SARCOFAGUS IN A NUTSHELL:

Sarcofagus is reputed to be one of the most influential & original Scandinavian

Progressive Heavy Metal Bands (formed 1977). They have inspired numerous new metal bands.

-Officially the first Finnish Heavy Metal Band

-First Finnish Heavy Metal Band singing in Finnish

-First Scandinavian Heavy Metal Band to have a female vocalist (Muska Babitzin)

-First Scandinavian Band (first in the world?) to release a FULL ALBUM length story/broadcast quality video ever (Moottorilinnut/Motorbirds). This was before MTV, rental or sales videos and before people had VHS players

-1979-1982 Released 1 Single and 3 Albums (Single: Go to Hell/All those Lies 1979, Albums: Cycle of Life 1980, Envoy of Death 1980, Moottorilinnut 1982)

-Kimmo Kuusniemi was the 1st spoke person for Finnish Heavy Metal. He also started the Finnish Heavy Metal Association to bring together all the Finnish metal fans

-Kimmo Kuusniemi brought metal to radio, TV and papers where he was often used as the expert to explain the metal philosophy to reporters

-1996 the albums Cycle of Life and Envoy of Death re released as CDs in Italy by Mellotron

-2004 Kimmo Kuusniemi released a downloadable free web version of 1981 Moottorilinnut (Motorbirds) album with original alternative Sarcofagus cover

-2006 Cycle of Life re released in Finland

-2007 Envoy of Death and Moottorilinnut (Motorbirds) re released in Finland

-2007 the 4th Sarcofagus album "Core Values" came out after 25 years with most of the original band onboard; Kimmo Kuusniemi (guitars/drums), Esa Kotilainen (keyboards), Juha Kiminki (bass) and Tanja Katinka Karttunen (vocals)

-2008 limited edition CD release of an previously unpublished studio tape "Sarcofagus Live in Studio 1979", and a limited edition DVD release of the 1982 full album length music video "Moottorilinnut"

-2008 Kimmo Kuusniemi produced a feature length HD TV documentary "Promised Land of Heavy Metal" that tells the story of the Finnish Metal Phenomenon (featuring also Sarcofagus) - Finland is the only country in the world where metal is now mainstream. The film is directed by Tanja Katinka Karttunen. It is in worldwide TV and DVD distribution (and also available as an iPhone App)

-2009 Sarcofagus Anthology 1979-1982 double CD by Rocket Records published in Finland, including the first Single and 3 Albums, artwork and booklet with lyrics, history of the band and a foreword by Kimmo Kuusniemi

-2010 First Finnish Metal Band to have an iPhone App