its path
One man got sickest victory
One person achieved their horrific goals
Blameless dreams were shattered violently
Innocent aspirations were brutally destroyed
Contributed by Addison L. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@reikkafani
Dauntless pirun hyvää, ajattelin et varmasti on huono, sit kuuntelin ekaa kappaletta ja oli sillai :ooo koko Execute The Factin ajan ja sitten eikun uudestaan kuunteleen :)