Turisas

Mathias Nygård : Song / Keyboard (1997-present) Jussi Wickström : Guitar (1997-present) Tuomas Lehtonen : Battery / Percussions (1997-present) Hannes Horma : Bass (2004-present) Olli Vänskä : Violin (2004-present) Netta Skog : Accordion (2008-present) Ari Kärkkäinen : Guitar (1997-1999) Georg Laakso : Guitar (1999-2006) Mikko Törmikoski : Bass (1997-2004) Tino Ahola : Bass (2000-2001) Antti Ventola : Keyboard (1997-2007) Janne Mäkinen : Accordion (2007-2008) Turisas is a training of Power/Folk Metal incorporating symphonic elements in his music as well as Viking imagery a little like Amon Amarth or Finntroll . It refers to a marine monster of Finnish mythology, sometimes considered the god of war. Created in 1997 by Mathias Nygård (Chant / Keyboard) and Jussi Wickström (Guitare) in Hämeenlinna in southern Finland, the group first named Köyliö before changing its name the following year. Before 2001 and after a few changes in the line-up, the band released two promos that went unnoticed and then signed a first ep, The Heart Of Turisas, at SB Productions. It will take until 2004 for their first album: Battle Metal , stir up the scene and start making them talk, some fans even invent the Battle Metal label for their mix of Power and Folk Metal. In 2005, guitarist Georg Laakso was seriously injured in a car accident, which led him the following year to withdraw from the band and shortly thereafter to the departure of keyboardist Antti Ventola. Yet Turisas continues to work on her new album released in 2007, entitled The Varangian Way still at Century Media, making them even more famous. Two accordionists Janne Mäkinen and Netta Skog are recruited for the live sessions of the group, but only the latter now occupies an official place at Turisas. Finnish training on the road with Ensiferum , Týr and Eluveitie for the 2008 Pagan Fest and also immortalized their concert on a DVD: A Finnish Summer With Turisas at the end of 2008.