Purportedly Finland's first doom metal band, Spiritus Mortis were formed in 1987 (originally under the name Rigor Mortis) by brothers Teemu and Jussi Maijala. But military service and other distractions resulted in over a decade of relative inactivity for the group, and things only started heating up again when vocalist Vesa Lampi joined in the year 2000. Longtime drummer VP Rapo also moved over to guitar (as well as keyboards and flutes) at this time, making way for new percussionist Jarkko "Sepi" Seppälä to complete their current lineup in 2003. By then, several demos had been recorded and they fared quite well among tape traders and specialized magazines, eventually leading to a deal with Rage of Achilles Records. Combining slothful doom and speedier, traditional heavy metal, Spiritus Mortis' belated eponymous debut album was finally released in January 2004. ~ Eduardo Rivadavia