To/Die/For
To / Die / For is a Finnish gothic metal band from Kouvola, which was founded in 1993 under the name Mary Ann and renamed in To / Die / For 1999.
Style
To / Die / For play a melodic variant of gothic metal, elements of 80s synth pop as well as those containing the melodic power metal. Due to the idiosyncratic voice of the singer Jape Perätalo the band has a high recognition value, it provides opponents but also a good breeding ground for criticism. Another distinction is the bare essentials reduced Schlagzeugfills, which often consist only of different varied attacks on the bass drum and the snare.
Musically, comparisons were made with their compatriots of HIM with respect to the band especially at the beginning of her writing career, which was the case, however, rarely after the second album. The comparisons stir, not least the fact that HIM was the first Finnish gothic rock band, had Europe's massive success and their first single was also a cover.
History
To / Die / For were founded in 1993 as Mary Ann. The band played hard rock with slight glam rock elements and had been named after a song by Alice Cooper. In 1997, the group released a self-titled album on their own. For the 1998 recorded Deeper Sin -EP, the songs like Farewell, Dripping Down Red and the Pet Shop Boys cover It's A Sin contained, Mary Ann signed on 2 July 1999 a contract with the Finnish label Spinefarm Records. Over the years, the style of the group for the gothic metal had developed out why Mary Ann at this point in To / Die / For renamed and thus ushered in the birth of a new band.
The debut album All Eternity was released in 1999 in Finland and has been licensed a year later by Nuclear Blast Germany. The song contained on Mary- Ann (RIP) is meant as a tribute to the old band name. For the band included, in addition singer Jape Perätalo the two guitarists Joonas Koto and Juppe Sutela and bassist Miikka Kuisma and drummer Tonmi Lillmann. With the single In The Heat Of The Night, a cover of the same name Sandra songs, go To / Die / For the jump in the national charts. The single debuted at # 17 in the autumn of 2000 the band went along with Sentenced, In Flames and Dark Tranquillity on their first European tour. Subsequently, however, bassist Miikka Kuisma left the band and was replaced by Marko Kangaskolkka, who had previously played before at Mary Ann.
The second album Epilogue was released in May 2001. Single release Hollow Heart is To / Die / For ' s first Top Ten hit in Finland and peaked at # 5 on the charts. The album itself reached # 10 in the summer guitarist Juppe Sutela left the band and was replaced for the next tour of the later Children Of Bodom guitarist Roope Latvala -. The band is touring in Europe as support for Lacrimosa. Back in Finland, Mika Ahtiainen joined them as the new guitarist. Drummer Tonmi Lillman played between 2000 and 2002 in parallel with the band Sinergy and is there to listen to the two albums To Hell And Back and Suicide By My Side.
In March 2003, appeared after several rumors of disagreements between record company and band's third album Jaded. After the band had recorded no cover for Epilogue, a foreign composition is again represented on this album with the Cutting Crew song (I Just) Died In Your Arms. After release of the album, however, business problems took their course. The announced lead single Too Much Is not Enough never appeared and a confirmed European tour in April of the same year was canceled. In August 2003, vocalist Jape Perätalo announced his departure. A Mexico tour in autumn denied the band with Juha Kylmanen of For My Pain on the mic.
Jape Perätalo founded after he left a new band called Tiaga during Lillman, Koto and Kangaskolkka To / continue Die / For and were looking for a new singer. Confusion arises in the spring of 2004, when Spinefarm Records Tiaga offered a record deal, to call on the condition the band back To / Die / For. Tiaga signed the contract and were renamed from now on again under the old name. The band was now beside Perätalo from the two former T / D / F- guitarist Juppe Sutela and Mika " Alli " Ahtiainen, the two New Dawn Foundation members Josey beach man (bass) and Santtu Lonka (drums) and former HIM and Mary- Ann keyboardist Juska Salminen. The remaining, ausgebooteten musicians Tonmi Lillman (drums), Joonas Koto (guitar) and Marko Kangaskolkka ( bass) formed the thrash metal band Hate frame.
The fourth To / Die / For album bore the simple title IV and was released in March 2005. Again was with New Year's Day by U2 a cover included. The single reached # 7 Little Deaths of the national single charts, the album debuted at number 16 Although with koto and Lillman were no longer with the band doing the Hauptarrangeure, sounded the plate very according to previous works of the band and was able to convince the press and fans alike. A European headlining tour followed in April of the same year, accompanied by their compatriots Soulrelic. After the tour, guitarist Juppe Sutela again left the band. He was replaced by Antza Talala of Soulrelic. In January 2006, the band with the Brides Of Destruction and Prong at NAMM 2006, they played their first appearance in the United States. In contrast, keyboardist Juska Salminen took a break from the band. A little later, in February of this year, also gave guitarist Mika " Alli " Ahtiainen his exit known. For him, returned to the band in May Joonas Koto.
To / Die / For released their fifth album titled Wounds Wide Open, which has been mixed by Peter Tägtgren ( Hypocrisy ) in October 2006. After a break of four years, the compilation Epilogue From The Past appeared - best of until 27 July 2012 a new studio album titled Samsara is published.
Guest musicians
To / Die / For some songs with female vocals on their albums, so they invite from time to time guest vocalists into the studio. In All Eternity are Kimberly Goss ( Sinergy ) and Elisa Jokelin hear on Epilogue is Tanya Kemppainen ( Lullacry ) behind the mic and on Jaded are Jonna Imeläinen and Anna Lukkarinen heard. On IV is next to the last-named also to hear Katja Kallio.
In addition to the guest vocalists also appear repeatedly backing vocalists on the albums, as, inter alia, Marco Hietala from Nightwish.
Discography
Mary Ann Publications
Studio albums
Singles
- 2000: In the Heat of the Night
- 2001: Hollow Heart
- 2005: Little Deaths
- 2006: Like Never Before