News archives 2008/12

It’s been a crazy year, folks

Posted on December 24th 2008. Filed under general news.

Photo: Petri Vilén

We’re all taking it easy and celebrating christmas with families and friends, so how about looking back at this crazy year. A lot has happened and we would like to thank all of our friends, supporters and fans for an unforgettable year! It was great meeting so many of you during the year, so thank you all so very much!

The highlight of the year and our career was definitely the show at Tuska Open Air this past summer. It was just something way beyond words! We also had a lot of fun at the shows towards the end of the year and the one in Kotka especially was an unforgettable night (and hey, Pete almost got hit by a bus that night too – that was pretty cool)!

Best of 2008

Sotajumala

• Highlight of the year: Tuska Open Air on June 28th 2008
• The most surprising show: Kotka, Back Room on November 28th 2008
• Tour of the year: “No entrance fee, no coat check” tour November 27th—29th 2008
• Mystery of the year: Left foot
• Wall of death of the year: Tuska Open Air on June 28th 2008
• Driver of the year: Jukka “Paldanius Paldanius” Paldanius
• Car rental of the year: Lentäjä
• Cafeteria of the year: Wilhelmiinan Konditoria, Jyväskylä
• Snacks of the year: Runsaudensarvi (peanuts, chokolates, licorice – thanks Heini)
• Surprise of the year: Didn’t snap a single guitar string at any of the shows – that’s right, even Pete didn’t
• Biggest hurry of the year: Timo had just went to the toilet in Lahti when the intro started playing (our lightmaster knows when it’s showtime, for sure)
• Loveliest woman of the year: Heta Hyttinen (please do an interview, ok?)

Kosti

• Achievement of the year: Completed half marathon in Finlandia Marathon and (as stupid as it was) ran 25 km one night when I was hungover
• Quote of the year: ”Haista vittu!”
• Accomplishment of the year: Lost my amp at Tuska (thanks to Tuomas for friendly service and returning it to me)
• Concert of the year: Iron Maiden Stockholm—Helsinki—Tampere
• Discovery of the year: My long-lost motivation to play!
• Comedian of the year: Imppu Impola (our lightmaster)
• To sum up the year: I never thought I could make it here, and I really wouldn’t have wanted either

Mynni

• Finnish albums of the year (in no particular order):
  • Moonsorrow – Tulimyrsky
  • Blake – Saturnus
  • Behexen – My Soul for his Glory
  • Havoc Unit – h.IV+
  • Deathchain – Death Eternal
• Foreign album of the year: Mötley Crue – Saints of Los Angeles
• Quote of the year: “...että loppuu se hyvänolon tunne.”
• Website of the year: www.fuckingshocking.com
• STD of the year: Herpes brothers
• Movie of the year: Batman – Dark knight
• Toughest situation of the year: Spending two days in South Central, LA
• Accomplishment of the year: Making it through “No entrance fee, no coat check” tour in high fever
• Surprise of the year: Making it home alive from Horna’s US tour
• Purchase of the year: Ipod Nano 8Gb (no more Eppu Normaali or Dream Theater in the van)
• Drink of the year: Jallu russian

Timo

• Concert of the year: Shannon Wright, Théâtre des bouffes du Nord, Paris on June 20th 2008
• Albums of the year:
  • Thalia Zedek Band – Liars and prayers
  • Misery Index – Traitors
  • Black Bile – Great ape language
• The most listened album of the year: Julma-Henri & Syrjäytyneet – Al-Qaida Finland
• Drummer geekfest of the year: Hanging out with George Kollias and Pete Sandoval at Tuska Open Air
• Music requests of the year while in the van: Eppu Normaali and Iron Maiden
• Snacks of the year in the van: Peanuts etc. from Heini, sandwiches by Kosti (sweet as hell)
• Snacks of the year for audience: Popcorns

Tomi

• Highlight of the year: Mynni bought himself an Ipod, so we don’t have to listen to black metal anymore in the van...
• Albums of the year:
  • Testament – The Formation of Damnation (Bostaph is the king)
  • Blaze Bayley – The Man who would not die
  • Kingdom of Sorrow – Kingdom of sorrow
  • Iron Maiden – Somewhere back in time, the best of: 1980—1989 (Maiden could never put out a bad compilation)
• Finnish album of the year: Popeda – Täydelliset miehet (greatest album and album name ever - everybody likes this, they just don’t want to admit it)
• Solo of the year: Kosti in Riistetty viattomuus, even though Pete had his moments in Kidutus, too, but they both should learn from Dream Theater’s Petrucci on “Train of thought” – pure genious
• Website of the year: www.maidencollector.com
• Man of the year: Tuukka Laitinen, you’re almost as cool as Klaus Flaming
• The most restful sleep of the year: Omena hotel, Vaasa with clean, white sheets, feather pillows and a rather unlucky Pete...

Pete

• Quote of the year: “Onhan tää vähän tämmöstä.”
• Accomplishement of the year: Didn’t snap a string during shows
• Album of the year: Ihsahn – Angl
• Saddest news of the year: Pekka Pohjola R.I.P.
• The most watched DVDs of the year: Peter Gabriel, Dream Theater, Yes
• Concert of the year: Iron Maiden
• Character of the year: Kostardo Pim Pero
• Hotel of the year: Omena hotel in Vaasa and the cum-stained couch I was sleeping on

We will also play at Firebox Metal Fest

Posted on December 23rd 2008. Filed under shows.

We know, we’re doing a really good job with this whole “Oh no, we don’t want to play any shows next year” thing. We’ll be playing at Firebox Metal Fest in Seinäjoki on April 17th 2009. Other bands confirmed so far are Katatonia, Shining, Forgotten Tomb, Evoken and The Eternal.

Supporting Napalm fuckin’ Death!

Posted on December 3rd 2008. Filed under shows.

We knew this was coming, but we thought it would take at least a few weeks more… But no. Here we are – again – announcing shows when we’ve clearly stated we are going to focus on writing new material and won’t be playing any shows.

Then again, how could we have ever said no to supporting Napalm Death?! Especially when it’s in Oulu at Jalometalli Winterfest, which is a killer festival organized by some of the nicest people. Needless to say, we’re waiting for February 20th pretty damn eagerly.

What’s in store for us next year?

Posted on December 1st 2008. Filed under releases, third album.

Countless hours at the rehearsal room, that’s for sure. Even though we didn’t make it abroad this year, we feel it’s time to start writing a new record. We’re trying our hardest not to play any shows next year and focus fully on writing new material, but we all know how well that’s going to work, roit? Back in 2006 when we started writing Teloitus we played three shows in a few months. Who knows, we might even do some shows abroad now that we’re taking a break from playing live, hah!

We have some killer riffs already, but it’s way too early to say anything more. Except for the fact that the new album won’t be out until 2010, that’s for sure. As always, we’ll spend as much time as we need to put together an album that we all fully believe in. We are not one of those bands that write eight songs in two weeks and put out albums like it’s nothing.

We’re very excited to start writing new songs and we’ll keep you posted!

History

Sotajumala is a Finnish death metal band founded in 1998 that plays aggressive death metal. Drawing influence from both old and new generations of death metal the band has created a sound of their own. The lyrics are in their native language and the band name translates to Wargod. Over the years the band has gained loyal following through hard work, solid releases and several fierce live shows.

Debut full-length Death Metal Finland received great response from press and fans alike in 2004, marking the beginning of a new era in Finnish death metal. As a result of meticulous writing process the band unleashed their sophomore album Teloitus in 2007. With its eight crushing songs Teloitus displays Sotajumala’s progress as songwriters, as musicians and as a band - something both press and fans noticed. From start to finish Teloitus destroys everything on its path, not once letting go. This energy is also present at live shows where the band has further demonstrated their abilities to annihilate the masses.

Releases

• Slaughter at Lutakko, dvd 2010
• Death Metal Finland (special edition), 2cd 2008
• Teloitus, cd 2007
• Kuolinjulistus, cds 2007
• Sotajumala / Torture Killer split (vinyl), 7" 2005
• Sotajumala / Torture Killer split, cds 2005
• Death Metal Finland, cd 2004
• Panssarikolonna, mcd 2003
• Sotajumala, mcd 2001