Marko Hietala: Marko is, of course, known for his years in Nightwish and Tarot. It’s safe to say he’s a legend of his craft. This band is now his main focus as an artist and rightfully bears his name. Interestingly, the upcoming album is only his second solo album to date, with “Pyre of the Black Heart” (2020) being the first. What started as a side project has now become the center of attention. We feel this fresh start as a hungry pack—not maybe the youngest of wolves, but more like dinosaurs! Hard rock is a glorious thing to play; after all these years, it still brings a grin to our faces. Marko stays true to his witty and dark lyrics, drawing from his vast knowledge of classic rock and happily influenced by science fiction and proper Savonian sarcasm.

Tuomas Wäinölä: Having had a career as a freelance guitarist in Finland for the past 20 years, Tuomas has gravitated toward having a definite connection to anything he plays. That means writing and arranging songs with Marko and also acting as the producer for his albums. Marko and Tuomas have been part of Raskasta Joulua, a Finnish Christmas-time metal outfit, for years, which probably made him a natural choice for the band. Tuomas and drummer Anssi go way back, having played together in various Finnish bands since the early 2000s. Anssi also plays on Tuomas’s solo albums.
Bob Engstrand: Hailing from Gränum, Sweden, Robert has been living in Finland for the past 20 years. He has toured with bands like Turisas and Von Hertzen Brothers. He’s also Tuomas’s former bandmate in another legendary Finnish heavy metal singer Timo Kotipelto’s (Stratovarius) solo outing. Bob and Anssi spend all their free time listening to 70s-80s LA session-guy-oriented classic albums by Chaka Khan, Toto, Michael McDonald, and others.

Anssi Nykänen: Anssi is probably the most legendary Finnish musician, having played drums professionally for almost 50 years and laid down 5,500+ album tracks as a session musician. He originally met Marko at a music camp in the early 1980s, and they were also connected by a short mutual stint in Raskasta Joulua. Anssi is the walking encyclopedia of rhythm music and an inspiration to us all as a master of his craft.

Together, our lineup offers a blend of positively old-school yet timeless rock often slipping into metal and prog that is rooted in the classics but always striving for new angles.

The upcoming album, Roses From The Deep, set to release on February 7, 2025, is something we’re proud and happy to share. We hope you enjoy it. See you out there!

Metal De Facto is a Finnish power metal band founded in 2017 by Esa Orjatsalo (formerly of Dreamtale) and Sami Hinkka (Ensiferum).

The lineup also features Atte Marttinen on drums, Benji Connelly on keyboards, Mikko Salovaara on guitar, and initially Mikael Salo on vocals.